Gyda Westvold Hansen led a Norwegian sweep in the debut of women’s nordic combined at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships Saturday in Oberstdorf. Tara Geraghty-Moats (W. Fairlee, Vt.) was fifth, skiing the fastest 5k cross country leg but unable to overcome a large deficit from the jump earlier in the day.

Three other Americans joined Geraghty-Moats in the historic debut including Annika Malacinski 23rd, Alexa Brabec 26th, and Tess Arnone 28th (all Steamboat Springs, Colo.).

The event, which was televised around the world, marked the first time women had competed at the World Championships. It was a vital stepping stone towards hopeful future Olympic inclusion. At the women’s debut World Cup event in December, Geraghty-Moats picked up the victory.

Norway put on a strong showing in the morning jumping round on the HS106m hill with Mari Leinan Lund soaring 107.0 meters to take the lead. Westvold Hansen was second in the jump but passed her teammate early in the 5k cross country and never faltered over the two 2.5k laps in an empty stadium at Oberstdorf.

Geraghty-Moats jumped only 85.0 meters, putting her 18th – two minutes, 13 seconds behind the leader going into the cross country finale. Geraghty-Moats charged out of the start and immediately started passing, closing the gap and moving up to fifth at the finish. In just a 13 minute race she closed the gap by over a full minute, but still not enough to challenge for medals.

“I came in fifth place in the world today,” said Geraghty-Moats.  “Maybe it wasn’t my best day but there’s no way I can’t be happy about that. It was the first-ever World Championships for women and many more chances to fight for the medals.”

Westvold Hansen, who has been one of the top challengers to Geraghty-Moats the past few seasons on the Continental Cup, was proud of her victory. “It’s been an exciting day and I’m happy with my performance. It’s a dream come true!”

Much as the USA’s women’s ski jumpers were a part of forging the history of gender equality in that sport, the four U.S. women who competed in Oberstdorf carried a special pride with them in Saturday’s nordic combined race.

“It feels so cool to be a part of history,” said Malacinski. “I just can’t wait until 50 years from now and I get to tell these stories over again.”

Malacinski felt it was one of her best races of the season and will bring positive reflections in the future. “The memories I’ve made with my teammates and just the whole venue – it’s so amazing how well put together it is.”

Brabec was also happy with her race and being a part of history.  “The race went really for me today – I’m really pumped,” she said. “I tried to ignore the pressure and get into my own vibe and just went for it. It’s amazing and it’s been really fun to be a part of history.”

Arnone, too, took a lot away from the historical moment. “It makes me feel really proud that I’m a part of it. I’ve been a part of a lot of firsts the last few years and that’s pretty cool.”

Much of the burden over the past few seasons had been placed on Geraghty-Moats’ shoulders as the veteran leader of the sport who had dominated its early days in the Continental Cup and was a vocal proponent of moving the sport forward.

“I definitely didn’t do it singlehandedly,” she said. “I’m just really honored to be here. I hope that the legacy I leave in the sport will help the sport continue to grow. It’s amazing what a lot of people can do if we work together to move sport and gender equality forward.”

In partnership with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), U.S. Ski & Snowboard is working to combat mental health issues prevalent in elite sport. Both organizations are taking a three-step approach to create awareness, remove stigma, and effectively communicate the resources available. The mental health concerns surrounding athletics have heightened following the release of Podium Pictures’ HBO film, Weight of Gold, which showcases the highs and lows of elite athletes’ mental health. Director Brett Rapkin, explained, “I started researching post-Olympic depression and was blown away when I discovered how common it was. My intention was to talk about this rollercoaster and the struggles faced by athletes. The reaction was incredibly powerful and served as an inspiration to me to do more of this kind of work.”

In addition to the complimentary Weight of Gold viewing access provided to all U.S. Ski & Snowboard national team athletes by Podium Pictures and HBO, U.S. Ski & Snowboard held a panel webinar on Dec. 30 in collaboration with the USOPC, Podium Pictures, and the Speedy Foundation. The panel discussed the film and provided resources for athletes seeking help. One of the panel members, Dr. Alex Cohen, Senior Sport Psychologist at the USOPC, who works closely with U.S. Ski & Snowboard out of the USANA Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah shared, “There is no wrong door to go through, and there should not be a dozen steps to get the resources needed. We are more than happy to help athletes navigate these resources.” Along with sharing resources, the panel provided an honest discussion on the topic with the hopes of decreasing some of the stigma surrounding mental health. 

Recent efforts of U.S. Ski & Snowboard include requiring Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Training for all staff members. QPR Training teaches three simple steps to help save a person from committing suicide. In addition to having all staff trained on this topic, U.S. Ski & Snowboard plans to require QPR training of all athletes prior to the start of competition next year. The USOPC has also taken strides to combat mental health issues with the hiring of Dr. Jessica Bartley as its Director of Mental Health Services. Dr. Bartley now serves as both an advocate and a resource for any athlete struggling with mental health. “I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be a resource for athletes, and it is my mission to build an infrastructure that athletes can access at all times.”

Although both organizations are taking steps to improve mental health resources, there is still more to be done. “Raising awareness, decreasing stigma and providing best practice mental health resources to U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes is a top priority,” said  U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Director of High Performance and Co-Chair of its Mental Health Committee,Troy Taylor. “Research shows that more than 35% of professional athletes suffer from a mental health crisis, so it is imperative that we create an environment where we can talk about mental health openly, honestly and ensure everyone gets the support they need, when they need it.” Over the coming months, U.S. Ski & Snowboard plans to further improve the organization’s understanding of the main obstacles for athletes and create feasible solutions to support athletes in the best ways possible.

Mental Health Resources
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee: www.teamusa.org/mentalhealth
The Speedy Foundation: https://www.thespeedyfoundation.org
Michael Phelps Foundation: https://michaelphelpsfoundation.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org
Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org
Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org  
 

If you or someone you know is experiencing an urgent mental health issue, we encourage you to text HOME to 741741, or call (800) 273-8255 to speak to a mental health professional. In the process of helping yourself, you may be inspiring courage in others to seek help as well.

If you are a U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, member, or staff, and feel you need support or would like to talk, don’t hesitate to reach out to USOPC Sr. Sport Psychologist Alexander Cohen or USOPC Director, Mental Health Services Jessica Bartley as resources.
 

Alexander Cohen, Ph.D., CMPC
Sr. Sport Psychologist
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
alexander.cohen@usoc.org
(M) +1 719-216-6376

Jessica Bartley, Ph.D., CMPC
Director, Mental Health Services
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
jessica.bartley@usopc.org
(o) +1 719-866-2125