February 11, 2006 (Pragelato, Italy) – U.S. ski jumpers Alan Alborn (Anchorage, AK) and Clint Jones (Steamboat Springs, CO) jumped well enough Saturday to qualify for Sunday’s Olympic NH Individual event in Pragelato.

A total of 50 competitors will jump in Sunday’s finals. Fifteen athletes were pre-qualified, including Norway’s Lars Bystoel, who was later disqualfied for a suit violation, leaving 36 open spots up for grabs today.

Alborn, competing in his second Olympic Winter Games, qualified 31st (tied for 16th among Saturday’s jumpers) with a jump of 96.5m.

“I’m working on some really basic things right now, getting closer and closer all the time,” said Alborn. “It’s really fundamental on the small hill. There’s really no air pressure to fly on here so it’s all muscle memory, air awareness and speed sense.”

“I’m going to jump harder, more coordinted and see where it puts me,” said Alborn. “I’m looking for two good jumps. Sometimes you have one really good one and you think about it and the next one isn’t so good. What you need to do to get a medal is to be consistent.”

Jones, who also jumped at the ’02 Games, qualified 49th (35th among Saturday’s jumpers) with a jump of 91.0m.

“That tail wind’s a little funky to get used to,” said Jones. “It wasn’t as good a jump as I would have liked. Every jump I’ve taken the conditions have been different, with the wind going different directions. This is the only event we ski all year on the small hill (normal hill), so it’s tough.”

Tommy Schwall (Steamboat Springs, CO), who was also on the team in ’02, just missed making it to Sunday as he finished 52nd (38th among Saturday’s jumpers), jumping 90.5m.

Olympic rookie Jim Denney (Duluth, MN) posted a jump of 86.0m and finished 46th.

Following Sunday’s first jump, the field will be cut to 30 for a second and final jump.

In jumping, an athlete is awarded points for distance and style (flight and landing). Points may also be deducted for both factors. Five judges score each jump, with the highest and lowest scores disregarded. The remaining scores are aggregated and added to the jumper’s distance points.

XX OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
Pragelato, ITA – Feb. 11, 2006
NH Individual Qualification Round
15 jumpers pre-qualified, 50 make finals

1. Noriaki Kasai, Japan, 103.0m, 132.5 points
2. Dmitry Ipatov, Russia, 102.0, 129.0
3. Dmitry Vassiliev, Russia, 102.5, 128.5
4. Michael Neumayer, Germany, 101.5, 127.0
4. Michael Moellinger, Switzerland, 102.0, 127.0
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16. Alan Alborn, Anchorage, Alaska, 96.5, 117.0
35. Clint Jones, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 91.0, 104.5
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Did not qualify for finals:
38. Tommy Schwall, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 90.5, 103.0
46. Jim Denney, Duluth, Minn., 86.0, 91.5