After a short shoulder season between the plastic summer season, and on-snow jumping, we are ready to kick off the winter. The jumping team ended the plastic season in late October on a good note, and picked right back up on snow.
The whole skiing world has been scrambling to find early snow this year. >From here to Finland, Canada to Austria, its been a dry start to the early snow. With some good luck, a grant from the USOC, and lots of hard work we got the K120 open here in Park City on Sunday. I want to thank the jump crew and coaches at the UOP for not listening to the weather forecasts and some of their bosses....and getting the jump open as early as possible. It gave us the few sessions on snow that the boys needed to get right back on track. Alan, Tommy, and Jimmy Denney all started the winter off looking better than the final jumps this summer, a great thing, and due to 1000's of immos this off season.
Now that we have gotten the winter off to a good start, we are on our way over to Kuusamo, Finland for the season opening World Cup. Clint Jones, Alan Alborn, and Tommy Schwall will start there and I will evaluate their performances to see who goes on with the rest of the World Cup tour, and who goes up the road to start the COC tour the next weekend in Rovaneimi. Our suits that we special ordered didnt come in on time, so Clint chose to fly to Finland 2 days early and pick them up. He learned this summer that being familiar with the new equipment is as valuable as anything. Alan and Tommy had what they needed and stayed here in Park City to take advantage of the first K120 open in the world.
Jimmy Denney and Skyler Keate will meet up with coach Larry Stone for the season opening Continental Cup the next weekend in Rovaniemi, Finland. They will ski the full first period there, Lahti, and finally in Harrachov Czech Republic. Luckily the World Cup and COC tours both start in Finland, and after a week apart, meet up in Harrachov, so we can gather the guys and train as a Team. It will be a good atmosphere that I know will pay off in terms of results.
After Finland, we will travel to Trondheim, Norway for the next weekend of World cup. We will end our first winter period either in Harrachov at the COC, or in Engleburg, Switzerland, depending on the level of performance and snow availability in Europe. On Dec 20 we will all come home for Christmas and to regroup.
This first period of winter competition is the start of the Olympic qualifications, and those who score the most international FIS points, will have a head start to representing the USA in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. We are all looking very forward to this winter, and are ready to rock and roll out on the tour.

Ill do my best to keep in touch, where ever there is email access, and let you all know the good news about the US Ski Jumping Team 2005-2006.
Thanks for your support, and remember, you gotta believe!!

Corby Fisher
Head Coach
US Ski Jumping Team