Birger Ruud (43 let) je na povabilo Organizacijskega komiteja Planica leta 1954 obiskal Planico. Kot predskakalec na novi 125 m letalnici dvakrat skočil preko 80 m. Skakal je v puloverju, pod katerim je imel belo srajco in kravato po tradiciji norveških skakalcev pred drugo vojno. Birger Ruud (43 years old) was invited by the Organizing Committe Planica to visit Planica in 1954. He jumped over 270 feet twice as fore-runner. He was jumping in pullover and under it, white shirt with a neck-tie as it was the Norwegians' tradition before the 2nd World War.

Člani Organizacijskega komiteja Planica (z leve): dr. Tone Dečman, olimpijec leta 1936 v Garmisch-Partenkirchen in trener skakalcev okoli 1960, dr. Danilo Dougan, študentski reprezentant v smučanju in enkrat v bobu pred drugo vojno, kasneje predsednik Slovenska smučarska zveza od leta 1948 do 1965 ter član predsedstva FIS in Ante Gnidovec-Boter, prvi slovenski FIS sodnik za skoke pred drugo vojno, vodja olimpijske reprezentance Jugoslavije leta 1936 v Garmisch-Partenkirchnu ter predsednik Smučarskega kluba Ljubljana od leta 1928 do 1941.  

Members of the Organization Committee Planica (from left): Tone Dečman, member of the Olympic Team in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 and coach of Yugoslav ski jumpers about 1960, Danilo Dougan, member of the Students Ski Team and once in bobleigh before the 2nd World War and president of the Ski Association of Slovenia from 1948 to 1972 and member of the FIS Presidium, Ante Gnidovec-Boter, the first Slovenian FIS referee for ski-jumping and chief of the Olympic Team in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 and president of Ski Club Ljubljana from 1928 to 1940.

Mladi smučarji so imeli za vzor skakalca Janeza Poldo in skoraj vsak mladec je napovedal svoj skok na mali skakalnici iz snega kot uradni napovedovalec v Planici na mali, iz snega zgrajeni, skakalnici: «Naslednji skače Janez Polda!«. Aleš Guček na sliki, 1952.  Janez Polda was the idol of young skiers and everyone of them announced his own jump on little ski-jumps like the official speaker in Planica: «Janez Polda will jump next!« Aleš Guček on the picture, 1952.

Bine Rogelj, udeleženec zimskih olimpijksih iger leta 1956 in dolga leta najboljši Slovenec na Novoletni turneji z 8. mestom, se je leta 1954 peljal s »pendlom« (tirno vzpenjačo) inž. Stanka Bloudka v Planici. Enako je načrtoval in postavil za alpske smučarje že leta 1939 na plazu na Domom Ilirijo v bližini skakalnic v Planici. To je bila prva žičnica v Sloveniji. Politiki so po 2. svetovni vojni dali nalog in jo prestavili v železarno na Koroškem. Bloudek je na istem mestu postavil po letu 1950 vlečnico.  

Slovenian competitor at the New Year Meet with 8th place, was taken up by Stanko Bloudek's »pendel« (skimobile) in Planica in 1954. Bloudek designed and constructed a similar skimobile for alpine skiers above Lodge Ilirija in the vicinity of ski-jumping hill in Planica in 1939. This was the first uphill ski conveyence in Slovenia. After the 2nd World War politicians ordered the removal of the skimobile from Planica to an iron-works in Carinthia. Bloudek built a T-bar in the same place after 1950.

Joso Gorec, ki je dal leta 1933 pobudo za gradnjo letalnice v Planici, je bil po letu 1948 s strani socialistične oblasti neupravičeno zaprt in suspendiran iz Slovenske smučarske zveze in prepoved delovanja v vseh športih. Njegove »uradne« napake so bile: prijatelji v tujini in da je bil lastnik male športne trgovine pred 2. svetovne vojne in da je po vojni bil z njo »vojni dobičkar« v socialistični državi, ki so jo vodili komunisti. Svetozar Guček sprožil postopek rehabilitacije in Gorec je bil očiščen »krivde« in je leta 1954 obiskal Planico kot uradni gost Organizacijskega komiteja Planica. Gorec in avtor te knjige sta na fotografiji v Planici leta 1954. 

Joso Gorec who gave the initiative to build the ski-flying hill in Planica in 1933, was arrested without any reason 1948 by the socialist authorities and suspended as the president of Slovenian Ski Association and disqualified from all sports. His »official« faults were as follows: he had friends abroad and that he was owner of a small sport shop before the 2nd World War« with which he made »war profits« after the war in the socialist country ruled by communists. Svetozar Guček proposed the rehabilitation of Joso Gorec and he was »cleared of any guilt« during the rehabilitation process. Gorec visited Planica in 1954 again as official guest of the Organizing Committee Planica. Gorec and the author of this book are in the photograph taken in Planica in 1954.

Pogled na Planico leta 1954: levo 90 m skakalnica, zraven nova 120 m, desno mala zgradba Doma Ilirije (zgrajena 1931) in leta 1935 s sobami dograjena depandansa.  View of Planica in 1954: the 300 feet ski-jumping hill on the left and the new 400 foot one besides it. The small Lodge Ilirija (built in 1931) and was enlarged with additional rooms in 1935.

Skakalec Janez Saksida leta 1954 s številko z reklamo Cockta, slovensko patentirano pijačo po receptu Emerika Zelinke, podobno ameriški Coca Coli, ki so jo tega leta delili v času poletov v Planici. In 1954 Ski jumper Janez Saksida with advertising Cockta, the Slovenian soft drink with the recipe of Emerik Zelinka. Cockta was similar to Coca-Cola and was distributed in Planica in 1954.

Smučarski klub Enotnost (SKE) je leta 1954 z lastnimi sredstvi in udarniškim delom zgradil 60 m skakalnico ob Galetovem gradu v Ljubljani. Številne tekme, tudi tekmo za pokal Kongsberg si je ogledalo tudi do 20.000 gledalcev. Tedanji politiki in po njihovi odločitvi je župan občine Šiška poskrbel, da so skakalnico vzeli smučarskemu klubu brez odškodnine in tedaj je začela propadati, tako da je bila nevarna za sprehajalce v bližini. Nek brezdomec se je celo naselil v zidani stolp zaleta, ker ni dobil stanovanja na občini Šiška. Vso sramoto in nevarnost naj bi rešil po nalogu občine SKE, ki pa ni bil lastnik niti upravljavec objekta v razpadanju. Na isti način je propadlo tudi smučišče in slalomišče desno od skakalnice. Mestne oblasti so tudi prepovedale smučanje na griču Rožnik zaradi varstva okolja, s čimer so naredile veliko škodo razvoju smučanja v Ljubljani, predvsem manj premožnim meščanom, ki so radi zahajali pozimi na to bližnjo smučišče blizu središča mesta.

Ski Club Enotnost (SKE) built a 200 foot ski-jumping hill at Gale's Castle in Ljubljana with their own money and labor in 1954. Many competitons drew up to 20.000 spectators, specially for the Kongsberg Cup. The politicians of that time (communists) decided to confiscate the ski-jumping hill from SKE without any reimbursement. The reason was that a sport club could not be the owner of sports buildings, but only communities could. The Mayor of the community Ljubljana-Šiška, followed orders and from that time on, the ski-jumping hill began to fall into ruin, becoming dangerous for walkers in the neighbourhood. A homeless citizien settled in the brick tower, because he did not get a place to live. The SKE was ordered to make everything safe; but how could they since were no longer owners? The same story happened to the ski slope and slalom terrain in the vicinity. The town authorities forbade skiing round the Rožnik Hill in order to protect the environment. This put a stop to the development of skiing in Ljubljana. Poorer citiziens and young skiers could not ski in the vicinity of downtown Ljubljana.

Podrtija stolpa leta 2015.

Ruins of the tower in 2015.

Stolp zaleta 60 m skakalnice v Ljubljani blizu Galetovega gradu (1960).  Tower of the in-run of the 200 foot ski-jumping hill near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana (1960).

60 m skakalnica blizu Galetovega gradu v Ljubljani (1960). 200 foot ski-jumping hill near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana (1960).

Zastavonoša na Galetovem, Kongsberg pokal, Ljubljana, Slovenija, 9. 1. 1965.

„Flag bearer“ at Galetovo, Kongsberg Cup, Ljubljana, Slovenia, January 9, 1965.

Kratek travnik pod skakalnico ni bil primeren za iztek, zato so gradili lesen visok in strm iztek z nasprotno strmino nad Vodnikovo cesto v Ljubljani. Marsikateri skakalci, ki so bili večinoma slabo izurjeni smučarji v alpskem smučanju, so pred ograjo izteka raje namerno padli, kot da bi se vanjo zaleteli.  The short meadow was not suitable for the out-run area of the ski-jumping hill, therefore a high and steep out-run was built above Vodnikova Road. Many of the ski jumpers were very weak in skiing, so they fell down near the fence by their own will instead of bumping into it.

Skakalci so morali peš do vrha zaleta 60 m skakalnice blizu Galetovega gradu 9. januarja 1964 na tekmi pokala Kongsberg v Ljubljani (skakalci Smučarskega kluba Enotnosti z leve): Miro Oman (državni reprezentant), Janez Brilej in Peter Eržen (državni reprezentant).  Ski jumpers walked to the in-run of the 200 foot ski-jumping hill at Gale's Castle on January 9th, 1964 in the Kongsberg Cup Competiton in Ljubljana (ski jumpers of Ski Club Enotnost from left): Miro Oman, member of the National Team, Janez Brilej, and Peter Eržen, member of the National Team.

FIS Kongsberg pokal tekma v skokih na 60 m skakalnici 9. januarja 1964 v Ljubljani blizu Galetovega gradu.  FIS Kongsberg Cup in Ljubljana in January 9, 1964 on 200 feet ski-jumping hill near the Gale's Castle.

FIS Kongsberg pokal v skokih si je 9. januarja 1964 ogledalo blizu Galetovega travnika v Ljubljani 20.000 gledalcev.  Ski jumping FIS Kongsberg Cup near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana on January, 1964 watched by 20.000 spectators.  

Miro Oman je skočil daleč v dno skakalnice blizu Galetovega gradu v Ljubljani in je varno ležeč na smučeh smučal naprej (FIS Kongsberg pokal, 9. januar 1964). Miro Oman jumped far to the bottom of the ski-jumping hill near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana, but landed and skied laying on skis (FIS Kongsberg Cup, January 9, 1964).

Veliko število gledalcev se je zbralo med nalivom, da si je ogledalo tekme v skokih na smučeh blizu Galetovega gradu v Ljubljani v petdesetih in šestdesetih.  Many specators came to watch the ski-jumping competition even if it was raining hard near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana.

Inž. Stanko Bloudek je leta 1956 izumil skoke brez snega. Na skakalnici z lesenima koritoma na zaletu, po katerih je tekla voda, se je skakalec spustil z lesenima rolkama (na sliki) in v počepu kot na skakalnici iz snega odskočil na mostičku. Prvi del skoka je bil kot na skakalnici pozimi, nato pa je skočil na glavo v reko Ljubljanico.   Stanko Bloudek invented ski-jumping without snow in 1956. In two water channels built of timber the ski jumper skied in the in-run. In crouch position as on the ski-jumping hill covered with snow, he then took off. The first part of the ski-jump was like one in winter, but to land in the river Ljubljanica, he has to dive head first.

Avstrijska skakalna reprezentanca je septembra 1957 obiskala Bloudkovo »mokro« skakalnico v Ljubljani. Na sliki Franc Pribošek-Šiki, olimpijec leta 1936 v Garmisch-Partenkirchen, ki je bil najboljši Slovenec v skokih z 39. mestom. The Austrian Ski Jumping Team visietd Bloudek's »wet« ski-jumping hill in Ljubljana in September 1957. Franc Pribošek-Šiki (in the photograph) was a member of the Olympic Team in 1936 and was the best Yugoslav (Slovenain) ski-jumper at the Winter Olympic Games in ski-jumping with 39th place.

Dolžine poletov so vstavljali leta 1954 na sodniški tribuni v Planici ročno na oglasno desko za gledalce, čeprav so dolžine slišali tudi preko zvočnikov.  Length of the ski-flies were hand-set on the offical board on the tower for referees for the specatotors to see besides all lengths were announced over loudspeakers.

Mostec pod Rožnikom v Ljubljani je imel dve mali skakalnici. Predsednik kluba Smučarskega kluba Enotnost Maks Završnik je uspel dobiti 1964 brezplačno plastične metle iz Demokratične republike Nemčije, ki so bile izločene zaradi slabe kakovosti. Te so povezali v Ljubljani v primerno tanke sloje, ki so jih položili na 40 m prvo plastično skakalnico v Jugoslaviji, ki je omogočala poletne treninge ne samo skakalcem iz Ljubljane, temveč tudi poletni trening državne reprezentance (z leve): Marjan Pečar, na zaletišču Božo Jemc in desno Peter Eržen.  

Two small ski-jumping hills were built in Mostec below Rožnik in Ljubljana in 1964. Maks Završnik, president of Ski Club Enotnost succeded in getting from the German Democratic Republic plastic brushes free of charge which ejected from production. The brushes were tied together in convenient thin layers and laid on the 130 feet ski-jumping hill in Mostec. This was the first plastic ski-jumping hill in Yugoslavia, where not only the ski jumpers from Ljubljana but the members of the National Team could train in summer (from left): Marjan Pečar, on in-run, Božo Jemc on the right Peter Eržen.

Vzdrževanje plastike na skakalnici v Mostecu v Ljubljani. Maintenance of the plastic ski-jumping hill in Mostec in Ljubljana.

Poleti so bili po letu 1954 vsako tretje leto v Planici na 120 m letalnici. Zato so v Planici organizirali mednarodno tekmovanje za Poldov pokal (memorial) na 90 m skakalnici, prvič leta 1965. Na sliki skakalnica v petdesetih letih. Ski-flying competition was every third year after 1954 in Planica on the 400 feet ski-flying hill. Competition for the Poldov Cup was therefore organized in the years between on the 300 foot ski-jumping hill, the first time in 1965. Here the ski-jumping hill in 1950s.

Združenje Kulm-Oberstdorf-Planica (KOP) je bilo ustanovljeno 27. 10. 1962 v Hotelu Slon v Ljubljani. Predstavniki letalnic, Kulm, Oberstdorf in Planica na prvem sestanku v Ljubljani (z leve): dr. Franjo Pavlin (Planica, prvi tajnik KOP), Gustl Seeweng, Hasi Lacher (Oberstdorf), arh. Heini Klopfer (Oberstdorf), dr. France Zupan (Planica), Milan Fajdiga (Planica), Alois Neuper (Kulm), dr. Tone Dečman (Planica), Robert Kanzler (Kulm), Ante Gnidovec-Boter (Planica) in dr. Danilo Dougan (Planica, prvi predsednik KOP). KOP je sprejel kasneje v članstvo še Harrachov (Češkoslovaška), Ironwood (ZDA) in Vikersund Norveška). Sedež KOP se je selil vsaki dve leti v kraj, odkoder je bil predsednik KOP.

Association Kulm-Oberstdorf-Planica (KOP) was established in Hotel Slon (Hotel Elephant) in Ljubljana on October 27, 1962. The representatives of the ski-flying hills at Kulm, Oberstdorf and Planica at the first meeting in Ljubljana (from left): Franjo Pavlin (Planica, first secretary of KOP), Gustl Seeweng, Hasi Lacher (Oberstdorf), Heini Klopfer (Oberstdorf), France Zupan (Planica), Milan Fajdiga (Planica), Alois Neuper (Kulm), Tone Dečman (Planica), Robert Kanzler (Kulm), Ante Gnidovec-Boter (Planica) and Danilo Dougan (Planica, first president of KOP). It was agred upon that each third year by turn Planica, Oberstdorf and Kulm would be organized the ski-flying competition per 1954 rules meaning. The seat of the KOP was each two years other place where the president of KOP was elected by turn from Planica (Slovenia), Oberstdorf (Germany) and Kulm (Austria). KOP later invited Harrachov (Czecho-Slovakia), Ironwood (U.S.A.) and Vikersund (Norway) to join the Association but the name KOP remained.