Jones, Jerome win again at Lake Placid

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Ski jumpers Clint Jones and Jessica Jerome posted their second victories in 24 hours Sunday, winning the NYSEF Flaming Leaves Festival normal-hill meet. 

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Two-time Olympic ski jumper Clint Jones made it two victories in 24 hours Sunday, winning the NYSEF Flaming Leaves Festival normal-hill meet by an eye-popping 83 points. On the women’s side, Jessica Jerome also grabbed her second big win in two days.
    Jones, who won Saturday’s SuperTour competition on the 100-meter hill by 43 points, had jumps of 92 and 90 meters in the calm conditions, compiling 233.0 points. Skyler Keate was second with 150.0 points following jumps of 82 and 67 meters. Third place was a tie between nordic combined Olympian Bill Demong and Logan Oxford, who had 144.0 points.
    “We had different conditions from [Saturday] when we had a nice head wind, but Clint just laid down a trial jump that was 15 to 20 meters beyond everyone else … and no one came close after that,” U.S. coach Casey Colby said. “He’s got his confidence going and he’s been very consistent.
    “Two of his three jumps were just outstanding. I didn’t see his third because I was fixing something with the video camera, but they were simply incredible.”
    Jerome, who balances full-time classes at Westminster College in Salt Lake City with her training and competing, had a pair of 96.5-meter jumps, worth 255.5 points. Lindsey Van, who also was second Saturday, was runner-up with jumps of 89.0 and 98.5 meters for 242.0 points. Brenna Ellis was third with jumps of 78 and 95 meters for 205.0.
    “Jess had a great first jump and had a big lead and that, for all intents, was it. She was solid her second jump, too,” Colby said, “And even though Lindsey had a big final jump, it wasn’t enough to really get close.”
    Colby, the U.S. women’s head coach but team leader for the National Sports Foundation group from Park City in Lake Placid, said he would stay in Lake Placid with Jerome and Van plus three others for a mini-camp before returning to Utah.