Park City, Utah (January 30, 2023) – Last weekend, USA Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined athletes competed at different World Cup events in Seefeld and Kulm Mitterndorf, Austria. The weekend was highlighted by Stephen Schumann, who scored World Cup points during every event in Seefeld, including his first-ever World Cup points on January 27th.
Men’s Nordic Combined – Seefeld World Cups
Ben Loomis, Jared Shumate and Stephen Schumann represented Men’s Nordic Combined at the World Cup events in Seefeld, Austria, this past weekend. The weekend started off with a HS109/7.5km World Cup on Friday, January 27th. Loomis was the top performer on the hill, jumping to 99.5 meters for 109.7 points, putting him in 32nd place. Shumate followed in 43rd, as he put together a 96.0 meter jump for 103.3 points. Schumann was close behind, as he jumped to 95.5 meters for 103.0 points, putting him in 45th to start the 7.5km race. Schumann was then able to ski up during the 7km, as he jumped from 45th place to finish 28th overall, finishing the course in 17:59.4 (+1:49.7 behind first place). Shumate placed 34th overall, skiing up from 43rd place, as he finished the race with a 18:24.4 total time. Loomis finished things off, placing 36th overall with a 19:01.9 total time.
Competition resumed on Saturday, January 28th, with a HS109/10km World Cup event. Schumann was the best finisher on the hill, placing 32nd, as he jumped to 99.0 meters for 111.8 points. Loomis finished 41st overall, after putting together a 93.0 meter jump for 107.1 points. Shumate followed with a 90.5 meter jump (103.6 points), placing 45th overall for the start of the 10km race. After scoring his first-ever points the day before, Schumann recorded a new World Cup personal best, placing 25th overall in the 10km (25:09.4 total time). Loomis and Shumate were both close to scoring World Cup points yet again, as Loomis placed 33rd (25:45.9 total time) and Shumate placed 36th (25:41.3 total time).
The weekend concluded on Sunday, January 29th, with a HS109/12.5km World Cup event. On the hill, Loomis recorded his best jump of the weekend, going 97.5 meters (123.4), placing 23rd overall for the start of the 12.5km race. Schumann (40th overall) put together a 93.5 meter jump for 110.7 points, with Shumate (44th overall) going 92.5 meters for 109.6 points. During the 12.5km, Loomis was able to score his first points of the weekend, placing 24th overall with a total time of 30:44.9. Schumann followed in 27th, scoring his third World Cup points of the weekend, as he finished 27th overall with a total time of 29:57.3. Shumate then placed 39th overall, as he finished the 12.5km course with a time 31:31.0.
“I was super happy to sneak in my first-ever World Cup points on Friday, after being close during so many competitions this year. It feels great to finally break that threshold,” said USA Nordic athlete, Stephen Schumann. “Then, I was stoked that I was able to back up my first-ever points during the weekend’s final two World Cups. I’m really happy with how my skiing is feeling, but there us still plenty of work to be done to get where we want to be.”
“We were really excited to see two out of three guys in the points this weekend. Stephen was consistent, and I’m psyched about him getting his first-ever World Cup points. Ben was making gains throughout the weekend and Jared was very close,” said Men’s Nordic Combined Team Director, Nick Hendrickson. “All three of these athletes have scored points this month and we’re really looking forward to the next competitions, as well as World Championships next month in Planica.”
Women’s Nordic Combined – Seefeld World Cups
Annika Malacinski was the sole Women’s Nordic Combined athlete to represent USA Nordic at the World Cup events in Seefeld, Austria. Competition in Seefeld started out with an HS109/5km World Cup on Friday, January 27th. Starting off on the hill, Malacinski was able to jump to 76.0 meters (72.3 points), putting her in 22nd place to start the 5km race. During the 5km, Malacinski was able to cover some ground, skiing up to finish 21st overall with a total time of 15:26.4.
Action wrapped up for Women’s Nordic Combined on Saturday, January 28th, with the final HS109/5km World Cup of the weekend. Malacinski had a better day on the hill, notching a jump of 87.0 meters (83.1 points), placing her 20th overall for the start of the 5km. Malacinski then placed 19th overall in the 5km, finishing the course in 15:48.2, as she carded her first top twenty and highest individual finish of the season.
Men’s Ski Jumping – Kulm Mitterndorf World Cups
Competition in Kulm Mitterndorf started on Friday, January 27th, with the first HS235 Qualification of the weekend. Decker Dean placed 49th overall, carding a 139.5 meter jump for 84.0 points. Casey Larson then finished in 56th, as he put together a 125.0 meter jump for 66.5 points. Both Dean and Larson were unable to qualify for Saturday’s Individual HS235 Ski Flying World Cup.
The next event for Dean and Larson was another HS235 Qualification on Sunday, January 29th. Larson barely missed qualification, placing 41st overall, as he jumped to 198.0 meters for 172.9 points. Dean was close behind in 47th, as he tallied a 192.5 meter jump for 162.4 points.
