September 21, 2018 (Rasnov, Romania) – USA Nordic and Junior National Team member Andrew Urlaub recently proved the new focus on elite development is already paying dividends. Urlaub jumped atop the podium in Rasnov, Romania at the FIS Ski Jumping Carpath Cup and teammate Annika Belshaw proudly stood on the third place step at the same, transformative HS 71 competition.

This groundbreaking victory marks the first FIS junior title for an American male ski jumper in decades. 17 year old Urlaub from Eu Clair, WI represents a talented group of junior athletes that, but for the visionary practices of USA Nordic Executive Director, Billy Demong, may not have the opportunity to reach such heights. Even though Demong’s victory came at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics as the first title holder for an American Nordic combined athlete, he admits that, “As a junior competitor, I never experienced the phenomenal success that these current, awe-inspiring young athletes keep producing.”

Demong envisions and executes on a top down/bottom up nonprofit organization run by athletes, for athletes and consistently invests in the pipeline to feed the USA Nordic Junior National and National Womens and Mens Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Teams. Junior National Team Director, Blake Hughes, elaborated on the podium pattern, “Andrew’s result is a testament to the level of commitment he has shown this summer. He has made a vast amount of improvement on and off the hill and this placing shows that he’s capable of putting together strong jumps during competition. With the hiring of coach, Jan Druzina, we feel we have a full time, dedicated staff member to help this core group of junior athletes move to the next level.”

Samantha Macuga, Hunter Gibson, Paige Jones, Greyson Sharffs, Jillian Highfill, their top twenty finishes at the same fun, FIS comp tells USA Nordic to tell you to keep your eyes to the skies.