LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – America’s top ski jumpers and nordic combined athletes will compete in the U.S. Ski Jumping Championships (normal hill) and U.S. Nordic Combined Championships during the Flaming Leaves Festival in Lake Placid, N.Y. on Sunday, Oct. 12. The event will pit the best ski jumpers and nordic combined skiers against each other for titles at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Top American ski jumpers and nordic combined athletes will compete in the U.S. Ski Jumping Championships and U.S. Nordic Combined Championships during the Flaming Leaves Festival in Lake Placid on Sunday, Oct. 12.

• What’s at stake? U.S. titles will be on the line in Lake Placid for the normal hill ski jump as well as nordic combined. The large hill jump was held in Park City, Utah in July.

• Vets versus Newcomers: Veteran Jessica Jerome is looking for her 12^th title, while local hero Billy Demong will be seeking number 10. But it’s been a strong summer for newcomers including U.S. large hill champion Christian Friberg (St. Paul, Minn.) and rising women’s star Nita Englund (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) who won her first U.S. championship medal and scored a FIS Cup podium.

WHO TO WATCH

Ski Jumping

Men

Nick Alexander (Lebanon, N.H.) – Second in large hill U.S. Championship earlier this summer; won normal hill title last year in Lake Placid.

Nick Fairall (Andover, N.H.) – Strong summer with three top-10 FIS Cups including a podium in Szczyrk, Poland. Second last October in U.S. Championships in Lake Placid.

Christian Friberg (St. Paul, Minn.) – Won large hill U.S. title earlier this summer; strong season on FIS Cup three top-10 FIS Cups.

Women

Jessica Jerome (Park City, Utah) – Going for 12^th U.S. title after winning large hill earlier this summer.

Sarah Hendrickson (Park City, Utah) – Strong return to action after injury finishing second in Continental Cup in Trondheim in late September.

Nita Englund (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) – Strong summer with FIS Cup podium and first U.S. Championship medal, finishing second on the large hill this past July.

Nordic Combined

Billy Demong (Vermontville, N.Y.) – Local hero and Olympic champion who won 2013 title in Lake Placid.

Bryan and Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) – Brothers who finished second and third in 2013 Championships in Lake Placid.

1. S. CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE, Lake Placid

11 a.m. – U.S. Ski Jumping Championships (normal hill)

11 a.m. – U.S. Nordic Combined Championships Jump (normal hill)

3 p.m. – U.S. Nordic Combined Championships Rollerski (10km)

MEDIA ADVISORY: Photos courtesy of ORDA/Whiteface Lake Placid. Media planning on attending and covering the Flaming Leaves events, please contact Jon Lundin, ORDA public relations, Tel: 518-523-1655 ext. 5313 or email: jlundin@orda.org.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.