Park City, Utah (January 29, 2024) – The 2024 FIS Ski Flying World Championships wrapped up yesterday in Kulm Bad Mitterndorf/Tauplitz, Austria. Tate Frantz highlighted the weekend, becoming the first American to finish in the top 20 at the FIS Ski Flying World Championships since 1994.
The HS235 Qualification on Thursday, January 25th, was cancelled due to wind conditions. Official Training was then moved to Friday, January 26th, where coaches decided which athletes that they were going to nominate for the Individual HS235 event. Head Coach Tore Sneli then chose to nominate Andrew Urlaub, Erik Belshaw, Kevin Bickner and Tate Frantz, to compete in the Individual HS235 later in the day on Friday.
During round one of the Individual HS235, Belshaw found himself in the 36th position, after going 191.5 meters for 127.0 points. Bickner was right behind in 37th, putting together a 165.0 meters for 124.7 points, with Urlaub landing in 42nd place (154.5 meters, 102.1 points). Frantz then soared into 16th place, laying down a 218.5 meter jump for 193.1 points, as he was able to advance to the second round.
In the second round, Frantz was able to go 184.0 meters for 161.0 points, giving him 354.1 on the day, as he qualified for the third round on Saturday, January 27th. During the third round on Saturday, Frantz went 209.5 meters for 295.5 points, which landed him 20th overall with 549.6 total points. Due to inclement weather, the fourth round was not held, and the third round was used as the final round of competition, as Frantz secured 20th overall. With this finish, Frantz became the first American to place in the top 20 at the FIS Ski Flying World Championships since Tad Langlois in 1994, where Langlois finished 18th overall in Planica, Slovenia.
The 2024 FIS Ski Flying World Championships wrapped up on Sunday, January 28th, as Belsaw, Bickner, Decker Dean and Frantz took the hill for the Team HS235 event. The foursome was able to tally 647.2 points in the first round, as they were unable to qualify for the final round of action, finishing 9th overall.
Results
2024 Ski Flying World Championships Results – Kulm Bad Mitterndorf/Tauplitz, Austria
