That’s the passionate motto of a Hoppers Crossing man who wants Wyndham to become an internationally known Mecca for ski jumpers after he builds Australia’s first ski-jump tower.
It is an activity most Australians are only vaguely familiar with but Tony Mihelcic is undeterred.
“There’s nothing like this sport,” said the Slovenia-born grandfather.
“Once you have experienced the flying, you will never want to stop.”
The fact there is no snow in Wyndham is a minor detail for the 61-year-old.
Around the world, ski jumpers are now pouring water down high-tech plastic-covered slopes to enjoy the sport year-round.
Same skis, same positioning of a skier’s body into an aerodynamic rocket shape and same soaring distances.
“It’s better with the plastic because you can use it all the time, 24-hours under lights if you want without worrying about the reliability of the weather,” he said.
If enthusiasm and ambition were enough, Mr Mihelcic would have his 32-metre tower built and skiers soaring over Wyndham in no time.
For the past four years, he has devoted every spare moment to his dream, establishing a ski jumping institute of Australia and producing stacks of promotional CDs and videos at his own cost.
He is also holding countless meetings with possible investors when not working in his job of 35 years as a truck driver.
He estimates he needs about $5 million or so to build the wood, steel and plastic slope, as well as about a hectare of land.
“I need people who can see just how much potential this has,” he said.
“It’s something I grew up with and I know there are enough people here who would love it.”
His enthusiasm for the sport started when he was a six-year-old in Slovenia.
He trained on ski jumps located practically in his backyard, and by the age of 12, he was a Slovenian junior champion.
“It was a national holiday when we had ski-jumping contests,” he said.
Fast-forward to 1985, when nine years after immigrating to Australia, Mr Mihelcic realised there were ski fields and snow in his new homeland of Australia.
He began downhill skiing but his thoughts constantly returned to ski-jumping.
In 2005, Mr Mihelcic entered in the World Masters’ Ski-Jumping Championships in Austria.
He became the first athlete to compete for Australia and set an official Australian record for his 18-metre jump.
Energised by his performance, Mr Mihelcic went on to win Australia’s first medal in the sport, competing against more than 200 veteran athletes back in Slovenia in February 2006.
His jump of 14.5 metres under wintery and icy conditions was enough for a bronze medal.
“People overseas now know me as the kangaroo jumper,” he said.
In June, he’s off again to another world masters competition in Austria.
It will be the first summer competition for the international event and take splace on the plastic slopes Mr Mihelcic is so keen to bring to Australia.
Readers interested in helping Mr Mihelcic the sport can call him on 0408 560 274.
