January was busy for the Ski Jumping teams as the competition season started. The Youth Jump Team competed in Andover, Hanover, and Lebanon in back-to-back weekends traveling to New Hampshire.

In Andover, Kai McKinnon and Holly Erenstone went 1-2 in the U10 Female division on the K18. Also on the K18, Jack Kroll, Henry Gibson, and Mitchell Penning went 3-5 in the Open Male division. On the K38, Winter Term athlete Caroline Harrison and Kai McKinnon went 1-2 in the Open Female division.


Hanover and Lebanon took place on the same weekend, taking advantage of the different sized hills and proximity of the two locations. On the K20 in Hanover, Kai McKinnon took first in the U12 Girls while Jack Kroll took 3rd in the U12 Boys. On the K32, Kai was the lone female competitor. In Lebanon, NYSEF swept all categories on the K10, with Max Fey, Kai McKinnon, and Henry Gibson winning the U10 Boys, U10 Girls, and Open Boys categories respectively. Kai also took top honors in the U12 Girls on the K25. For the U12 Boys on the K25, Jack Kroll took the win, with Mitchell Penning coming in 3rd place.


Meanwhile, the Elite and Development teams were off in the Midwest for a series of 3 US Cup competitions in Eau Claire, WI, Ishpeming, MI, and Fox River Grove, IL. Bryce Kloc was the lone NYSEF athlete at the first two stops. He gained valuable experience skiing against the national’s top juniors, including those participating in World Junior Championships this coming week in Switzerland. At the competition in Fox River Grove, Matt White was the top performer, taking 5th and 8th in the US Cup class.