Just like her sister, Lauren, Sam Macuga’s season is off to a great start. Sam finished 37th in Sunday’s Zhangjaikou, China World Cup normal hill event. The 23-year-old Parkite finished last season ranked 57th in the world. Now, she’s eyeing a top 30-40 year-end finish. Lauren Macuga had a career weekend at the Beaver Creek alpine Cup. “The season has been trending upward so far,” said Sam. “We’re only in our third competition weekend, so it’s still early, but I’m already seeing improvement in both my results and my ski jumping.”Sam also competed in two lower-level FIS competitions this season in Switzerland and Norway. She finished ninth in a Swiss large hill event in September. While Sam Macuga competed in the season-opening Cup in Lillehammer, Norway, last month, she did not escape the qualifications rounds to post results. Amongst Sam’s other season goals are posting a top-30 result and qualifying for the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway. There are 12 more Cups left on the schedule including this weekend’s in Engelberg, Switzerland. Friday, Sam and the rest of the U.S. women hit the snow in Engelberg for training jumps and this weekend they’ll compete in three large hill events. Sam said the World Championships hold added importance because Trondheim is a home away from home for the U.S. team, due to a partnership with Norway. The U.S. team does return stateside in early February for a Lake Placid Cup. Sam Macuga takes off from the normal hill during a national championship at Utah Olympic Park in August 2022. Macuga finished in seventh in both the normal- and large-hill competitions. Credit: Park Record file photo by Tanzi Propst“I’m excited for more opportunities to build on this momentum as the season continues,” added Macuga. “There’s still a lot of work to do. … But it’s only December, so there’s plenty of time to make progress.”Macuga feels at home away from Park City and doesn’t fear missing out on much with both her sisters on the road. Friday, her sister Alli finished 15th in the Bakuriani, Georgia, moguls Cup. Macuga tabbed the Sopporo and Zao, Japan, Cups as additional stops she’s thrilled to compete at. She said the field loves competing at the two stellar venues and exploring the country. “As a team, our big goal is to score enough points to qualify four spots for the next Olympics,” said Macuga. “In Beijing, we only managed to qualify one spot. … Personally, I’d love to be part of that team in 2026, but right now my focus is on this season and making the World Championships team for Trondheim.”To track Macuga’s results in Engelberg and for the rest of the season, see her FIS page. The Engelberg Cup can also be streamed on Ski and Snowboard Live.The post Sam Macuga excited by start to season appeared first on Park Record.