Team East at the Junior Nationals
Team East was at the Junior Nationals for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined in Anchorage. This is a team of kids who don’t train at altitude, who in many cases have learned ski jumping without a home hill where jumps over K50 are available. They have been coached by a committee of various coaches from different clubs and a ton of traveling is required to train. It speaks to the drive of the athletes, flexibility of schools, committed parents, and most of all to a culture of community in jumping and nordic combined.
The team won U-16 Jumping, U-16 Nordic Combined, Team Jumping, U-20 Nordic Combined, silver in U-16 team Nordic Combined, and a bronze in U-20 team Nordic Combined.
Evan Nichols from Ford Sayre was first in U-16 Nordic Combined individual, second in team U-16 team Nordic Combined, and won gold with his U-20 team jumping team of four. He was disappointed by his fourth in U-16 individual special jumping. He flew further than some who made the podium, but he lost a spot due to style. He missed bronze by 0.3 points.