Test your courage: Stand atop the 30-story-high "ski jump" from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and your legs will go weak

Reporter Yang Xiaorou / Reporting and photography from Gangwon Province, South Korea

Living in a subtropical country, you might not be too familiar with Winter Olympic events. But those who’ve seen *Eddie the Eagle* probably know a little about ski jumping—the thrill of athletes diving off a platform as high as a 30-story building is both terrifying and mesmerizing, drawing you in with the beauty of this extreme sport.*ETtoday EBC News Cloud*This time, we traveled to Gangwon Province, South Korea, to give you a sneak peek at the ski jumping venue for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

▲ The Alpensia Ski Jump Competition Venue.

▲ The ski jump training venue.

The designated ski jumping competition venue for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics is located at the Alpensia Ski Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. From the large sports stadium, you can take in the full view of the ski jump tower. Compared to the 90-meter-high platform, people standing at the base look tiny—it’s hard to imagine how much courage athletes need to “fly” off the top.

▲ The mascots for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and Paralympics. (Left: Paralympic mascot Bandabi, right: Olympic mascot Soohorang)

▲ The ski jump is about 30 stories high, making those standing below seem small in comparison.

Heading up to the nearby Ski Jump Tower offers a different perspective of the structure and even allows you to stand at the very top of the ski jump. The path leading to the jump start position is made of grated metal flooring—it sends shivers up your spine, but lets you take in the entire resort view, along with the beautiful mountain and snowy landscapes of Pyeongchang.

▲ The grated metal flooring leading to the jump.

▲ A panoramic view of the resort, showing the ski slopes and skiers.

Though you can’t actually leap off the jump, looking down from the edge gives you a sense of the tension athletes feel as they prepare to launch. The towering height of the jump, which blocks the view of the bottom, is enough to make your legs shake—and you can’t help but admire the athletes’ nerves of steel and incredible skills. Want to experience the same view that “Eddie the Eagle” had during his leap? Head to the Alpensia Ski Jump in Pyeongchang.

▲ The view from the top of the jump, and the feeling athletes get just before launching.

▲ Illustration of ski jumping. (Image / Screenshot fromthe Pyeongchang Winter Olympicsofficial website)

Alpensia Ski Resort (Photo by ???? )
Address: 325, Daegwallyeong-ro, Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do (???????????? 325)