Five teams from across the country came together today to start the Junior National Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Skiing competition after rain kept the athletes inside the past few days. But the unusual winter weather was nothing new for competitors representing Team Alaska.
"We've been training really hard all winter despite our lack of snow in Anchorage,” said Hugo Compton from Team Alaska. “But it's been paying off we've been we've definitely shown our presence here at this competition"
The unique sporting event is extremely popular in Europe, but not as common here in the U.S.
Gary Crawford, the director of sport development for USA Nordic Sports explained, "For over here it's a little bit different it's unique it's not mainstream and these kids in this whole country we have less than 800 ski jumpers in the whole country"
With so few skiers, it's a very tight knit community among the athletes.
"All the kids know each other from all over the country and their good friends but they're pretty fierce competitors when they get on the course and on the jumps," said Crawford.
But give it a few years, and these skiers could be competing together for Team USA.
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"Maybe not this next Olympics in 2018 but certainly in '22 some of these kids will be skiing in the Olympics."
But for now, Hugo Compton is just focusing on bringing home the Gold for Team Alaska.
"We hope to one day have Team Alaska sweep the podium that's our long term goal it would be an amazing thing."
Expect plenty of sunshine no matter where you are in new england this weekend.
In southern New England, temperatures will be unseasonably cool in the upper 30's on Saturday but by Sunday, they'll climb into the 50s. It will be a bit cooler of course in northern New England with highs in the low 30's on Saturday and low 40's on Sunday.
If you don't feel like hitting the slopes this weekend you can check out the skiers tomorrow in Salisbury as they finish the jumping portion of the competition.
