Stephen Schumann starts Scandinavian ski season strong

USA Nordic athletes are already competing in early season world cups. Photo: courtesy of USA Nordic

RUKA, Finland — Olympian Stephen Schumann recorded a new World Cup personal best in the Men’s Nordic Combined World Cup in Ruka, Finland on Friday. The USA Nordic National Team member and Park City Ski and Snowboard athlete, is an employee of the Utah Olympic Park.

The weekend got started as athletes took the hill for the Compact HS142/7.5 km event.

His Olympic teammate Ben Loomis, who grew up in Wisconsin, attended Park City’s Winter Sports School, and who is a member of the Utah National Guard, had the best jump of the day, putting him in the 20th position for the 7.5 km race, as he soared to 126.5 meters for 118.1 points.

Schumann jumped to the 27th position, as he went 118 meters for 105.3 points and top-30 World Cup points.

During the 7.5 km race, Schumann was able to ski up to place 13th overall (18:52.1 total time), which is a new World Cup personal best finish. Loomis was able to hold his position in the 7.5 km, finishing 20th overall, after recording a course time of 19:28.6. 

“I’m super happy with the 13th place finish, it’s a new format that definitely suits me as a better cross country skier, so I was looking forward to it for sure,” said Schumann to U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “Overall, the weekend was a successful start to the year, one rough day for me but otherwise really happy with the skiing, and the jumping is just missing a bit of consistency. I think the team is on a good trajectory, and we’re all psyched for a good weekend in Lillehammer.”

On Saturday, athletes then competed in the HS142/10 km event where Loomis landed in 28th place (116 meters, 101.7 points). Schumann then put together a 96-meter jump, giving him 64.4 points and putting him in the 51st position for the start of the 10 km race. Loomis finished 30th overall, completing the 10 km course with a time of 26:55.8. Schumann then wrapped things up coming in 41st place (26:13.3).

The final event of the weekend came on Sunday, with athletes starting off on the cross country course for a Mass Start HS142/10 km event. Schumann finished the Mass Start 10 km in 14th place, recording a course time of 25:40.4. Loomis was close behind in 24th place, as he recorded a total time of 26:03.8. Schumann was then able to finish in the points during the HS142 portion of the event, going 113.5 meters for 92.5 points. Loomis placed 29th after going 112.5 meters for 87.7 points, scoring World Cup points during all three events in Ruka.

Men’s Nordic Combined will be back in action this upcoming weekend, as they will compete in two World Cup events in Lillehammer, Norway, from Dec. 1-3.