Women’s Nordic Combined World Cup A Step Towards Olympics, Historic Win For Geraghty - Moats
Four American women, led by two-time Continental Cup champion Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, Vt.), made history this weekend participating in the first ever International Ski Federation (FIS) nordic combined World Cup competition. The Dec. 18 event in Ramsau was another stepping stone for the hopeful introduction of women’s nordic combined into the Olympic Winter Games program.
American Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, Vt.) made history Friday, skiing to a hard-fought victory by just 1.5 seconds in the first ever FIS Nordic Combined World Cup for women in an idyllic mountain setting at Ramsau am Dachstein. It was an emotional win for the 27-year-old who has been a pioneer in the movement to bring women’s nordic combined to the Olympics.
Geraghty-Moats finished sixth in the ski jumping segment of the nordic combined competition, putting her 39 seconds behind Westvold-Hansen to start the 5k cross country race. Geraghty-Moats charged hard from the start, catching the Norwegian near the end of the first of two laps on a hill. Westvold-Hansen fought back to ski even before Geraghty-Moats pulled away again on a hill to hold on for a victory.
The American is the two-time defending champion in the Continental Cup and came into the race a favorite. The women’s World Cup debut had been scheduled in early December at Lillehammer, Norway, but was postponed.
USA Nordic fielded a team of four athletes for the World Cup debut. Annika Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) finished 28th with teammates Alexa Brabec and Tess Arnone (both Steamboat Springs, Colo.) 29th and 30th.
An emotional Geraghty-Moats stood atop the winner’s podium, flanked by athletes from Norway and Japan. “Today here in Ramsau was a dream come true,” said Geraghty-Moats. “It was something I’ve dreamed about since I was 10 years old – before it was even a possibility.
“Just a huge thanks to my team and FIS for finally inviting the women to the big leagues.”
There were many unknowns for athletes coming into the first event of the season after COVID-19 wreaked havoc on training and competition schedules.
“Coming into this competition I was really uncertain of myself because I hadn’t put a bib on in 10 months,” said Geraghty-Moats. “And I had only 10% of my ski jumping training I had hoped to have. But all day long I just kept telling myself that I could do it – every step at a time.”
The event was originally scheduled in early December at Lillehammer, Norway but delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
FIS initiated a Continental Cup program in the 2018 season, with a plan to debut a World Cup level tour in 2020-21, along with inclusion in the 2021 FIS Nordic Ski World Championships this February in Oberstdorf, Germany.
Geraghty-Moats, who won tour titles in 2019 and 2020, headlined four Americans. Also competing was be Tess Arnone, Alexa Brabec and Annika Malacinski (all Steamboat Springs, Colo.).
“This is a very notable milestone for women's nordic combined to eventually be included in the Olympics,” said Geraghty-Moats. “It's much more favorable for us to have both a World Championships and a World Cup tour. And having a World Cup enables the field to grow and for us to prove that the sport is at a high level and show the world what our potential is.”
In the past two years, 17 different nations have scored Continental Cup points.
“Over the past two years on the Continental Cup, there's been more competitors, more nations, and the level of competition has gotten higher. It's it's been really cool to see that transformation and see it happen so quickly,” she said.
National ski federations like Austria, Germany and Norway are investing in their women’s teams with larger coaching and wax teams.
Nordic combined remains the only event in the Olympics without women’s participation. USA Nordic officials see the World Cup and World Championship inclusion as important steps, but are continuing to push for a women’s Olympic event.
“Over the past three years of the women’s Continental Cup we’ve seen tremendous growth in both the quality of competition and number of nations,” said Olympic champion and USA Nordic Executive Director Billy Demong. “The World Cup debut is important, but it should be seen in the context of a step towards Olympic inclusion on the 2026 program in Milan-Cortina. The women have shown the depth and quality of athleticism in their sport and should be provided with that opportunity.”
As the two-time defending champion, Geraghty-Moats’ young USA Nordic teammates are looking up to her for leadership. “I’m really trying to just be their teammate and vice versa,” she said. “They’re working really hard and they have really great attitudes. They're just looking to do the best they can. It's really been amazing to have them here.”
It’s unclear now what the rest of the season will bring with an uncertain schedule leading up to the Feb. 27 World Championship debut for women’s nordic combined in Oberstdorf, Germany. While COVID is clearly impacting schedules and travel, Geraghty-Moats has felt comfortable.
“We are able to move around comfortably and safely, which is really important,” she said. “A huge thanks goes out to everyone trying to keep us safe - FIS and USA Nordic. There definitely is a lot of looking at regulations and having to plan ahead. And it takes a lot more energy and a lot more planning. But life is surprisingly normal here.”
Women’s ski jumping will also open its 2020-21 season in Ramsau with five Americans competing. Making the start for the USA will be Annika Belshaw (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), Anna Hoffman (Madison, Wis.), Paige Jones (Park City, Utah), Nina Lussi (Lake Placid, N.Y.) and Logan Sankey (Steamboat Springs, Colo.).
In men’s nordic combined in Ramsau, Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, Wis.) started in the second weekend for the men’s World Cup tour.
