USA Nordic - Weekend Recap: Nordic Combined & Ski Jumping World Cups, Junior World Championships

Last weekend, USA Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined athletes competed at different World Cup events in Oberstdorf and Willingen, Germany. USA Nordic athletes also competed at the FIS Junior World Championships in Whistler, Canada. The weekend was highlighted by Andrew Urlaub, who scored his first-ever World Cup points for Men’s Ski Jumping on Sunday in Willingen. At Junior Worlds, Niklas Malacinski, Erik Belshaw and Josie Johnson were all able to record new personal bests in different Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping events in Whistler.

Men’s Nordic Combined – Junior World Championships

The first competition at the FIS Junior World Championships for Men’s Nordic Combined was the Team HS104/4x5km Event. On the hill, the team consisting of Evan Nichols, Carter Brubaker, Caleb Zuckerman and Niklas Malacinki, were able to jump their way to 4th overall. Nichols (11:56.6), Brubaker (12:40.7), Zuckerman (13:08.9) and Malacinski (12:14.1) were able to hold their 4th place position, as they finished the course with a total time of 51:00.6.

The next competition was on Friday, February 3rd, as athletes participated in the HS104/10km Event. On the hill, Malacinski was able to jump his way to 1st overall, putting together a 102.5 meter jump for 138.2 points, giving him a +17.0 lead over second place for the 10km race. Nichols then jumped to 88.0 meters (110.1 points, 24th overall), with Zuckerman (84.0 meters, 103.9 points, 27th overall) and Brubaker (85.0 meters, 101.2 points, 28th overall) close behind. During the 10km, Malacinski fought hard but was unable to hold his lead, as he finished the race with a 26:30.4 total time. This landed Malacinski in 5th place, which is a new Junior Worlds personal best finish. Nichols finished 22nd (28:24.9 total time), with Brubaker placing 27th overall (29:21.1 total time) and Zuckerman placing 32nd (31:20.2 total time).

The final Nordic Combined competition of the weekend came on Saturday, February 4th, which was a Mixed Team HS104/4x5km Event. The team consisting of Alexa Brabec, Skyler Amy, Carter Brubaker and Tess Arnone, were able to jump their way to 7th overall. During the 4x5km, they were able to hold their position, as the foursome finished the race 7th overall with a 41:46.1 total time.

Women’s Nordic Combined – Junior World Championships

Along with the Mixed Team HS104/4x5km Event, Alexa Brabec and Tess Arnone also competed in the HS104/5km Event on Friday, February 3rd. Brabec jumped her way to 21st overall on the hill, going 73.0 meters for 68.5 points. Arnone was close behind in 23rd, after putting together a 64.5 meter jump for 57.5 points. Brabec was able to ski up during the 5km race, placing 14th overall with a total time of 18:26.5. Arnone was able to cover some ground as well, skiing up to finish the 5km in 19th place, with a total time of 19:52.8.

Men’s Ski Jumping – Junior World Championships

Men’s Ski Jumping got things started in Whistler with the Individual HS104 Event. Maxim Glyvka (64.0 meters, 45.5 points, 50th overall), Jason Colby (79.0 meters, 79.6 points, 39th overall) and Tate Frantz (80.0 meters, 84.2 points, 36th overall), were all unable to advance to the final round. Erik Belshaw then put together an 87.0 meter jump for 109.3 points, as he advanced to the final round of action. Belshaw was then able to best his first round performance, as he jumped to 91.5 meters for 124.5 points. This earned him an 11th place finish, giving Belshaw a new Junior Worlds personal best.

Glyvka, Colby, Frantz and Belshaw then competed in the Team HS104 event on Saturday, February 4th. The foursome was able to put together some great jumps in the first round, totaling 328.0 points, but were unable to advance to the final round, as they finished the day in 10th place.

The final Ski Jumping event at the 2023 FIS Junior World Championships was the Mixed Team HS104 Event. Sandra Sproch, Frantz, Josie Johnson, and Belshaw represented the United States in this team competition. Sproch (73.0 meters), Frantz (92.0 meters), Johnson (90.5 meters) and Belshaw (89.5 meters), were unable to advance to the final round, as they finished the day in 10th place.

Women’s Ski Jumping – Junior World Championships

For Women’s Ski Jumping, competition kicked-off on Thursday, February 2nd, with the Individual HS104 Event. Estella Hassrick (61.0 meters, 33.9 points, 45th overall), Adeline Swanson (65.0 meters, 46.3 points, 42nd overall) and Sandra Sproch (69.0 meters, 54.1 points, 36th overall), were all unable to advance to the final round. Josie Johnson was then able to jump to 85.0 meters for 88.1 points, as she advanced to the next round. Johnson put together another 85.0 meter jump in the final round (93.8 points), giving her a total of 181.9 points on the day. This earned her a 17th place finish, giving Johnson a new Junior Worlds personal best.

Hassrick, Swanson, Sproch and Johnson then competed in the Team HS104 event on Saturday, February 4th. The foursome was able to advance to the final round, totaling 242.3 points in the first round. Hassrick (67.0 meters), Swanson (73.5 meters), Sproch (69.5 meters) and Johnson (79.5 meters) were able to best their first round score (248.8 points), as they finished the day 7th overall. Sproch and Johnson then competed in the Mixed Team HS104 Event with Tate Frantz and Erik Belshaw, placing 10th overall to end their time at the 2023 Junior World Championships.

Men’s Ski Jumping – Willingen World Cups

Competition in Willingen started off with a Mixed Team HS147 World Cup, as Annika Belshaw, Decker Dean, Paige Jones and Casey Larson competed together for the event. Belshaw started things off with a 108.5 meter jump (56.7 points), followed by Dean going 137.0 meters (107.3 points). Jones was next, as she jumped to 101.0 meters (42.4 points). Larson capped things off, putting together a 116.0 meter jump (63.6 points), as the foursome placed 6th overall in the Mixed Team HS147 World Cup.

The next event was an HS147 Qualification on Saturday, February 4th. Dean was the sole Men’s Ski Jumping athlete to qualify, jumping to 121.0 meters for 104.6 points. During the Individual HS147 World Cup later that day, Dean placed 44th overall, as he jumped to 119.5 meters for 93.4 points.

Andrew Urlaub, Dean and Larson were then all able to qualify for Sunday’s Individual HS147 World Cup. During the first round, Dean went 100.5 meters (45.0 points), as he was unable to qualify for the second round (45th overall). Larson finished 35th overall, jumping to 112.0 meters for 66.1 points, as he did not qualify for the second round. Urlaub put together a great first round, jumping to 122.0 meters (85.8 points), as he advanced to the final round. In the final round, Urlaub jumped to 118.5 meters for 81.6 points, giving him a total of 167.4 points on the day. This gave Urlaub his first-ever World Cup points, finishing 26th overall in the final Individual HS147 World Cup in Willingen.

“Andrew showed two spectacular jumps on Sunday, scoring his first-ever World Cup points,” said Men’s and Women’s Ski Jumping Coach, Trevor Edlund. “We also had a strong showing in the Mixed Team event on Friday, finishing in sixth position. I am super proud of the whole team and the steps they are taking at the highest level.”

Women’s Ski Jumping – Willingen World Cups

After placing 6th overall during Friday’s Mixed Team HS147 World Cup, Annika Belshaw and Paige Jones then moved on to the HS147 Qualifying. Both athletes were able to qualify, with Belshaw going 102.0 meters (40.1 points, 26th overall) and Jones going 102.5 (35.0 points, 29th overall). During the first round of the Individual HS147 World Cup on Saturday, Belshaw went 104.5 meters (57.2 points), with Jones going 99.5 (44.2 points), as both athletes qualified for the final round. Belshaw was then able to best her first round jump, going 110.5 meters for 68.0 points, giving her the 28th place finish and her fourth World Cup points of the season. Jones also put together a better jump in the second round, going 112.0 meters for 63.6 points, as she earned a 30th place finish and her second World Cup points of the season.

Sunday’s HS147 Qualification was cancelled, as Women’s Ski Jumping went straight into the final Individual HS147 World Cup of the weekend. Belshaw had jumps of 107.0 and 103.0 meters, giving her a total of 112.8 points, as she earned a 24th place finish and fifth World Cup points of the season. Jones then put together jumps of 109.5 and 98.0 meters (104.1 total points), as she placed 27th overall. This gave Jones her third World Cup points of the season, and a new World Cup personal best finish.

“The team was able to show that the hard work they’ve been putting in during training, was able to pay off during this weekend’s World Cups,” said Men’s and Women’s Ski Jumping Coach, Trevor Edlund. “It was a very high level competition with challenging conditions. Paige and Annika had a great weekend, and jumped into the final during both days.”

Men’s Nordic Combined – Oberstdorf World Cups

Stephen Schumann and Grant Andrews represented Men’s Nordic Combined at the World Cup events in Oberstdorf, Germany, from February 3rd-5th. The first event of the weekend was a HS137/10km World Cup on Saturday, February 4th. On the hill, Andrews was able to jump to 109.0 meters for 96.6 points, placing him 37th overall. Schumann followed in 44th, after jumping to 101.5 meters for 79.9 points. During the 10km race, Schumann placed 38th overall, as he finished the course in 24:25.4. Andrews was right behind in 39th, with a total time of 26:29.9.

Competition concluded on Sunday, February 5th, with the final HS137/10km World Cup of the weekend. On the hill, Andrews jumped to 38th place, putting together a 110.5 meter jump for 97.7 points. Schumann was then able to jump to 41st overall, going 106.0 meters for 92.2 points. During the 10km event, Schumann was able to have a better day on the course, placing 35th overall, with a total time of 21:51.8. Andrews placed 40th overall, finishing the 10km course in 24:02.0.