As snow thaws and springtime buds sprout, a historic United States Nordic combined season has come to a close.

Alexa Brabec starred throughout the World Cup season. The Steamboat Springs athlete, 21, opened the season claiming third place on Dec. 5 in Trondheim, Norway. She finished the season with a second-place overall finish in the World Cup standings. She podiumed in eight of 14 races this season.

“It’s amazing to look back at the way this season has gone,” said Brabec. “If you would have told me this before, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

She won her first career race on Jan. 30, in Seefeld, Austria. Brabec’s win was the first victory for a U.S. Nordic athlete since 2020.

“Alexa’s success was unprecedented,” said Nordic Combined USA Spokeswoman Stephanie Wilson. “But it’s impactful beyond one person. Her success is something that will reverberate far beyond medals and podiums.”

Brabec’s journey is closely intertwined with the women’s Nordic combined struggle for inclusion as an Olympic sport, Nordic combined potentially being cut from the Olympics altogether and Nordic Combined USA’s fundraising efforts to support the athletes and develop the next generation.

“This sport is bigger than me,” said Brabec. “I’m not only doing this for myself, but the next generation of women who want to compete.”

Brabec’s hallmark has been her incredible motor and sheer will power in both jumping and cross country skiing.

“I don’t know where it comes from,” said Brabec. “Whenever I’m on course, I just don’t want to let myself or the people I represent down.”

Olympic dreams and successes

Nordic combined is the only Olympic sport that does not have gender equality.

Niklas Malacinski, 22, and Ben Loomis, 27, represented the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.

Malacinski placed 13th in the Individual Gundersen Large Hill/10 km, 18th in the Individual Gundersen Normal Hill/10 km and seventh in the team sprint with Loomis. He placed 23rd in the World Cup final standings.

Loomis placed 27th in the Individual Gundersen Large Hill/10 km and 17th in the Individual Gundersen Normal Hill/10 km. He was 37th in the World Cup final standings.

“Niklas is a young and emerging athlete,” said Wilson. “He has not even scratched the surface of his potential in our eyes.”

Fight for recognition

Wilson hopes that the successful showings from Brabec, Niklas Malacinski, Tera Geraghty-Moats and Annika Malacinski will hopefully make the International Olympic Committee appreciate that Nordic combined reaches audiences beyond the traditional Nordic powers. Diverse podium representation was one of the factors the IOC said was a goal to get the women into the games.

“The IOC stated they want podium and team success to keep the sport at the Olympics and add women,” explained Wilson. “Brabec, the Malacinskis and Geraghty-Moats have clearly shown that.”

Annika Malacinski and Tera Geraghty-Moats placed 12th and ninth, respectively, in the World Cup standings.

U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper of Colorado sent a letter to the IOC urging them to add women. Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado followed up with a letter of his own.

The state of Vermont, North American Ski Journalists Association and National Ski Jumping Hall of Fame sent endorsements as well.

Nordic Combined USA and Annika Malacinski have launched a campaign to spread the word through social media and large media outlets. Malacinski has become the face of women’s Nordic combined. Her social media posts made 25 million impressions in a 60-day span.

“Her social media savvy has really done so much to further the cause,” said Wilson.

Overall, women’s Nordic combined generated stories in 8,000 publications and over 10 billion impressions.

Nordic Combined USA even hired a public relations agency that made strides by getting articles published in national publications like USA Today, the Washington Post and Reuters.

“It’s really been an all-out effort for a volunteer-led organization,” said Wilson. “We’ve had to find a balance to make our efforts sustainable.”

Fundraising and athlete support have been a large focus for the organization. The United States teams historically have lagged behind teams like Norway, Austria and Finland.

“The Olympics goes a long way towards athlete support,” said Wilson. “It brings so many more eyes to the sport than the World Cup or the World Championship.”

Fundraising ensures the future of the organization and the sport in the U.S., according to Wilson.

The IOC is expected to make a decision on the sport’s future during its executive session in June.

“We’re holding our breath,” said Wilson. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done, but the fight’s not over.”

Stepping away

Brabec’s attention is turning to her other passion now that the season is over — canyoneering.

She and roommate Annika Belshaw — who competed at the Olympics in ski jumping — are excited to step away and take time for themselves before the upcoming season.

“I’m sad that it’s over,” Brabec explained. “But also so ready to take this time away and center myself. While I love the sport, there’s more to me than the sport.”