Park City, Utah (February 14, 2023) – Last weekend, USA Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined athletes competed at different World Cup events around the world. The weekend was highlighted by Niklas Malacinski, who scored his first-ever World Cup points for Men’s Nordic Combined on Saturday in Schonach, Germany.
Men’s Nordic Combined – Schonach World Cups
Competition in Schonach got started on Saturday, February 11th, as athletes took the hill for the first HS100/10km World Cup of the weekend. Niklas Malacinski was able to jump his way to 22nd place, as he notched a 92.5 meter jump for 117.3 points. Grant Andrews recorded a 86.0 meter jump (102.6 points), placing him 41st overall. Stephen Schumann rounded things off, jumping to 43rd, going 83.0 meters for 98.5 points. During the 10km race, Malacinski was able to stay in the points, as he finished 27th overall. Malacinski finished the course in 23:39.6, +2:01.6 behind first place, scoring his first-ever World Cup points. Schumann was able to ski up during the 10km race, placing 38th overall, after finishing the course in 23:38.3. Andrews was close behind in 40th, as he finished the 10km race in 23:38.3.
During the final HS100/10km World Cup of the weekend, Malacinski had another great day on the hill, jumping to 19th overall, after going 93.5 meters for 115.4 points. Schumann and Andrews had a better day on the hill as well, with Schumann landing in 36th (88.0 meters, 102.6 points) and Andrews placing 39th (89.0 meters, 102.6 points). During the 10km, Schumann skied up two spots to finish 34th (25:49.1 course time). Malacinski slipped back, finishing the course in 27:01.9, as he placed 35th overall. Andrews finished the day 38th overall, after completing the 10km course in 27:46.9.
Women’s Nordic Combined – Schonach World Cups
Annika Malacinski was the sole Women’s Nordic Combined athlete to represent USA Nordic at the World Cup events in Schonach. Action in Schonach got started on Saturday, as Malacinski competed in the HS100/5km World Cup. Malacinski jumped to 25th overall on the hill, going 74.0 meters for 73.7 points. Malacinski skied up during the 5km, as she placed 23rd overall, finishing the course in 14:25.1.
Malacinski had a better day on the hill during the weekend’s second HS100/5km World Cup, as she carded a 70.0 meter jump for 59.4 points, placing 23rd overall. She was then able to ski up one position, finishing the 5km in 22nd, with a total time of 14:59.9.
Women’s Ski Jumping – Hinzenbach World Cups
USA Nordic Women’s Ski Jumping athletes competed in two Individual HS90 World Cups in Hinzenbach, Austria, last weekend. During the HS90 Qualification on Friday, February 10th, Annika Belshaw notched a 72.0 meter jump for 85.9 points, placing her 28th overall. Paige Jones was then able to earn the final qualification spot, finishing 40th, after jumping to 69.0 meters for 75.9 points. During Friday’s Individual HS90 World Cup, Belshaw barely missed the cut to advance to the final round, as she placed 31st overall, after going 78.5 meters for 99.8 points. Jones was close behind in 33rd, as she jumped to 79.0 meters for 99.3 points.
On Saturday, Belshaw jumped to 26th overall during the HS90 Qualification, going 77.5 meters for 100.3 points. Jones was close behind yet again, as she carded a 78.5 meter jump, scoring 92.8 points. Sam Macuga rounded things off, as she earned the final qualification spot, after jumping to 70.0 meters for 81.5 points. Later in the day, during the Individual HS90 World Cup, Belshaw placed 32nd overall (81.5 meters 96.1 points). Jones (37th overall, 81.0 meters, 92.2 points) and Macuga (38th overall, 77.0 meters, 89.4 points) followed, as all three were unable to advance to the final round.
Men’s Ski Jumping – Lake Placid World Cups
On Saturday, February 11th, USA Nordic Men’s Ski Jumping athletes competed in the first World Cup events in the United States in 19 years. Casey Larson and Decker Dean were able to qualify during the weekend’s first HS128 Qualification, as Larson placed 42nd (119.5 meters, 111.1 points) and Dean placed 48th (116.0 meters, 106.5 points). After qualification, athletes moved straight into the Individual HS128 World Cup. In the first round, Larson jumped to 113.5 meters (102.6 points), placing 35th overall. Dean followed in 44th, as he jumped to 108.5 meters for 91.4 points, as both athletes were unable to advance to the final round.
The next event was the Super Team World Cup, which made its debut on the Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup circuit in Lake Placid. For the Super Team World Cup, Larson and Dean were chosen to represent the United States. In the first round, Dean went 105.0 meters and Larson went 107.0 meters, as they advanced to the second round with 184.7 total points. Both athletes were able to best their first round jumps, as Dean jumped to 109.0 meters and Larson 111.5 meters (197.5 points). This gave the duo a total of 382.2 points, as they were unable to advance to the final round, placing 11th overall.
Three USA Nordic Men’s Ski Jumping athletes were able to qualify during Sunday’s HS128 Qualification. Erik Belshaw was the first to qualify, going 110.5 meters for 103.7 points, as he placed 46th overall. Larson was next in 47th, jumping to 110.0 meters for 101.3 points. Andrew Urlaub was the final athlete to qualify, earning a 50th place finish, after going 108.0 meters for 99.9 points. During the weekend’s final Individual HS128 World Cup, Larson had the highest finish of the day, placing 34th overall (113.0 meters, 103.4 points). Urlaub (108.5 meters, 98.2 points) and Belshaw (101.0 meters, 90.3 points) followed, as all three athletes were unable to advance to the final round.
Results
Men’s & Women’s Nordic Combined – Schonach World Cups
