Jumpin’ & Jammin’ event brings Nordic Combined to big stage
Jul 08, 2019·Nordic Combined
There is no bigger Nordic Combined themed 4th of July celebration in the U.S. than in Steamboat Springs, home to countless Olympians on the U.S. team of the past and present.
A packed holiday weekend has Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined jumping events on Howelsen hill, followed by the traditional roller ski spring in downtown Steamboat, which always proved to be a spectator magnet.
Niclas Malacinski took the win in the U18 category. He laid the foundation for his victory with a 108.6 point-jump that gave him a 14-second head start on Evan Nichols, Gunnar Gilbertson followed the two on the 3-km track 17 second later. Despite having only the 4th best skiing time, Malacinski crossed the finish line first, 10 seconds ahead of Nichols. Gilbertson defended his third place against fastest skier Carter Brubaker, who had to accept defeat by two seconds in the end.
Tara Geraghty-Moats led the way for the senior women, claiming a 23-second head start on Alexa Brabec with a 90.8-point jump. Tess Arnone was in the intermediate third position, starting just two seconds after Brabec. Geraghty-Moats showed her class in the race and extended her lead to 50 seconds at the finish line for a clear victory. Brabec claimed second, finishing ten seconds ahead of Tess Arnone. Fastest skier was Kathleen O’Connell, who improved her seventh place to the final 4th rank.
Veteran Taylor Fletcher won the senior men’s class by catching jumping winner Grant Andrews (101.7 p.) and runner-up Jared Shumate. Fletcher had a 14-second deficit at the start line but the well-known fast skier turned it into a 13-second advantage at the finish line. Shumate claimed rank two, while Grant Andrews finished in third (+0:23).
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