Park City, UT October 11, 2024 – USA Nordic Sport (USANS) has announced a significant
strategic shift by returning to its original name, USA Ski Jumping. This change mirrors the
organization’s foundational mission: ensuring the survival, success, and growth of ski jumping
throughout the United States.
Founded in 2007, USA Ski Jumping initially focused exclusively on men’s ski jumping. A decade
later, in 2016, in response to the defunding by USSA, the organization expanded to include the
Nordic Combined Team. In 2017, the USA Women’s Ski Jumping Team was absorbed bringing
all these U.S. Nordic skiing disciplines under a centralized structure, USA Nordic Sports. This
past June, motivated by severe budget constraints, the USA Nordic Combined National Team
made the decision to break away from USANS and form their own 501c3 organization (Nordic
Combined USA) to help drive revenue and support to their National Team athletes. With the
absence of the Nordic Combined National Team, USASJ is now dedicated to supporting men’s
and women’s Ski Jumping National Teams as well is committed to supporting both Ski Jumping
and Nordic Combined activities at the youth development and club levels.
In 2022, a landmark partnership with the Norwegian Federation for Ski Jumping was formed.
This collaboration provided U.S. athletes access to world-class training facilities, equipment
advancements, and mentorship from Norway’s elite coaches. The partnership has already
delivered historic results, leading to the best team finishes in decades with two Summer Grand
Prix podiums and marking milestones with the hosting of the first FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
events in the U.S. in 33 years.
USA Ski Jumping’s success has also extended to the junior level, where American athletes
have excelled internationally, securing podium finishes and medals at prestigious events like the
Youth Olympic Games and Junior World Championships. These accomplishments underscore
the organization’s commitment to athlete development and its role in fostering the future stars of
the sport.
“Our primary goal is to support the entire U.S. ski jumping community,” said Tom Bickner,
USANS Board Chair, “From grassroots clubs to our national teams, we are committed to
growing the sport and providing resources for men and women athletes, coaches, volunteers,
and officials.”
In addition to this restored focus on ski jumping, USA Ski Jumping has strengthened its
partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, giving athletes and coaches access to a number of the
National Governing Body’s robust resources. This collaboration enhances the organization’s
ability to sustain the sport’s growth and compete at the highest international levels.
“I’m really excited about the progress that our athletes have made the past two years, building
off the great season we had last year,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined
Sport Director Anders Johnson. “Nearly the entire ski jumping team recorded new
personal bests, two athletes with podium finishes in the Summer Grand Prix circuit, and you can
see that the confidence is building in each athlete daily. Our staff has done an amazing job
preparing our team and I feel very confident this will be our best season yet.”
Since its inception, USA Ski Jumping has been driven by former athletes and alumni who
remain passionate about the sport. The organization currently collaborates with more than 30
clubs supporting over 700 young athletes nationwide, from youth development to elite
competition. As USA Ski Jumping continues to evolve, its vision remains clear: to elevate Ski
Jumping in the United States to global prominence and provide unparalleled support to the
athletes and communities who love the sport, while instilling Courage, Confidence, and
Character in all our athletes.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Cara Larson
Media Coordinator
USA Ski Jumping
cara@usanordic.org
(+1) 847.651.2916
