Spectators will be in for quite a thrilling day of competition on Oct. 1st. as they witness the American Combined Team who captured the Gold Medal at the past Vancouver Olympics in Canada in team competition. Johnny Spillane and Billy Demong, both medalist at the 2010 Olympics, will be joined by team members Brett Camerota and Todd Lodwick in this thrilling Nordic combined competition!
During the cross country part of the competition skiers will be using their roller skis as they race at unbelievable speeds through the streets of Fox River Grove for 6.2 miles. The jumping will take place on Norge’s high tech plastic hill and porcelain jumping track. Skiers will be flying through the air over 250′ in distance.
Olympic team coach Greg Poirier is very excited to bring his team to the Chicago land area for a National championship. In the past most of the national competitions have taken place in either Lake Placid or Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This will probably be the largest crowd in this country that these athletes will have ever performed in front of. Norge has always been one of the most popular ski jumps in the country and every member of Team U.S.A. is thrilled to get to perform in front of a packed Nordic arena.
Village of Fox River Grove trustees under direction of village president Robert Nunamaker, have helped make this event a reality through its cooperation and assistance in mapping out the exciting, precise course that the world’s best cross country skiers will be competing on.
In addition to the members of Team U.S.A., approximately 70 of the top American and Canadian athletes will also be competing. The USA and Canada have a reciprocal agreement that allows each to compete in the others Nat’l. Competition.
Fans will be thrilled to see for the first time, the newly crowned Team U.S.A. Women’s Team made up of the country’s finest female skiers, some of whom are ranked top in the world. Throughout the history of the winter Olympic games the only sport that has banned women from competing up until just a few months ago has been ski jumping. That ruling has finally been overturned and women, some of whom will be competing at Norge, will help to make up the first women’s Olympic ski jumping team at the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia.
The National Championships will take place on October 1st. Gates open at 11am. The jumping will begin at noon. Immediately following the jumping competition skiers will take to the road right outside the main Norge entrance and begin their exciting 10 Kilometer cross country race.
On Sunday, October 2nd., Norge will host it’s annual open class ski jumping tournament as it does each Fall. Gates will again open at 11am. Admission for the event is $15 at the gate or $10 if purchased in advance at many area merchants. For the first time spectators may also purchase their admission buttons, which are good for both days competition on line at www.norgeskiclub.com for a cost of $11.
Norge is located just two blocks north of Rts. 22 and 14 in Fox River Grove. For further information please call Norge Club House at 847/639-9718.
Charlie Sedivec
Director of Publicity