USA Nordic Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Preview (Feb. 6-11)

This week, USA Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined athletes will attend the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia, from February 6-11. Men’s Ski Jumping will be back on home soil, as they will compete in the World Cup events in Lake Placid, New York, from February 9-11. Both Men’s and Women’s Nordic Combined will be in Otepää, Estonia, to compete in the World Cup events from February 8-11.

Athletes Competing in FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships

• Ski Jumping: Erik Belshaw, Estella Hassrick, Jason Colby, Josie Johnson, Maxim Glyvka, Sandra Sproch, Sawyer Graves, Tate Frantz
• Nordic Combined: Alexa Brabec, Arthur Tirone, Augie Roepke, Caleb Zuckerman, Ella Wilson, Haley Brabec, Ian Carmack, Kai McKinnon, Skylar Amy

Athletes Competing in World Cup Circuit

• Men’s Ski Jumping – Lake Placid, New York: Andrew Urlaub, Casey Larson, Decker Dean, Kevin Bickner
• Men’s Nordic Combined – Otepää, Estonia: Ben Loomis, Grant Andrews, Niklas Malacinski, Stephen Schumann
• Women’s Nordic Combined – Otepää, Estonia: Annika Malacinski

Junior World Championships - Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined

The ski jumping team is highlighted by Erik Belshaw, Tate Frantz and Josie Johnson, who are all a part of the U.S. Ski Jumping Team. Belshaw’s career-best finish at the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships came in 2023 in Whistler, Canada, where he placed 11th overall in the Individual HS104. Johnson recently took home a medal in the 2024 Youth Olympic Games, showing that she’s one of the strongest young ski jumpers in the world. All three compete regularly on the World Cup.

On the nordic combined side, the Junior World Championships roster is highlighted by U.S. Nordic Combined Team athletes Alexa Brabec and Caleb Zuckerman. This will be the fifth Junior Worlds for Brabec, with her highest finish coming in Zakopane, Poland in 2022, finishing 12th overall in the HS105/5km event. It will Zuckerman’s third Junior Worlds. (From – U.S. Ski Jumping Team, U.S. Nordic Combined Team Announce 2024 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships Teams)

Lake Placid, New York - Men's Ski Jumping

Andrew Urlaub, Casey Larson, Decker Dean and Kevin Bickner will be representing the United States at the World Cup events in Lake Placid, New York, this weekend. All four athletes recently competed in Willingen, Germany, this past weekend. During the HS147 Qualification on Friday, February 2nd, Larson finished 19th overall, soaring to 137.0 meters for 102.3 points. Bickner was next to qualify in 48th, as he went 116.5 meters for 68.2 points. The Individual HS147 World Cup was held the next day on Saturday, February 3rd, as Larson and Bickner took the hill. Both athletes were unable to advance to the final round, as Larson finished 31st overall (127.0 meters, 82.6 points) and Bickner placed 41st (123.5 meters, 74.4 points). Action in Willingen wrapped up on Sunday, February 4th, as athletes first competed in the HS147 Qualification. Bickner qualified 32nd overall (128.0 meters, 82.0 points), with Larson coming in 45th (114.0 meters, 59.1 points) and Dean taking the final spot in 50th (101.0 meters, 45.9 points). Later in the day, during the Individual HS147 World Cup, Larson finished 35th overall (125.0 meters, 77.5 points), with Bickner coming in 41st (116.0 meters, 70.3 points) and Dean coming in 46th (112.5 meters, 50.3 points), ending their time in Willingen.

Otepää, Estonia - Men's & Women's Nordic Combined

Ben Loomis, Grant Andrews, Niklas Malacinski and Stephen Schumann will be representing Men’s Nordic Combined at the World Cup events in Otepää, Estonia. Last weekend, all four athletes competed in the Seefeld Triple, kicking off competition on Friday, February 2nd, with the HS109/7.5km World Cup. Schumann finished 33rd overall, with Malacinski close behind in 37th. Andrews skied up to finish 43rd, with Loomis rounding things off in 46th. The weekend continued with a HS109/10km World Cup on Saturday, February 3rd. Loomis was then able to maintain his position in the 10km, placing 15th overall. Schumann placed 28th overall, with Andrews coming in 32nd and Malacinski coming in 33rd. Due to inclement weather, the ski jumping portion of Sunday’s HS109/12.5km World Cup was cancelled, and the jumps from the Provisional Competition Round held on Thursday, February 1st, were used. Malacinski placed 23rd overall in the 12.5km, Loomis placed 24th, with Schumann in 33rd and Andrews in 34th.

Annika Malacinski will represent Women’s Nordic Combined at the World Cup events in Otepää, Estonia, after competing in Seefeld, Austria, last weekend. Competition in Seefeld got underway on Friday, February 2nd, as athletes took the hill for the HS109/5km World Cup event. Malacinski landed in the 17th position, after going 90.0 meters for 71.1 points. During the 5km race, Malacinski carded a 13th, finishing the course in 15:22.0, as she notched her seventh top 15 finish of the season. The final World Cup of the weekend came on Saturday, February 3rd, as athletes competed in the Compact HS109/5km event. Unfortunately, Malacinski was disqualified during the ski jumping portion of the competition, ending her time in Seefeld.