USA Nordic Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Weekend Preview (Jan. 18-21)
Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined athletes will compete in different World and Continental Cups this weekend, as well as the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea. Women’s Ski Jumping will send athletes to compete at the World Cup events in Zao, Japan, with Men’s Nordic Combined sending athletes to compete at the Continental Cup events in Klingenthal, Germany. For the Youth Olympic Games, Ski Jumping athletes will compete in three different events on January 20th and 21st.
USA Nordic’s U.S. Cup Series
The 2023/2024 U.S. Cup Series will continue this weekend in Ishpeming, Michigan, as athletes will compete at the U.S. Cup events at the Ishpeming Ski Club. This event will also serve as a Junior National Qualifier, as athletes will jump on the K13, K25, K40, K60 and K90 ski jumps, with competition being held on January 20th and 21st.
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Athletes Competing in World Cup Circuit
Women’s Ski Jumping – Zao, Japan: Annika Belshaw, Paige Jones, Sam Macuga
Athletes Competing in Continental Cup Circuit
Men’s Nordic Combined – Klingenthal, Germany: Carter Brubaker, Erik Lynch, Gunnar Gilbertson, Evan Nichols
Athletes Competing in Youth Olympic Games
Men’s Ski Jumping – Gangwon, South Korea: Jason Colby, Sawyer Graves
Women’s Ski Jumping – Gangwon, South Korea: Josie Johnson, Estella Hassrick
Youth Olympic Games Preview – Ski Jumping
Josie Johnson, Estella Hassrick, Jason Colby and Sawyer Graves will represent the United States at the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea, this weekend. Josie Johnson represented the United States at the 2022 and 2023 FIS Junior World Championships, as well as the 2023 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Johnson currently competes on the FIS World Cup circuit, and scored her first-ever World Cup points during the 2022/2023 season in Rasnov, Romania (27th place in the Individual HS97). Estella Hassrick represented the United States at the 2023 FIS Junior World Championships as well, with her highest finish at an international competition coming this season, placing 10th overall in the HS98 Intercontinental Cup in Notodden, Norway. Jason Colby represented the United States at the 2023 FIS Junior World Championships, with his highest international competition finish coming this season as well, placing 3rd overall at the HS97 FIS Cup competition in Rasnov, Romania. This will be the first international competition for Sawyer Graves, who hails from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and is a part of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.
Women’s Ski Jumping Preview
Annika Belshaw, Paige Jones and Sam Macuga will represent Women’s Ski Jumping at the World Cup events in Zao, Japan, with competition being held from January 18-21. Last weekend, all three athletes competed at the World Cup events in Sapporo, Japan. During the HS134 World Cup on Saturday, January 13th, Belshaw was the sole athlete to qualify, as she jumped to 91.0 meters for 35.6 points, placing 35th overall. Sam Macuga finished in 42nd (83.0 meters, 21.6 points), with Paige Jones right behind in 43rd (81.0 meters, 20.4 points). Later in the day, during the Individual HS134 World Cup, Belshaw jumped to 91.5 meters for 46.9 points. This put Belshaw in 32nd place, as she was unable to advance to the final round. The final World Cup events in Sapporo came on Sunday, January 14th, as athletes started the day with the HS134 Qualification. Jones qualified in 34th (99.5 meters, 50.7 points) and Belshaw followed in 36th (98.0 meters, 48.0 points). Macuga was unable to qualify, as she placed 44th overall after going 85.0 meters for 27.0 points. During the first round of the Individual HS134 World Cup, Jones jumped to 97.0 meters for 64.7 points, as she earned a spot in the final round. Belshaw finished in 37th (93.0 meters, 52.9 points) and Johnson finished in 39th (86.0 meters, 44.6 points), as they were unable to advance to the final round. Jones then jumped to 105.0 meters for 68.1 points in the final round, placing 27th overall, as she earned her highest World Cup finish of the 2023/2024 season.
Men’s Nordic Combined Preview
Carter Brubaker, Erik Lynch, Evan Nichols and Gunnar Gilbertson will represent the United States at the Continental Cup events in Klingenthal, Germany, with competition being held from January 19-21. Brubaker, Lynch and Gilbertson all competed at the COC events in Trondheim, Norway, last weekend, with Nichols last competing at the COC events in Kuusamo, Finland, back in early December.
