After a great showing in their first competition, Men’s Nordic Combined was able to have three top 25 finishers in the Individual Large Hill/10km event on Tuesday at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Centre.

Jared Shumate led the pack, as he was able to post another top 20 finish, placing 17th overall. On the Large Hill, Shumate placed 19th overall with a 127.5 meter jump, putting him +2:34 behind the leader to start the 10km. He then climbed to his 17th overall finish with a total time of 26:24.5.

“I’m very psyched to have gotten another top twenty, I can’t be upset about that,” said Shumate. “I fought hard during every second of that race, but I lost a couple spots in the last lap. Overall, I thought I skied well, and placing seventeenth was a step up from the first day. I usually struggle a little bit more on the large hill, so I was happy to put a good jump down and start the race in the top twenty.”

Ben Loomis was close behind, as he carded yet another top 20 finish as well, placing 19th overall. This is a new personal best at the Olympic Winter Games for Loomis in the Large Hill/10km, after finishing 40th overall in PyeongChang 2018. After posting a 129.0 meter jump on the hill, Loomis started the 10km in 17th, +2:26 behind the leader. He then finished the 10km race with a course time of 26:51.2 for a 19th place finish.

“I’m happy with how today went, overall it was just a solid day. Result wise, I placed seventeenth again after jumping, just like the normal hill,” said Loomis. “However, I was happier with the jump that I put down today. Looking forward to the team event on Thursday, I’m very excited. We’re in a pretty good spot as a team, everyone is skiing well and having some great jumps.”

Taylor Fletcher was then able to place 23rd overall, his second best overall finish at the Olympic Winter Games in this event, as he finished 20th overall in Sochi 2014. After his jump on the Large Hill, Fletcher found himself in 35th with a 117.0 meter jump, +3:54 behind the leader to start the 10km. Fletcher was then able to vault himself to a 23rd overall finish, as he finished the race with a time of 25:42.7.

“I’ve been one of the strongest skiers on this circuit for a while, and to have a race like that was a lot of fun,” said Fletcher. “It’s one thing to race fast from the front, but to be able to come through groups on the course and drop them is a good feeling.”

Jasper Good then achieved an Olympic Winter Games personal best of his own, as he was able to finish 34th overall, after finishing the Large Hill/10km in 41st at PyeongChang 2018. On the hill, Good was able to post a 115.5 meter jump, placing him in 36th and +4:00 behind the leader in the 10km. He then finished the course in 27:32.9 to card a 24th overall finish.

 “I think that the race went pretty well, racing at this elevation is a great help for me. Overall, it just felt like a better day and the team did great,” said Good. “I’m very psyched about my personal best at the Olympics in this event, and I’m also very proud to be representing the U.S. Army in this Olympics as well.”

Men’s Nordic Combined will be back in action on Thursday, February 17th, as they will compete in the Team Large Hill/4x5km event. Check below to see how you can watch and support USA Nordic as they continue at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Results
Large Hill/10km

How to Watch – Men’s Nordic Combined Schedule

Thursday, February 17th
2:00am EST – Men’s Nordic Combined Team Large Hill – Zhangjiakou, China

• Live: Steaming on NBCOlympics.com & NBC Sports App
• Live: Streaming on Peacock
• Daytime: 2:00pm EST on NBC

6:00am EST – Men’s Nordic Combined Team 4×5 10km – Zhangjiakou, China

• Live: Steaming on NBCOlympics.com & NBC Sports App
• Live: Streaming on Peacock
• Daytime: 3:30pm EST on NBC

In the Nordic Combined Normal Hill/10km competition on Wednesday, Feb. 9, the U.S. men came out and pushed, landing two men into the top 20 and all four men in the top 25. 

The charge was led by Park City's Ben Loomis, who finished 41st in this event back at the 2018 Games. On Wednesday he made a massive improvement, finishing 15th overall after posting a solid jump in 17th and skating hard in the cross country section. 

“I’m really happy with finishing 15th overall today," said Loomis. "I wasn’t totally satisfied with my jumping, but I was able to make up for that in the race. Overall, it was a great day. I’m definitely feeling more confident going into the next events.”

Jared Shumate, who sat in 24th after the jump, also pushed hard in the cross country portion to move up in the rankings, finishing 19th overall in his Olympic Games debut.

“My jumping wasn’t quite as good as I would have hoped for today, but I felt that I had a pretty solid race," commented Shumate. "I had a goal set to get top 20 in the Olympics at the start of this season, and I’m happy to have accomplished that. Starting off the games with a 19th overall finish is pretty satisfying.”

Team veteran, Taylor Fletcher, improved on his PyeongChang Games finish as well, finishing 24th overall. Fletcher, who is known for his speed on the track, used the 10km to jump 10 spots in the ranks after a disappointing jump. Stephen Schumann finished 25th overall.

The nordic combined men have another opportunity to show their stuff in the Individual Large Hill/10km event on Tuesday, Feb. 15th. In the meantime, the team will get back to training at the Nordic Center in Zhangjiakou, China.

RESULTS
Men's nordic combined normal hill/10km

In the New York Times exclusive multimedia feature, What Scares the World's Most Daring Olympians, published Feb. 1, 2022, journalists explore the five biggest fears of Winter Olympic athletes – getting hurt, new tricks, bad weather, uncertainty, and skiing nearly blind. Five parts, five stories, one for each fear. 

Each piece walks readers through an interactive, visual experience that depicts the thoughts and feelings that race through the minds of the athletes as they push themselves to new speeds and new heights. As a whole, it is a testament to the grit, determination, and focus that every athlete channels when they put their bodies on the line in pursuit of a feeling – a feeling that defies fear and derives exuberance. The Olympic stage is one most athletes spend their entire lives pursuing, an opportunity none of them will take for granted, no matter the stakes.

The article features three dozen active and retired Winter Olympians, including U.S. Ski & Snowboard's very own Jamie Anderson, Erik Arvidsson, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Billy Demong, Red Gerard, Faye Gulini, Breezy Johnson, Casey Larson, Ben Loomis, Annika Malacinski, Alice Merryweather, Steven Nyman, River Radamus, Logan Sankey, Shaun White, and Jackie Wiles.

"The Winter Olympics are a carnival of danger, a spectacle of speed and slick surfaces, powered mostly by the undefeated force of gravity. Skiers hurtle themselves down mountains faster than cars drive on highways. Sliders ride high-speed sleds down a twisting chute of ice. Ski jumpers soar great distances through the air, and snowboarders and freestyle skiers flip and spin in the sky and hope for a safe landing. The next wipeout always feels moments away. The athletes who perform these daring feats are not crazy. They are not reckless. But they do have one thing in common that might surprise those of us who watch.

They are scared. Every one of them."

Explore the full feature at NYTimes.com >>

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today its nominations for the U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team to represent Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Nominations are to be confirmed by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee when it formally announces the U.S. Olympic Team.

The team is headlined by three-time Olympian Taylor Fletcher, looking for his first Olympic podium. Fletcher’s top Olympic finishes include sixth-place in the Team Large Hill/4x5km and a 20th place result in the Large Hill/10km Individual competition at the 2014 Sochi Games. Fletcher will be accompanied by 2018 Olympian Ben Loomis, who was 10th in the Team Large Hill/4x5km in PyeongChang, and 2018 Olympian Jasper Good. Jared Shumate and Stephen Schumann will make their Olympic debuts.

The winner of the 2021 Olympic Trails in Lake Placid, New York, decided the first spot on the U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team. Additional spots on the team were chosen based on athletes' results at FIS World Cup and Continental Cup events during the 2021-22 winter qualification period.

Nordic Combined has an action-packed schedule at the 2022 Games. The first of three medal events kick off on Wednesday, February 9, with the Individual Gunderson Normal Hill/10km competition, followed by the Individual Gunderson Large Hill/10km on Tuesday, February 15. The final event –Team Gunderson Large Hill/4x5km – is scheduled for Thursday, February 17.

2022 U.S. OLYMPIC NORDIC COMBINED TEAM
(Name; hometown, birthday; club; past Olympics)

• Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, Colorado; 5/11/90; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (Olympics: 2010, 2014, 2018)
• Ben Loomis, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; 6/9/98; Flying Eagles Ski Club (Olympics: 2018)
• Jasper Good, Steamboat Springs, Colorado; 5/10/96; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (Olympics: 2018)
• *Jared Shumate, Park City, Utah; 3/6/99; Park City Ski & Snowboard*
• *Stephen Schumann, Park City, Utah; 3/14/00; Park City Ski & Snowboard*

*Denotes first-time Olympian 

Watch Team USA compete on the networks of NBC throughout the Olympics, February 4-20, 2022. 

FOLLOW THE TEAM 

Instagram: @usskiteam
Facebook: @usskiandsnowboard
TikTok: @usskiandsnowboard
Twitter: @usskiteam 

ATHLETE QUOTES:

Taylor Fletcher
“Getting named to my fourth Olympic team after winning the Olympic Trials is a big motivation for me. As the veteran athlete of the U.S. Nordic Combined Olympic Team, I want to make the most of this Olympics with my best results. Knowing that my spot is secure will allow me to focus on training and competition to make sure I am in the best form going into Beijing 2022. The Olympics are always a big focus and have been since I started the sport many many years ago. I feel confident I can go there and have my best results yet. We will have a young team but a team for the future, which is very exciting. Look out for nordic combined in the coming weeks!”

Ben Loomis
“I am extremely proud to have been named to the 2022 Olympic Team. It will be a true honor to represent both USA Nordic and the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program in Beijing. Amongst the current state of COVID-19, it will be great to bring the world together in a safe manner and showcase what the Olympics are all about. I couldn't be more excited to have a team of both experienced Olympians and athletes heading to their first games alongside me in Beijing.”

Jasper Good
“I am incredibly honored and excited to be named to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team. Representing Team USA at this Games means even more to me as a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). The support and camaraderie I have gained from WCAP have helped me reach new levels. It will be an honor to represent the U.S. with this added factor. I am really excited about how much progression our team has made and can’t wait to perform with my team in Beijing!”

Jared Shumate
“I am honored to be selected to represent the USA at the 2022 Olympics. It has been a goal of mine since I was a kid to compete at the Olympics, and I am overjoyed to officially be selected to my first Olympic team. I feel like I have made some big steps forward in the last few months, including scoring my first World Cup points in Predazzo, Italy, which qualified me for the team, and I am looking forward to keeping the momentum going into Beijing! I’m excited to compete with the rest of my teammates at the highest level of sport and am looking forward to experiencing my first Olympic Games, even though COVID is making these games a bit different than previous years. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, the goal is to stay healthy and train hard!”

Stephen Schumann
“I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to represent the USA at the upcoming Olympics in Beijing. It has been a dream of mine to compete at the Olympics since I first stepped on a ski jump at 5 years old. To think that the dream I had as a little kid is coming true 16 years later is surreal, and the fact that I get to do it with some of my best friends makes it so much better. I could not be more excited! Thank you so much to everyone who has believed in me and helped me get to this point through all the setbacks and hard times; it wouldn’t have been possible without you. Now, time to buckle down and polish things up before heading to Beijing!”

COACH QUOTES:

Nick Hendrickson – Men’s Nordic Combined Team Director
“With the nomination of our 2022 Olympic Team, I am extremely excited to have every one of these athletes selected to represent the USA in Beijing. I am proud of each individual for their accomplishments throughout the qualification process, but I am most proud of the teamwork that has been invested behind the scenes to raise our competition level. Collectively, our team is composed of four-time Olympic veterans, two-time Olympians, as well as first-timers; we have a lot of both experience and opportunity in this group of talented guys. The team momentum that we have at the moment is contagious and we can't wait to keep it rolling into Beijing!”

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About U.S. Ski & Snowboard

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2021, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Riley Elliott
Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping Olympic Press Officer
riley@usanordic.org