U of U student Erik Belshaw earns ski jumping silver medal at Slovenia’s FIS Jr. World Championships

USA Nordic's Erik Belshaw (back left) Ski Jumps into a silver medal at the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — Erik Belshaw of the U.S. Men’s National Ski Jumping Team earned a silver medal on Thursday at the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia.

The 19-year-old University of Utah student skis for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC).

The competition was held on the Normal Hill HS 102. 

His sister Annika, a U.S. Women’s National Ski Jumping Team member, is also in Europe competing on the World Cup circuit. The older sibling by two years, she wasn’t eligible to compete at this event but is planning on coming and spectating in the next day or two for her brother’s Team event.

Erik and Annika Belshaw are the current men’s and women’s U.S. National Championships title holders, respectively.

Even though he had the longest jump of the night at 104.5 meters, the sport of ski jumping encompasses more than simply distance, and his Austrian competitor, Stephan Embacher, landed more consistently in both of his jumps, scoring total points of 266.7. In the end, this found Belshaw only 0.8 points behind. Third place went to Germany’s Adrian Tittel, who was 7.4 points behind the winner.

Belshaw jumped into fourth place in the rankings after his first jump, then, the dozen American Team parents waiting in the finish area had their patience tested while two more athletes went. Then, before the final jumper, the wind kicked up just enough for Embacher to have to be told to back off the start bar due to safety concerns. As he — and Belshaw, standing in the temporary winner’s box at the bottom — waited, the coaches and jury decided to have the Austrian remove his skis and take one step down to a lower bar for wind compensation. What seemed like an eternity to the Team USA fans, including Belshaw’s mom and dad, Cathy and Allan, approximately five minutes later, the Austrian jumped, ending the competition in first place.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USA Nordic are both based in Park City. Furthermore, Steamboat’s largest jump hill isn’t quite as large as Park City’s; thus, both Belshaws spend considerable time training at the Utah Olympic Park.

Their parents also matriculated at the University of Utah, meeting in med school before becoming physicians in Steamboat Springs. 

Allan is a ski jumping judge, and Cathy is a venue volunteer in Park City events.

Allan told TownLift, “The Park City ski jump hills are crucial in the development of ski jumping athletes from all across the country to train year round.”

Four hundred fifty athletes from 42 countries, ages 15-19 for ski jumping and Nordic combined and 15-22 for cross country, are in Planica for the events.

Belshaw’s aunt and uncle flew into Slovenia from Wisconsin to cheer on their nephew.

As far as the other three American men in the event, SSWSC’s Jason Colby placed 23rd, Chicago area’s Maxim Glyvka from the Norge Ski Club finished in 56th, and Tate Franz, from Lake Placid’s New York Ski Education Foundation (NYSEF), who’s had a season of momentum coming into this competition, had a frustrating DQ which happened after he’d jumped into fifth place in his first round. Franz’s home hill is hosting a rare Men’s Ski Jumping World Cup at the twice Olympic venue this weekend.

Josie Johnson, 16, of the Park City Ski and Snowboard Team (PCSS)

jumped into second place in her first round on Wednesday then placed 11th after the second and final at the same event. Johnson recently earned a silver medal in South Korea at the Youth Olympic Games. 

Her event at Jr. Worlds was won by the host team of Slovenia. Johnson came out to cheer on her teammate, Belshaw.

The Nordic Combined and Cross Country athletes compete at these Junior World Championships in Planica over the next three days.

Livestreams may be viewed on FIS TV.