Park City Athletes Shine at FIS Ski Jumping Grand Prix in Romania

RASNOV, Romania — In a thrilling weekend at the FIS Summer Grand Prix Series for Nordic ski jumping, three athletes from Park City made their mark, securing spots in the top 15. Kevin Bickner soared to a remarkable third place finish on Sunday, while Paige Jones achieved 10th place finishes on both Saturday and Sunday. Josie Johnson, another rising star, finished 13th on Saturday and followed up with an 11th place performance on Sunday.

All three competitors proudly represent U.S. Ski & Snowboard/USA Nordic, with Jones and Johnson affiliated with Park City Ski and Snowboard. Bickner, a two-time Olympian, has made Park City his home for the past decade, transitioning from his roots with the Norge Ski Club in the Chicago area.

On his birthday, Bickner, the American distance record holder, jumped an impressive 97.5 meters on the HS 97 hill. Although he outperformed the competitors in second place from Poland (96.5 meters) and first place from Austria (95 meters), scoring mechanics—which take into account wind conditions, starting gate position, in-run speed, and subjective style scores from the judges—placed him third overall.

In the women’s competition, Italian athletes dominated, securing the top two spots on the podium on Sunday. Jones landed at 89.5 meters on Saturday to achieve her 10th place ranking and gave a similar performance the next day. Johnson, a silver medalist from the Youth Olympic Games and a recent graduate of the Park City Winter School, jumped 87 meters on Sunday to clinch 11th.

Throughout the summer months, ski jumping persists on green plastic ramps, such as those at Utah Olympic Park. This approach allows athletes to maintain their skills in conditions closely resembling winter, ensuring safety and competitive opportunities remain available year-round.