After 19 years, the first female skier has been crowned Fourth of July Jumpin’ and Jammin’ Ski Jumping Extravaganza champion. 

Ella Wilson, 16, did not foresee herself making it past the round of 16 in the elimination jump-off competition, which ran on the HS75 ski jump at Howelsen Hill on Thursday afternoon. 

She surprised herself by being the lone female to reach the round of eight, and did so again with her 74.5 meter jump in the round of four to be crowned Extravaganza champion in the 19th annual event.

Wilson’s coach at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Karl Denney, said it was amazing to watch her shine. He noted several females over previous years who came up just shy of victory, and was proud to see Wilson be the first to break that barrier. 

“She is a young rising star in the sport, and for her to get a win at home in front of all of her friends and family means the world to her,” Denney said. “It is significant on pretty much every level. Ella gave us a really good reason to be happy today.” 

After landing the 74.5 meter jump, Wilson said she sat in shock for a few minutes because that was easily the farthest she had ever jumped on that hill. She knew she put down a contending score, but with three strong jumpers behind her — Steamboat’s Kaden Graham, Thomas Miller and last year’s champ Jason Colby — Wilson was unsure where she would place. 

“One after one, they came down and I started to realize I won,” Wilson said. “Watching the last person come down and realizing I won was probably the best feeling I’ve ever felt.” 

Wilson explained she had a disappointing result at the Junior World Championships in Nordic combined at the end of the winter season, which left a bitter taste in her mouth. She maxed out her effort at the start of the offseason to get back to where she wanted to be, and Thursday’s event was the perfect place to test her progress. 

“Winning this means so much and means that my work for the last few months has been paying off,” Wilson said. “I owe it all to Karl and all my coaches who have really helped me a lot through this. They are the best.”

In the field of 45 jumpers, Denney estimated that about half were Nordic combined athletes, with the other half being special jumpers. He said it was cool to have a Nordic combined girl win the competition to put a spotlight on the home program while its athletes begin the fight for a better future. 

At the end of June, USA Nordic Sport announced it would no longer provide funding to Nordic combined while still doing so for its ski jumping athletes. Now Nordic combined national team members have to find their own way to continue competing with no support from Norwegian coaching, wax techs or equipment service. 

This change would likely impact the future of the sport globally as it is already the lone Olympic sport with gender inequity, as only men will compete in the 2026 Games, and the International Olympic Committee is considering pulling the sport entirely from Olympic competition in 2030.

In response to the financial issues, a group of Nordic athletes and their parents have teamed up to create a nonprofit in hopes to raise the money needed to compete at a high level. Donations can be sent through NordicCombinedUSA.org. 

Wilson and Denney agreed that it was amazing to see such a large crowd show up for summer ski jumping, and they are hopeful the event brought more interest to the sport. 

“We are a community that can get through this and raise the money,” Wilson said. “It was a really good weekend for Nordic combined, and to be up there on the podium as a Nordic combined athlete was amazing.” 

Results
Jumpin’ and Jammin’ Ski Jumping Extravaganza 
July 4, 2024

Round 5 — 1. Ella Wilson, 74.5; 2. Kaden Graham, 70.5; 2. Jason Colby, 70.5; 4. Thomas Miller, 61.5.

Round 4 — 5. Gunnar Gilbertson, 66.0; 6. Ethan Maines, 63.5; 7. Carter Brubaker, 60.5; 8. Liam Demong, 0; 9. Austin Johnson, DNS.

Round 3 — 10. Niklas Malacinski, 69.5; 11. Arthur Tirone, 68.5; 12. Josie Johnson, 67.0; 13. Sawyer Graves, 0; 13. Anders Giese, 0; 13. Jacob Larson, 0; 13. Nico Bowdre, 0.

Round 2 — 17. Alexa Brabec, 65.5, 18. Erik Lynch, 64; 19. Annika Malacinski, 63.5; 19. McKenzie Maines, 63.5; 21. Tess Arnone, 61.5; 21. Theo Maul, 61.5; 23. Arthur Keller, 60; 24. Haley Brabec, 59.5; 24. Estella Hassrick, 59.5; 26. Luke Miller, 58.5; 27. Isaac Dinelson, 57.5; 28. Owen Trimble, 57.5; 29. Everett Baldwin, 56; 29. Augie Roepke, 56; 29. Root Roepke, 56; 32. Evan Giese, 54.5. 

Round 1 — 33. Donovan Toly, 52; 34. Seth Rothchild, 49.5; 35. Theo Givnish, 48.5; 35. Miles Warnke, 48.5; 35. Kaija Copenhaver, 48.5; 38. Sadie McCrank, 45.5; 39. Bradyn Scholl, 40.5; 40. Piper Mouttet, 39.5; 41. Fritz Gamber, DQ.