USA Nordic Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Weekend Recap (Jan. 12-14)
USA Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined athletes competed in different World and Continental Cup competitions around the world this weekend. Women’s Nordic Combined athletes Annika Malacinski and Alexa Brabec highlighted the weekend, with Malacinski notching two 12th place finishes and Brabec recording a new World Cup personal best in Oberstdorf, Germany.
Women's Nordic Combined
Competition got underway on Saturday, January 13th, as athletes competed in the HS106/5km World Cup in Oberstdorf, Germany. On the hill, Annika Malacinski jumped to the 17th position, going 90.0 meters for 100.2 points. Alexa Brabec jumped into the 22nd position, as she went 82.5 meters for 90.1 points. Later in the day, during the 5km race, Malacinski was able to ski up, placing 12th overall with a total time of 15:06.8. Brabec then finished the 5km in 15:22.4, as she placed 19th overall.
The final event of the weekend took place on Sunday, January 14th, as athletes participated in the Compact HS106/5km World Cup. Malacinski jumped into the 14th position on the hill, as she went 89.0 meters for 104.3 points. Brabec jumped to 22nd overall, putting together an 82.5 meter jump for 88.3 points. Malacinski then recorded her second 12th place finish of the weekend, as she finished the 5km race in 15:29.8. Brabec then placed 14th overall, completing the 5km course in 15:26.9. This is the fifth top fifteen finish for Malacinski this season, and the first top fifteen finish for Brabec of her career, along with a new World Cup personal best of 14th overall.
Men's Nordic Combined
Men’s Nordic Combined kicked-off competition on Saturday, January 13th, as athletes first took the hill for the HS106/10km World Cup in Oberstdorf, Germany. Ben Loomis had the best jump of the day, jumping to the 25th position, as he went 93.5 meters for 117.6 points. Niklas Malacinski was close behind in 28th, putting together a 94.5 meter jump for 116.5 points. Grant Andrews finished 39th (91.0 meters, 107.4 points) on the hill, with Stephen Schumann coming in at 50th (87.0 meters, 99.5 points). Later in the day, during the 10km, Loomis placed 27th overall (25:05.7), with Malacinski close behind in 29th (25:13.5). Schumann was able to ski up, finishing the 10km in 36th place (24:41.1), with Andrews coming in 49th (27:01.6).
The final World Cup of the weekend came on Sunday, January 14th, as athletes competed in the Compact HS106/7.5km event. Loomis had the best day on the hill yet again, jumping to 92.0 meters for 116.4 points, placing him 20th overall. Malacinski jumped to 33rd (90.0 meters, 108.5 points), with Andrews coming in 37th (86.5 meters, 107.7 points) and Schumann coming in 46th (86.0 meters, 98.4 points). During the 7.5km race, Loomis placed 25th overall (18:37.4), with Schumann skiing up to finish 27th overall (18:08.5). Malacinski then placed 37th overall (19:14.0), with Grant Andrews rounding things out in 52nd (20:06.3), as Men’s Nordic Combined ended their weekend in Oberstdorf.
Women's Ski Jumping
Women’s Ski Jumping kicked-off the World Cup events in Sapporo, Japan, on Saturday, January 13th, as athletes took the hill for the HS134 Qualification. Annika 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), and Josie Johnson rounding things out in 47th (83.0 meters, 17.7 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), followed by Belshaw in 36th (98.0 meters, 48.0 points) and Johnson in 40th (86.0 meters, 38.6 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 Ski Jumping
Decker Dean and Kevin Bickner represented the United States at the Continental Cup events in Innsbruck, Austria, with the first HS128 COC event coming on Saturday, January 13th. In the first round, Dean jumped to 110.0 meters for 94.6 points, as he placed 33rd overall and was unable to advance to the final round. Bickner jumped to 119.0 meters for 112.1 points in the first round, as he earned a spot in the final round of competition. Bickner then put together a 110.0 meter jump for 109.8 points in the final round, finishing 18th overall with 221.9 total points.
The final HS128 COC event came on Sunday, January 14th. Dean ended his day in 49th place, jumping to 107.0 meters for 89.1 points, as he was unable to advance to the final round. Bickner continued his great weekend, putting together a 124.0 meter jump for 122.0 points in the first round. Bickner then went 117.0 meters for 104.8 points in the final round, as he earned his second 18th place finish of the weekend.
