Posts Tagged ‘Ski Jumping’

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Lake Placid: Olympian Anders Johnson Wins Summer Ski Jump

Olympian Anders Johnson made the two longest jumps of the day to claim the annual 90-meter Summer Ski Jump at the Olympic Jumping Complex on Friday. Johnson, hailing from Park City, Utah, conquered the wet and rainy conditions without a hitch. He laid down a first round jump of 98.5 meters, and followed that with a 100.5-meter jump in the second round to earn a total of 267 points.

“Other than being wet, it was good, and it was as fair as it could have been,” stated Johnson. “It was quick, short and sweet, so that’s always nice.”

Second place went to Nick Fairall of Andover N.H., who made jumps of 93.5 meters and 94.5 meters for 243.5 points. Alex Haupt, also from Park City, claimed the bronze medal with jumps of 88.5 meters and 87 meters for 212.5 points.

“I’ll be here in October for Nationals, but I won’t be here for New Year’s – it’s not one of my top priorities,” said Johnson, the three-time Art Devlin Cup winner about trying to gain a fourth Devlin trophy. ”My goal is the Olympics in Vancouver (February 2010). And also the World Cup circuit – getting some experience and getting some World Cup points would be a nice bonus.”

The Art Devlin, Sr. Memorial Cup is awarded to the jumper with the most combined points from three events: the Summer Ski Jump, the Flaming Leaves Ski Jump, and the New Year’s Masters Ski Jump. The winner of the Art Devlin, Sr. Memorial Cup receives a cash prize of $1,000.

In the junior division, lone female jumper Tara Geraghty-Moats of Fairlee, Vt., took the gold medal. The NYSEF jumper made jumps of 93.5 meters and 86 meters, earning 222.5 total points. Silver went to last year’s summer ski jump champion A.J. Brown, jumping 93 meters and 83.5 meters for 207 points. Zack Daniels and Brian Wallace each earned 197 points. Daniels landed jumps of 86 and 83 meters, while Wallace made jumps of 85 and 83.5 meters.

Here are the complete results:

Open Division

1. Anders Johnson, Park City, Utah, 98.5 meters, 100.5 meters, 267 points
2. Nick Fairall, Andover, N.H., 93.5, 94.5, 243.5
3. Alex Haupt, Park City, Utah, 88.5, 87, 212.5
4. Cooper Dodds, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 86.5, 87, 212
5. Andrew Bliss, Lake Placid, N.Y., 87, 85, 209
6. Chris Lamb, Andover, N.H., 86, 86, 206
7. Pete Frenette, Saranac Lake, N.Y., 93.5, 77.5, 201.5
8. Krzysztof Kowalczyk, Chicago, Ill., 86, 78.5, 187.5
9. Nick Johnson, Eden Prairie, Minn., 73, 84.5, 173
10. Colin Delaney, Lake Placid, N.Y., 75, 72.5, 151.5
11. Dan Englund, Iron Mountain, Mich., 66, 68, 121.5

Junior Division

1. Tara Geraghty-Moats, Fairlee, Vt., 93.5 meters, 86 meters, 222.5 points
2. AJ Brown, Fox River Grove, Ill., 93, 83.5, 207
3. Zack Daniels, Louden, N.H., 86, 83, 197

3. Brian Wallace, Woodbury, Minn., 85, 83.5, 197

5. Connor Jacobson, Woodstock, Ill., 86, 85, 196

6. Spencer Knickerbocker, Brattleboro, Vt., 78.5, 73, 157.5


Saturday, January 17, 2009

Freestyle World Cup Tour This Weekend in LP

The FIS Freestyle World Cup Tour will come to Whiteface / Lake Placid this weekend, January 18-19. The event features a nighttime aerials competition on Sunday evening at the Olympic Jumping Complex, and for the first time ever on the East Coast, a world cup competition in ski cross at Whiteface.

The event kicks off with the men’s and women’s ski cross qualifications Sunday, January 18 on the Lower Valley trail at Whiteface. The women begin with qualifications at 9:45 AM with the men following at 12:20 PM. Ski cross debuted on the World Cup Tour last year, and this is its inaugural event at Whiteface. Many of the athletes competing are looking for a spot on the Olympic team as ski cross was added to the roster of events for the 2010 Vancouver Games. Ski cross consists of four freestyle skiers going down the run at once, and has course features similar to snowboard cross such as rollers, banked curves and jumps.

The aerialists take flight starting at 1:30 PM with the women’s qualifications at the Olympic Jumping Complex. The men follow suit with their own qualifications at 5:15 PM. The Freestyle Funk Fest gets the party started at 6 PM with live music from Peter Price and Moon Boot Lover. The top 12 women and men from qualifications advance to the finals, slated to begin at 7:40 PM.

The ski cross athletes get their chance to win gold on Monday, January 19 at 11 AM with the men’s and women’s skier cross finals at Whiteface.

Prior to the competitions, fans have a chance to meet U.S. Ski Team members at Whiteface on Saturday, January 17. From 12 PM – 1:30 PM is the freestyle athlete autograph signing session and the “U.S. Ski Team – We Ski & Snowboard Challenge.” Skiers and riders may enter to win a chance to show off their Wii skills against the freestylers. Prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place finishers. Plus, the Whiteface Cash Cube will be on hand for even more fun.

Daron Rahlves, the most successful U.S. male downhill skier, retired after 13 years on the U.S. Alpine Ski Team following the 2006 Olympic season. He wanted to continue skiing, and has since made the transition into the ski cross world. Four-time Olympian and six-time U.S. Champion Casey Puckett retired from the U.S. Alpine Ski Team in 2002. He quickly set his sights on ski cross and has become a superstar of the newest Olympic sport after winning X Games gold and dominating the Ski Tour and Jeep King of the Mountain. Joining them is former speed skier Jake Fiala.

Two-Time Olympian Jeret Peterson leads the U.S. aerial contingent. Along with fellow Olympians Emily Cook and Ryan St. Onge as well as teammate Scotty Bahrke, these athletes hope to secure the top spots in Lake Placid.

This is the second stop on the World Cup Tour for the aerialists and the fourth for skier cross. Leading the men’s aerial field is Alexei Grishin from Belarus, followed by China’s Ke Li and Canadian Warren Shouldice. Lydia Lassila of Australia tops the women’s field, followed by China’s Shanshan Zhao and Canada’s Veronika Bauer.

Hedda Bernsten of Norway sits at the top of the women’s ski cross field with 145 points. France’s Ophelie David is second with 130 points while Katharina Gutensohn of Austria is third with 130 points.

Austrian Andreas Matt leads the men’s ski cross standings with 180 points. Michael Schmid of Switzerland sits in second with 140 points, followed by Canadian Christopher Delbosco, who has 116 points.

Daily tickets for the aerials training, qualifications and finals at the Olympic Jumping Complex are $14 for adults, $8 for juniors/seniors. Spectators may view the ski cross competition at Whiteface from the base lodge for free. Those wanting to watch from alongside the course may purchase a lift ticket.

More information on the FIS World Cup Freestyle Tour can be found at http://www.orda.org/newsite/events/worldcups/200809/freestyle/index.php.


Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Local Skier Wins Fourth Career World Cup Event


Billy Demong of Vermontville (Franklin County, NY) is a Whiteface / Lake Placid athlete won his career fourth World Cup last week in Ramsau, Austria (nordic combined). You can read the full story here.


Sunday, October 12, 2008

Flaming Leaves Festival Ski Jumping Results

For the seventh time in his last eight competitions in Lake Placid, Anders Johnson [video] of Park City, Utah, ski jumped to the head of the field Sunday in completing a sweep of the Flaming Leaves Festival. After taking Saturday’s national championship on the 90 meter hill, Johnson returned to the same Olympic Jumping Complex 24 hours later, under similar sunshine and 65 degree weather, and captured the NYSEF 90 Meter Super Tour event.

Not to be outdone, Lindsey Van , also of Park City, took both ends of the Lake Placid doubleheader by winning Sunday’s women’s 90 meter on the artificial surfaces. “I’ve jumped here many times and have always jumped well,” said the past Winter Olympian. “I feel every time I’m here, I can do well.”

For a struggling ski jumper, the six-foot-three-inch athlete appreciated the friendly confine of the 1980 Winter Olympic site. “The start of summer training wasn’t so good for me,” continued Johnson. “But I’ve jumped better since August.”

Then came a month in Europe where he performed better in summer Continental Cups and World Cups. “That got my confidence back. The jumps here this weekend were some of my best of the season. Now I feel confident for this winter.”

While vendors offered their goods and live bands performed under the tent, Johnson had the two best jumps of the day at 100.5 and 102 meters. His distance and style points totaled 263.5 for an easy victory. Eric Camerota of Park City was second with 249.5 points on jumps of 99.5 and 93 meters. Third place went to Nick Alexander of Lebanon, N.H. after jumping 99 and 92.5 meters for 246 points. Lake Placid’s Andrew Bliss was fourth on the strength of his opening jump of 97 meters. A second attempt of 89.5 gave Bliss 240 points.

Bill Demong of Vermontville, N.Y., sponsored by the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), was eighth after placing third in the national championship ski jump and second in the Nordic combined nationals, both on Saturday. Demong is preparing to be inducted into the Saranac Lake High School Hall of Fame this week as part of the 1995 state high school championship cross country team.

The diminutive Van, trying to overcome a knee injury incurred last winter, posted jumps of 98.5 and 92 meters, picking up 249 points in the process. “I took myself totally out of the situation and told myself to worry about it (the injury) later,” said Van, who will now go west and seek the care of orthopedic specialist Dr. Richard Steadman. “This weekend was a lot better for me. I concentrated on my in-run position because the in-run here is a bit bumpy. Otherwise, I had stable conditions. It was a great weekend and I had lots of fun. Now I feel good about the winter and will try to stay healthy in the process.”

Jessica Jerome of Park City was next with 97 and 89.5 meter jumps for 237.5 points. Avery Ardovino, Park City, secured third by jumping 89 and 92.5 meters for 226.5 points. Sisters Nina and Danielle Lussi of Lake Placid finished 10th and 11th, respectively. Canadian jumpers came to the surface in the junior division as Calgary, Alberta’s Yukon De Leeuw grabbed the title ahead of teammate Matthew Rowley, also of Calgary. Brian Wallace of Woodbury, Minn. placed third, just a point from second place.

With the close of the Flaming Leaves Festival comes the start of a fall training camp in Lake Placid for many of these competitors. The winter version of this sport gets underway, on snow, next month.

For complete results, including event photos, please log on to www.orda.org.



Conditions
Conditions

The Adirondack Almanack

The Adirondack Almanack is a public forum dedicated to promoting and discussing current events, history, arts, nature and outdoor recreation and other topics of interest to the Adirondacks and its communities

We publish commentary and opinion pieces from voluntary contributors, as well as news updates and event notices from area organizations. Contributors include veteran local writers, historians, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region. The information, views and opinions expressed by these various authors are not necessarily those of the Adirondack Almanack or its publisher, the Adirondack Explorer.

General inquiries about the Adirondack Almanack should be directed to editor Melissa Hart. To advertise on the Adirondack Almanack, or to receive information on rates and design, please click here.
Web Services & Search Engine Optimization By: Suloff Designs

Wait! Before you go:

Catch up on all your Adirondack
news, delivered weekly to your inbox