The Holmenkollen ski jump

The Holmenkollen ski jump, located in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway, is host to the world's second oldest ski jump competition still in existence.

Since then crowds have increased to over 100,000 and the jump has been extended 18 times, last time in 1982. Today's tower extends 60 meters above ground, and 417 metres above sea level. The current record is 136 meters.
Crown Prince Olav participated in 1922 and 1923. Every year, more than a million tourists visit the ski arena. The tower offers a panoramic view of Oslo and the Oslofjord.

Warmest winter ever

Spring seemed to bust out all over in Oslo this week, not the best news just before the biggest winter sports weekend of the year at Holmenkollen.

With little snow and unseasonably high temperatures, experts agree that the winter of 2006-2007 looks set to go down in the record books as the warmest winter ever.
It's also been the warmest winter in the entire northern hemisphere since records started being kept 125 years ago, reports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Unofficial temperatures hit 16C in Oslo on Thursday, or nearly 60F. The snow is mostly gone in the city, and the ski association that hosts the annual World Cup competition at Holmenkollen in the hills above the city has had to fly in snow for the runs with helicopters.

Holmenkollen Ski Jump can be torn down

The Directorate of Cultural Heritage has approved the demolition of sporting and cultural icon 'Holmenkollbakken', the ski jump in Oslo's western hills.
The decision does not necessarily mean the end of the popular tourist attraction and traditional sporting venue. International skiing body FIS demands a new ski jumping facility if Oslo is to host the world championship in 2011.
Aftenposten(Norwegian)

Ski jump may be torn down

The Holmenkollen Ski Jump, an Oslo landmark that can be seen from all over town, isn't up to the sport's current competitive standards and won't be approved for a World Cup competition in 2011.

That means Oslo, which has applied to host the World Cup competition five-and-a-half years from now, will either have to tear down the existing ski jump and build a bigger one, build a new ski jump somewhere else, or drop its World Cup bid.