Events Will Be Big Step for Women’s Nordic Combined Towards Olympic Inclusion
Some of the top nordic combined skiing athletes in the world are heading to the USA for a series of mid-December International Ski Federation Continental Cup events in Steamboat Springs, Colo. as well as the Utah Olympic venues. Highlighting the action will be the first-ever women’s nordic combined competition in North America. The Utah events will also feature FIS Cup ski jumping under the lights.
The international events will attract approximately 70 from 14 different nations, including a women’s nordic combined field from a record nine nations.
Women’s nordic combined is making a path towards hopeful Olympic inclusion. It has been added to the FIS World Championships beginning in 2021 and will be contested as a medal event at the Junior World Championships this season. An international Continental Cup tour, as well as a summer Grand Prix, began last year. The USA events will be the most notable ever with a strong international contingent starting to form.
The nordic combined field will be highlighted by the top USA Nordic national team athletes including Junior World Championships silver medalist Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, Wis.), three-time Olympian Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and Olympian Jasper Good (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) – all taking a break from the World Cup tour to compete at home.
Tara Geraghty-Moats (W. Fairlee, Vt.), a winner in one of the opening women’s FIS Grand Prix events last summer, will lead the women’s field.
The Continental Cup will open with two events in Steamboat Springs December 14-15, with daytime jumps at Howelsen Hill and head-to-head cross country racing under the lights at the adjacent Steamboat Rodeo Grounds each evening.
The Utah swing on December 19-20 will include morning jumping at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City with afternoon cross country racing on the Jeremy Ranch trails near Park City. FIS Cup ski jumping will be featured under the lights each night back at the Utah Olympic Park.
Geraghty-Moats has become one of the trailblazers for the women’s nordic combined rapid growth. “The great thing about Continental Cups for now is that everyone is so passionate to be there,” she said. “It will take a few years to develop but it’s moving. One of the most rewarding things all summer was that I could tell six to nine-year-old girls that they have a future in nordic combined. That’s been as rewarding as getting my first podiums at the Grand Prix last summer.”
Geraghty-Moats’ career has seen her evolve as a ski jumper and a biathlete, now with a focus squarely on growing nordic combined. The Colorado and Utah events will be the first of the year for the women.
The FIS Cup Ski Jumping event on the nights of December 19 and 20 will feature top U.S. and international jumpers in an evening designed for spectators. Action will kick off at 5:00 p.m. each evening with trial rounds. The two-jump competitive rounds begin at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person with kids six and under free. Fans can purchase tickets in advance at HERE or at the gate. Food and drink will be available at the jumps.
The events are being produced by USA Nordic in cooperation with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. Additional information is available at www.usanordic.org.
FIS NORDIC COMBINED CONTINENTAL CUP SCHEDULE
Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Friday, December 14, 2018
10:00 a.m. Nordic combined ski jumping provisional round, Howelsen Hill
12:05 p.m. Opening Ceremony, Howelsen Hill
12:15 p.m. Nordic combined ski jumping competition round, Howelsen Hill
6:00 p.m. Nordic combined women’s 5k cross country, Steamboat Rodeo Grounds
6:30 p.m. Nordic combined men’s 10k cross country, Steamboat Rodeo Grounds
Saturday, December 15, 2018
9:00 a.m. Nordic combined ski jumping provisional round, Howelsen Hill
11:00 p.m. Nordic combined ski jumping competition round, Howelsen Hill
6:00 p.m. Nordic combined women’s 5k cross country, Steamboat Rodeo Grounds
6:30 p.m. Nordic combined men’s 10k cross country, Steamboat Rodeo Grounds
FIS NORDIC COMBINED CONTINENTAL CUP SCHEDULE
Park City/Soldier Hollow, Utah
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
8:00 a.m. Nordic combined HS100m ski jumping provisional round, Utah Olympic Park
9:00 a.m. Nordic combined HS100m ski jumping competition round, Utah Olympic Park
1:00 p.m. Nordic combined men’s 10k cross country, Jeremy Ranch
1:30 p.m. Nordic combined women’s 5k cross country, Jeremy Ranch
FIS Cup Ski Jumping
5:00 p.m. HS100m ski jumping trial round (men and women), Utah Olympic Park
6:00 p.m. HS100m ski jumping competition rounds (men and women), Utah Olympic Park
Thursday, December 20, 2018
8:00 a.m. Nordic combined HS100m ski jumping provisional round, Utah Olympic Park
9:00 a.m. Nordic combined HS100m ski jumping competition round, Utah Olympic Park
1:00 p.m. Nordic combined men’s 10k cross country, Jeremy Ranch
1:30 p.m. Nordic combined women’s 5k cross country, Jeremy Ranch
FIS Cup Ski Jumping
5:00 p.m. HS100m ski jumping trial round (men and women), Utah Olympic Park
6:00 p.m. HS100m ski jumping competition rounds (men and women), Utah Olympic Park
