Steamboat Springs Athletes Represent U.S. Ski Jumping Team This Winter

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has unveiled its roster for the 2024-25 U.S. Ski Jumping Team, featuring 17 athletes, including six who have close ties to Steamboat Springs.

Among them is Erik Belshaw, a 20-year-old ski jumping sensation with 41 World Cup starts under his belt. After a standout 2023-24 season, where he earned a silver medal at the Junior World Championships—making history as the first U.S. male ski jumper to achieve such a feat—Belshaw is set for another promising season with the A Team.

His older sister, Annika Belshaw, will compete on the B Team. The 22-year-old skier showcased her talent last year, achieving more than ten top-30 finishes in World Cup events, with her best performance being a 20th place finish in Willingen, Germany.

Decker Dean, 24, also joins Annika on the B Team. A member of the national team since 2018, Dean made headlines as the 100th Olympian from Steamboat Springs when he jumped at the 2022 Beijing Games.

The C Team welcomes Estella Hassrick, 18, who became a familiar figure at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Her impressive performances last winter earned her a spot on the team. Hassrick holds the record for the longest female jump on the HS100 ski jump at Howelsen Hill and recently represented the U.S. at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games, finishing in 16th place.

Jason Colby, also 18, joins Hassrick on the C Team after making his World Cup debut in February, where he finished 48th. Colby aims to score World Cup points by the age of 19.

Finally, Sawyer Graves, just 15 years old, rounds out the Steamboat athletes, qualifying for the D Team. He was part of a four-skier team, alongside Hassrick and Colby, that placed seventh in the team ski jumping event at the Youth Olympics earlier this year.

The much-anticipated 2024-25 FIS World Cup season kicks off for both men and women on November 22 in Lillehammer, Norway, on the large hill. The competition will return to the U.S. for the first time in history from February 6-8, hosting an event in Lake Placid, New York, where U.S. women will compete in a World Cup on home soil for the first time. The season will culminate with the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway, occurring from February 27 to March 8.

"I am really excited about the upcoming season. The team has put in a lot of work during the offseason, and their growth has been incredible. They’re focused, motivated, and ready to compete at a high level," said Anders Johnson, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping Sport Director. "I believe we’re just scratching the surface of what they can achieve. If we keep this momentum going, we’re facing a strong year ahead, and the athletes are eager to get out there and prove themselves."