Park City’s Kevin Bickner keeps ski jumping farther in the Olympics

USA record-holder, Park City's Kevin Bickner, pictured here from a past season, lands on the podium in Romania's FIS Summer Ski Jumping competition. Photo: Bickner family

BEIJING — Landing in 39th place in today’s Beijing Olympic Ski Jumping Individual Large Hill, Park City’s Kevin Bickner improved upon his 43rd in the Normal Hill from a few days ago. He was the Large Hill top American finisher.

In his second Olympics, Bickner scored 11.0 points in the Large Hill for his distance of 125.0 meters on the 125-meter hill.

Kevin’s mom is a math teacher at the Winter Sports School and before they moved to Park City, his dad was a ski jumping coach, official, and judge for their home Norge Ski Club outside of Chicago. 

Three out of the four USA Nordic athletes made it through day one’s qualification round. They skied an adequate trial round on day two but didn’t qualify out of the first round and since only the top 30 get to jump in the medals round, the three American athletes’ day was done early. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Second among Team USA today in Ski Jumping was Park City’s Casey Larson, also in his second Olympics. Larson, who works where he trains, at the Utah Olympic Park placed 43rd on the Beijing Large Hill.

The wind at the venue was calm today further emboldening the relative safety of this much-maligned sport.

2022 Olympic Individual Large Hill Ski Jumping results:

1. Gold (NOR)
2. Silver (JPN)
3. Bronze (GER)

All four Team USA Ski Jumpers will compete in the Team event on Monday.