This year, Ljubno ob Savinji celebrates 50 years of the ski jumping club SSK Ljubno BTC, 30 years of the club being sponsored by the BTC company, and 70 years since the first ski jumping competition in Ljubno. To celebrate these anniversaries, a festive gala was held in Ljubno on Friday, 28 July 2023, to review the major milestones in the club’s history, including the achievements of its ski jumpers and the most important competitions that took place on its ski jumps. The development of ski jumping in Ljubno is inextricably linked with the BTC company, which, in addition to supporting the club for three decades, has also been the general sponsor of the FIS Ladies Ski Jumping World Cup in Ljubno ob Savinji for 12 years.
At the festive gala in Ljubno ob Savinji, the audience was first addressed by Jože Mermal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the BTC company and Honorary Chairman of SSK Ljubno BTC, who emphasized the long-standing tradition of ski jumping in Ljubno. The support of this sport from the locals, numerous organisations, sports enthusiasts and others has resulted in Ljubno ob Savinji bringing up excellent young ski jumpers for many years now. It has become the cradle of women’s ski jumping, placed on the map of the best international competition venues with its crowd of tens of thousands of spectators. The ski jumping club SSK Ljubno BTC is a solid pillar of World Cup competitions and, among other things, plays a paramount role in the development and support of young female and male ski jumpers.
In addition to the club’s important historical milestones, the event also recalled the many achievements of its members, dating back to the medals won at the Olympic Games, and highlighted the importance of developing and supporting young male and female ski jumpers, as well as the biggest ski jumping competitions held at the Ljubno ski jumping hills.
The development of ski jumping in Ljubno ob Savinji and the achievements of its many promising ski jumpers are also due to the BTC company, which has proudly supported SSK Ljubno BTC since 1993. The collaboration between the club and the company has spurred bold ideas and produced top results, including the unprecedented success of Timi Zajc, whom the BTC company has supported since 2018 and whose crowning achievements are an Olympic gold medal from Beijing 2022 and victory at this year’s World Championships in Planica. In addition to taking care of young athletes, who are getting incredible results in international competitions and thereby enhancing Slovenia’s reputation and visibility in the international community, the cooperation also led to Ljubno ob Savinji hosting the FIS Ladies Ski Jumping World Cup. As a result, Ljubno, where the first World Cup competition was held in the 2011/2012 season, was put on the global map of women’s ski jumping. In 2021, Ljubno ob Savinji hosted the historic inaugural Silvester Tournament in women’s ski jumping; last year, the Tournament was co-hosted by Villach. The next edition of the FIS Ladies Ski Jumping World Cup in Ljubno is scheduled to take place on 27 and 28 January 2024.
Long-term sponsorships in ski jumping and other sports are part of the BTC company’s social responsibility, which constitutes one of the company’s core values. By working with and supporting young athletes, sports clubs and events, we help athletes to overcome challenges and reach for their dreams. Their perseverance and success inspire and motivate us to achieve the company’s business goals.
PHOTO: SSK Ljubno
