Lake Placid jumping: Clint Jones sweeps SuperTour events

Lake Placid jumping: Clint Jones sweeps SuperTour events{mosimage}LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Two-time Olympian Clint Jones had the longest jump of the final round Tuesday to complete a sweep of the first two USSA Ski Jumping SuperTour events — but a couple of unheralded juniors nearly stole the show at the New York Ski Education Foundation’s annual holiday meet.

Jones jumped 88.5 and 96 meters, good for 234.0 points and a 9.5 victory over Anders Johnson, who was born in Lake Placid but is growing up in Utah. Johnson, who in February became, at 16, the youngest U.S. Olympic male skier in history, had jumps of 84.5 and 95 meters for 224.5 points. Andrea Mead Lawrence was 15 when she raced in the 1948 Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Monday, Jones sailed to a 46.5-point margin of victory over Johnson and the rest of the field. But the longest jump of the day in the NYSEF Independence Day Meet on the 90-meter hill at the MacKenzie-Interval Ski Jumping Complex went to Daniel Englund, a 16-year-old from the Kiwanis Ski Club program who went 97.5 meters in the first round. He followed that with a 94-meter jump for 239.5 points, just two points ahead of Monday’s winner, Peter Frenette, a 14-year-old from the NYSEF; Frenette jumped 95 and 91.5 meters for his 237.5 points.

However, it should be pointed out the juniors got to jump on both days from a high start gate, which gave them a potential advantage (i.e., possibly more speed on the takeoff). Obviously — and as they should have, they were able to take advantage of the opportunity and lay down long jumps.

For the second straight day, 12-year-old Nina Lussi, another NYSEF jumper, won the women’s competition.

Monday, Nick Fairall took third at 187.5 points on jumps of 80.5 and 82.5 meters on the 1980 Olympic normal hill, which has a porcelain in-run and plastic matting covering the landing hill, which — when watered — helps simulate on-snow jumping for preseason training.

“It’s important to be relaxed and enjoy it, and that’s working so far,” Jones said. “I have the potential to do well and want to stay mentally in a good place, have fun and be positive.”

In addition to the SuperTour win, Jones gained the first leg of the annual Devlin Cup series, the three-event schedule which also includes the Flaming Leaves competition in October and the annual New Year’s conest at the MacKenzie-Intervale Ski Jumping Complex.

— USSA