This coming weekend, February 13th – 15th, Northwoods ski jumping and nordic combined teams head to Brattleboro, Vermont, to compete in the second set of Junior World Championship Qualifiers. They will compete on both Saturday and Sunday for spots on the U.S. Junior Worlds team, with Saturday’s also serving as a US Cup competition – the highest level of domestic competition.
The Junior World Championships are the highest level of U20 international competition in both ski jumping and nordic combined. Each nation chooses their top 4 junior athletes as well as an alternate for each sport to send to the Championships. This year, the Championships will take place in Lillehammer, Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
The first two qualifiers were in Ishpeming , Michigan. Henry Loher ‘26 won both competitions and is leading the standings for the three remaining spots. Jack Kroll ‘26 took 4th in the first qualifier and 2nd in the second. Kroll is tied with Arthur Tirone from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for the final two spots. For nordic combined, Duncan Van Dorn ‘28 placed 4th in both competitions and currently holds one of the 5 unclaimed nordic combined spots.
Athletes during the National Anthem in Brattleboro – Harris Hill.
This is the biggest weekend of the year for the team. Loher, Kroll, and Van Dorn will look to solidify their position on the Junior Worlds team, while athletes like Eli Larkin ‘27 and Islay Sheil ‘28 aim to close the gap and move into a qualification position.
Supporters can tune in to the competition via live stream. On Saturday, 02/14, the live stream starts at 11am, with the competition starting at 12pm. On Sunday, 02/15, the live stream starts at 11am, with competitions beginning at 12:30pm
