Women Ski Jumpers Win Equal Pay for First Time at First Women’s World Cup in USA

LAKE PLACID, New York — For the first time in history, a Women’s World Cup ski jumping event was held on U.S. soil, marking a major milestone for the sport. The competition also made history by awarding equal prize money to female athletes for the first time, a significant step toward gender equity in professional ski jumping.

“We’re proud to lead the way in ensuring equal prize money for men and women at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Lake Placid.”

— Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Recent events have highlighted significant gender disparities in women’s ski jumping. In December 2024, during a World Cup event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, the men’s qualifying winner received a cash prize of 3,000 Swiss francs (approximately $3,290), while the women’s winner was awarded only a gift bag containing toiletries and towels. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) defended the discrepancy by noting that women’s ski jumping is still a relatively new sport with lower spectator interest and marketing revenue.

The article goes on to detail competition results from the event, citing performances by local athletes such as Park City’s Paige Jones and Josie Johnson, as well as mixed team results featuring Kevin Bickner, Annika Belshaw, and Tate Frantz. These results illustrate the competitive nature of the event, even as it breaks new ground in terms of gender equity in prize money.