Jumping and Nordic Combined Champions Crowned in Lake Placid

by
USSA
2017-10-08 09:35
 

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Oct. 8, 2017) – The nation’s best ski jumping and nordic combined athletes battled it out for the title of national champion at the L.L.Bean U.S. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Championships on Sunday at the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid, New York. Local athlete Nina Lussi (Lake Placid, N.Y.) took home both the women’s normal hill ski jumping and nordic combined titles, with Michael Glasder (Cary, Ill.) and Bryan Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) landing the men’s ski jumping and nordic combined titles respectively.

Lussi, who took home the large hill title in July at the Utah Olympic Park, shared the podium with teammates Nita Englund (Florence, Wis.) and Abby Ringquist (Park City, Utah) in the normal hill competition. 2014 Olympian and World Champion Sarah Hendrickson was fifth.

“Winning National Championships in Lake Placid was something truly special,” said Lussi. “Since I know this hill so well, it was a challenge knowing I was jumping from a lower start position than ever before [with less speed] and being able to put it all together on that specific day was great! As soon as I stopped in the outrun I could hear basically my entire family celebrating my jump from the observation deck, and that part was a moment I will never forget.”

Lussi will also go down in history as the first ever U.S. women’s nordic combined champion. Her performance earned her an invite to compete at the continental cup level this winter.

“The nordic combined race pushed me not only physically, but also mentally,” continued Lussi. “We’re lacking depth in women’s nordic combined, so I hope my race proved to the next generation that with grit and determination, a lot is possible. This competition and the expansion of FIS level events should hopefully incentivize women to keep competing in nordic combined.”


Men's Ski Jumping Podium: 1st - Michael Glasder (center); 2nd - Kevin Bickner (left); 3rd - Bryan Fletcher (right).  (Lake Placid Events)

Sunday’s win was the second normal hill national title for Glasder, who also won the competition in 2015. USA Nordic teammates Kevin Bickner (Wauconda, Ill.) and Fletcher joined him on the podium in second and third. Fletcher also claimed his third nordic combined national title followed by Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, Wis.) in second and Jasper Good (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) in third.


Men's Nordic Combined Podium: 1st- Bryan Fletcher (center); 2nd - Ben Loomis (left); 3rd - Jasper Good (left).  (Lake Placid Events)

 

 


 


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