Archery, World Championships

World Champions: USA Men Win Compound Archery Team Gold in Nimes

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Previous 2014 World Archery Indoor Championship Coverage

A World Championship was in the cards for the US on Saturday in France as the compound men’s team of Jesse Broadwater, Braden Gellenthien, and Reo Wilde weren’t quite perfect (237 out of a possible 240) but didn’t need to be as they beat Denmark 237-234 to win the world championship and set up the possibility of the individual/team double for Wilde who will be going for the individual title on Sunday.

The win continued a long stretch of US dominance in the event. The US has won the indoors six straight times now with Italy in 2001 the last country other than the US to win the title.

Compound Men Team - Elimination Rounds - 3-1-14

Women’s Compound

The women’s team wasn’t able to duplicate the men’s success as they fell in the final 233-234 to Mexico. It was a tough result for Christie Colin, Crystal Gauvin, and Erika Jones who will have to settle for a silver after a strong ranking round that had the Americans with the #1 seed. The US scored higher than anyone else in quarterfinal and semifinal matches but it didn’t matter because when the two teams actually met in the final Mexico delivered.

The win for Mexico was their first world title of real significance and ended more than a decade of US domination in the women’s event. The US had won seven straight titles and last lost in 1999 when France won.

Compound Women Team - Elimination Rounds - 3-1-14

Sunday Preview

Sunday is a return to the individual events with two Americans shooting for gold (Christie Colin and Reo Wilde) while two others shoot for bronze (Jesse Broadwater and Brady Ellison). The US has always had a gold medalist in at least one of the individual compound events dating back to the beginning of the Indoor World Championships in 1991.

Schedule

  • March 2nd – Individual Finals
    • 4:45 AM – Compound Women’s Gold Medal Final
      • #2 Christie Colin vs. #19 Jeanine Van Kradenburg
    • 8 AM – Compound Men’s Bronze Medal Final
      • #2 Jesse Broadwater vs. #11 Stephan Hansen
    • 8:15 AM – Compound Men’s Gold Medal Final
      • #10 Reo Wilde vs. #4 Sergio Pagni
    • 9 AM – Recurve Men’s Bronze Medal Final
      • #8 Brady Ellison vs. #13 Viktor Ruban
Soccer, U-20 Women's World Cup

Today is the Day: USA Will Find Out Group Stage Opponents as U-20 Women’s World Cup Draw is Held

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We don’t know the pots that will be used for the U-20 Women’s World Cup draw this afternoon but we do know the teams who will be involved and what they’ve accomplished lately at the youth women’s levels. The USA probably isn’t the favorite for this tournament but they’ll certainly be one of the teams in contention.

Asia (AFC)

  • China
    • 3rd at 2013 AFC U-19 Championships
    • 3rd in Group Stage at 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (Group included top two teams in tournament)
    • Participated in 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
  • North Korea
    • 2nd at 2013 AFC U-19 Championships
    • Quarterfinalist at 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
    • 2nd at 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
  • South Korea
    • Won 2013 AFC U-19 Championships
    • Quarterfinalist at 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup

Africa (CAF)

  • Ghana
    • 4th in Group Stage at 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (Group included top two teams in tournament)
    • 3rd at 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
  • Nigeria
    • 4th at 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
    • Quarterfinalist at 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

Continue reading Today is the Day: USA Will Find Out Group Stage Opponents as U-20 Women’s World Cup Draw is Held →

Cycling, World Championships

Sarah Hammer Finishes Second in Women’s Individual Pursuit at 2014 Track Cycling World Championships

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Previous 2014 Track Cycling World Championships Coverage

The US took home their first medal of the 2014 Track Cycling World Championships on Friday and also saw the men’s omnium get underway.

Women’s Individual Pursuit

2014 Track - Womens Individual Pursuit - Qualifying

Two American women were in the field for the individual pursuit and Sarah Hammer got the event off to a great start with a 3:29.711 that was tops in qualifying by almost a full second and put her into the gold medal race. The other American, Ruth Winder, finished 10th in 3:42.908. Hammer wasn’t able to find the same speed in the gold medal race and actually finished nearly two seconds slower than in qualifying. That left her with a silver medal. Hammer will be back in action on Saturday when the women’s omnium starts.

2014 Track - Womens Individual Pursuit - Gold Medal Race

Continue reading Sarah Hammer Finishes Second in Women’s Individual Pursuit at 2014 Track Cycling World Championships →

Soccer

USA U-23 Women Set For Six Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain

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The US U-23 women’s soccer team will be challenging some of the world’s best at the Six Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain over the next few days. While this age group is past the age of youth World Cups and the Olympics are not an U-23 tournament for the women’s teams this is still a good chance for the players to get some international experience and show why they should be considered for inclusion for the full national team in the future.

US Team

The US team is composed of both college (11) and professional (9) players.

Goalies:

  • Aubrey Bledsoe – Wake Forest
  • Abby Smith – Texas

Defenders:

  • Abby Dahlkemper – UCLA
  • Amanda Frisbie – Seattle Reign FC
  • Arin Gilliland – Kentucky
  • Jaelene Hinkle – Texas Tech
  • Kassey Kallman – FC Kansas City
  • Emily Sonnett – Virginia

Midfielders:

  • Danielle Colaprico – Virginia
  • Caprice Dydasco – UCLA 
  • Jenna Richmond – FC Kansas City 
  • Meleana Shim – Portland Thorns FC
  • Frances Silva – FC Kansas City
  • Erika Tymrak – FC Kansas City

Forwards:

  • Shea Groom – Texas A&M
  • Maya Hayes – Sky Blue FC
  • Jennifer Hoy – Chicago Red Stars
  • Kealia Ohai – Houston Dash 
  • Katie Stengel – Wake Forest
  • Chioma Ubogagu – Stanford

Continue reading USA U-23 Women Set For Six Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain →

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, Ski Jumping

Both Americans Finish Outside Top 50 at FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Event in Lahti

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Previous Lahti – FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Coverage

Anders Johnson had his best competitive jump since Sochi scoring an 85.6 but it was only good enough to place him 54th in the qualification round. He narrowly out jumped fellow American Nick Alexander who scored an 84.4 and placed 57th. They both were around 10 points out of qualification. They didn’t go as far as the 40th place jumper but they also lost a few points due to the wind being stronger at their backs when they jumped.

Lahti - Qualification Round

Saturday will bring a team event in Lahti but the US is not among the ten teams of four competing. Another individual event will be held on the same hill on Sunday and I expect that the Anders Johnson and Nick Alexander will be competing in that, but I have yet to see a start list and so no confirmation on that.

FIS Nordic Combined World Cup, Nordic Combined

A 34th Place Finish for Bryan Fletcher at the Nordic World Cup Event in Lahti, Two Duos in Team Event on Saturday

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Previous Lahti – FIS Nordic World Cup Coverage

The only American in the field for the main event at the FIS Norid World Cup event in Lahti was Bryan Fletcher. Fletcher placed 37th in the ski jumping potion to leave himself 2:18 behind the leader at the start of the cross-country half. Fletcher was 27th in the cross-country and lost a little time on the top spot as he ended up 34th with a time of 27:12.1 and finishing 2:44.3 behind the winner, Johannes Rydzek of Germany.

Lahti - Large Hill-10km
There will be a team event on Saturday featuring 20 teams of two. Each team will take jumps and then there will be a 2×7.5km cross-country portion. The US has two teams in the event, Adam Loomis and Nick Hendrickson, and Bryan Fletcher and Taylor Fletcher.

Schedule:

  • March 1st
    • 5 AM ET – Team Ski Jumping Round
      • Adam Loomis and Nick Hendrickson
    • 9:15 AM ET – Cross-Country 2×7.5km Round
      • Bryan Fletcher and Taylor Fletcher
Alpine Skiing, FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup

Travis Ganong Comes in Third in Downhill at Kvitfjell in Alpine Skiing World Cup

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Previous Kvitfjell – Alpine Skiing World Cup Coverage

Travis Ganong continued a strong run of results (fifth place at the Olympics) with a third place finish in Kvitfjell on Friday. Ganong was the only American in the top 15 but Bode Miller, Steven Nyman, and Marco Sullivan were also in the top 21. The same seven Americans will compete in another downhill race on the same course tomorrow.

There was actually a tie at the front between Kjetil Jansrud of Norway and Georg Streitberger of Austria. The two finished in a tie just 0.12 seconds ahead of Ganong.

Kvitfjell - Downhill

I’ll be back with coverage of the results from Saturday’s race on Saturday afternoon.

Schedule:

  • 5:45 AM – Downhill
    • Marco Sullivan
    • Steven Nyman
    • Travis Ganong
    • Bode Miller
    • Erik Fisher
    • Jared Goldberg
    • Andrew Weibrecht
FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, Ski Jumping

Fresh Off Top 15 Finishes in Sochi Jessica Jerome and Lindsey Van Compete in Ski Jumping World Cup in Rasnov

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Previous FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Coverage

The women’s Ski Jumping World Cup circuit is back underway with two jumps in Rasnov, Romania this weekend. Just two Americans are in the field, Jessica Jerome (tenth in Sochi) and Lindsey Van (15th in Sochi). Jerome also enters the week tied for 17th in the season standings after 13 events.

The field of 44 will get competition underway at 8 AM ET with the first round narrowing the field for a final round of jumping to immediately follow. I’ll be back with an update on the first day of competition tomorrow.

Schedule:

  • March 1st
    • 8 AM ET – First/Final Round
      • Lindsey Van
      • Jessica Jerome
Cross-Country Skiing, FIS Cross-Country World Cup

13 Americans Ready for FIS Cross-Country World Cup Event in Lahti

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Finland is the setting for the Lahti Ski Games and a large group of 13 Americans are set to take part in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup event. Both men’s and women’s sprint events will be held on Saturday with longer races held on Sunday.

On the women’s side Jessica Diggins, Ida Sargent, and Kikkan Randall (all quarter-finalists in the Olympics) are in the field as well as Sophie Caldwell, the sixth place finisher in Sochi. Also in the field are Sadie Bjornsen, Holly Brooks, Jennie Bender, and Caitlin Gregg.

In men’s action the field includes Andrew Newell and Simi Hamilton (quarter-finalists in Sochi), Erik Bjornsen (also competed in the Olympics… 39th in the qualifying round), and finally Sylvan Ellefson and Resse Hanneman.

Action will begin with qualifying rounds to narrow the field for the finals later in the day.

Schedule:

  • March 1st
    • 4:30 AM ET – Freestyle Sprint Qualification – Women’s
      • Jessica Diggins
      • Sophie Caldwell
      • Ida Sargent
      • Kikkan Randall
      • Sadie Bjornsen
      • Holly Brooks
      • Jennie Bender
      • Caitlin Gregg
    • 4:30 AM ET – Freestyle Sprint Qualification – Men’s
      • Andrew Newell
      • Simi Hamilton
      • Erik Bjornsen
      • Sylvan Ellefson
      • Resse Hanneman
    • 7 AM ET – Freestyle Sprint Finals – Women’s
    • 7 AM ET – Freestyle Sprint Finals – Men’s
Alpine Skiing, FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup

Julia Mancuso Leads Group of Six Americans Into FIS Apline Skiing World Cup Downhill Event in Crans-Montana

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Previous FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Coverage

Freshly removed from the Sochi Olympics the US is sending six athletes to Crans-Montana, Switzerland to compete in the downhill at the next FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup stop. The headliner is Julia Mancuso, eighth at the Olympics, but Laurenne Ross (11th), Stacey Cook (17th), and Jacqueline Wiles (26th) are also in the field. There’s just one final downhill race left in this World Cup season so the athletes are jostling for final position.

  • Leanne Smith
  • Laurenne Ross
  • Julia Mancuso
  • Stacey Cook
  • Jacqueline Wiles
  • Julia Ford

There will be a super combined event at Crans-Montana on Sunday. I’ll be back with a preview of that one and a recap of the downhill event tomorrow.

Schedule:

  • March 1st
    • 4:15 AM ET – Downhill
      • Leanne Smith
      • Laurenne Ross
      • Julia Mancuso
      • Stacey Cook
      • Jacqueline Wiles
      • Julia Ford

Covering America's Athletes