For the first time since 2004, the ski jumping World Cup is returning to United States’ soil.
Lake Placid, New York, the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics, will host the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) men’s ski jumping World Cup this upcoming February, according to the Associated Press.
The World Cup was lasted in the United States in 2004, when Park City, Utah, hosted the event. The competition saw North America for the last time in 2009, when Vancouver became the host city.
“This is a game-changer for our organization. The opportunity to bring in the best ski jumpers in the world to Lake Placid will give our sport a platform for growth that we haven’t had in close to 20 years.” – USA Nordic CEO Adam Provost according to the Associated Press
The event was initially planned for Iron Mountain, Michigan, but unforeseen circumstances made that location unavailable, and recent upgrades to the Lake Placid facilities made the New York location more attractive for the FIS.
The Lake Placid venue is already set to host the men’s and women’s Ski Jumping Continental Cup this October, with the six competitions taking place between October 7-9 now acting as what USA Nordic considers a pretty major dress rehearsal.
“First of all, I want to give a huge thank you to Lake Placid, ORDA, USA Nordic and FIS, for their hard work in bringing the FIS World Cup back to the United States for the first time in 19 years. Having the World Cup back on US soil is very important in developing the sport of Ski Jumping in this country, and across the world. Our athletes could not be more thrilled about this opportunity, and we are excited to see the great things that will come from this event.” – Anders Johnson, USA Nordic Men’s and Women’s Ski Jumping Coach, according to a USA Nordic Press Release
Image Credit: USA Nordic on Instagram