SKI JUMPERS
Americans
ALAN ALBORN — The first American to fly more than 200 meters when he landed a 210-meter training jump earlier this year in Germany. Alborn is the reigning U.S. large hill champ after dusting the field at the national championships at the Utah Olympic Park. The 20-year-old Alaskan enjoyed a strong summer jumping season in 2001, becoming the first American to win three consecutive Continental Cup titles and has started the 2002 World Cup season strong. Alborn competed in the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.
CLINT JONES — The wiry 17-year-old became the youngest national champion in any U.S. ski discipline in March 2000 when he won the U.S. large hill championship. The Colorado Avalanche fan started jumping at age 5 and spent a slice of last winter on the World Cup tour. Jones also competed in his first world championships in Lahti, Finland. The youngster's 2002 World Cup season is off to a surprising start — he finished ninth recently at a competition in Finland.
BRENDAN DORAN — Was a California-born soccer player until his family moved to Steamboat Springs, Colo., in 1990. When he saw the ski jumps at historic Howelsen Hill, "I was hooked." Doran won a '95 Continental Cup event and competed in the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. He claimed his first national title in 2000 by outjumping the field on the 90-meter hill.
Top international
ADAM MALYSZ — Poland — Malysz, 24, claimed the top spot of the 2001 World Cup ski jumping overall standings after winning a remarkable 10 individual competitions. Defending world champ on the 90- meter hill. Hundreds of Poles living across the United States traveled to the Utah Olympic Park last January to cheer the diminutive Malysz to victory at the Salt Lake City World Cup stop. Malysz's jumping success has made him a national hero in Poland.
MARTIN SCHMITT — Germany — Handed his World Cup crown to Malysz last season after winning the overall World Cup title in 1999 and 2000. The German edged out Malysz to win the 2001 large hill world championship. Finished second behind his rival on the small hill. Disappointed many local ski jump fans last season by not competing in the World Cup event at Utah Olympic Park. Schmitt was a member of the German team that claimed the bronze in the 2001 world championship team competition and the silver medal at the 1998 Winter Games in Japan.
NORIAKI KASAI — Japan — Helped lead Japan to a silver medal in the team competition at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer. Has his own bilingual Web site. Finished fourth in the overall standings of the 2001 World Cup. Jumped 130 meters on the large hill at Utah Olympic Park to secure a Japanese victory during the team World Cup event last January.
