January 26, 2013 (Neustadt, Germany) – Arising at the right time and at the right place, Lebanon, NH’s Nick Alexander is not likely to ever forget today. That’s when he stunned the ski jumping world by taking third place at a  event here in this town in the famed Black Forest of Germany.

Final podium (l-r) Fettner 2nd, Bjerkeengen 1st, Alexander 3rd. © Nick Fairall

Make no mistake, Alexander had found his groove today and was first after the initial round of competition on the HS 142 meter jump. The 24-year-old Lebanon Outing Club star, nailed fine jumps of 134 and 136.5 meters good for 266.9 points.

The winner in the close competition also took to the top of the podium for his first-ever victory. 24-year-old Norwegian Fredrik Bjerkeengen was second following the first round with a jump of 135 meters followed by a 136.5 meter jump for total score of 271.2 points. Austrian skier Manuel Fettner placed second with jumps of 134 and 136.5 to gain points of 267.9 overall points.

Alexander told the FIS Media Service following the event….”I am very happy, relaxed and had good rhythm. I’m on the podium for the first time in my international career. I think this is my hill. I love it,” he said.

Another New Hampshire jumper, Chris Lamb (Andover Outing Club) also enjoyed an outstanding day placing 24th–and in the points– with a pair of jumps of 127.5 meters.

Other Americans included were: 38th Mike Glasder (Cary, IL) while Nick Fairall (Andover, NH) placed 50th with a jump good for 123 meters, in a field of 76 starters.

USA Coach Casey Colby (Lake Placid, NY) said that Alexander’s progress has been steady, noting “everything is just coming together for him. His in-run speeds have gotten faster, and that’s where the longer jumps come from. Last week in Austria he realized he needed to really relax more with his jumping and try to make the movements simple. It looks like his jumps today were very relaxed and he is trusting his abilities. It was also a very good day for Chris Lamb who finished in the points. We are really pleased the way things are coming together.”

Reached by the USASJ News Bureau Alexander, a member of the 2010 US Olympic Ski Jumping team, was thrilled. “Today was a great day” he said, “I had a lot of fun on the hill and I was able to relax more and enjoy myself. There are so many people to thank, especially from the Upper Valley. I could not have done this without them, and there support means very much to me.”

It was a special day for the USASJ jumping program–now in it’s third season–a sign that many things are really coming together. We’re likely to remember today for a long time, too.