The International Olympic Committee announced that Nordic combined would not be part of the 2030 Olympics on July 7. The decision ended a 102 year long run for the ski jumping and Nordic skiing sport, which was part of every Winter Games to date including Milano Cortina in February.  Nordic combined had been struggling with participation numbers and viewership.  The decision came as a bit of a shock to the community, though, where many were holding onto hope that it would be pushed down the road or that women, who had never competed in the sport at an Olympics, would be added to the 2030 program.  Nordic Combined USA President Jill Brabec said in mid-June that she wasn’t even contemplating the potential for the IOC to scrap the sport from the Games. Nordic Combined USA helps fund elite Nordic combined skiers and developing ones in the United States.  “You always try to be optimistic,” Nordic Combined USA Treasurer Stephanie Wilson said. “I think everyone expected a little bit more of a nuanced decision. … Like we’re going to include them for this one, but then we’re going to evaluate.” Nordic Combined USA had submitted a report detailing the sport’s strong media impressions to the IOC. The IOC said the sport ranked the lowest of all the winter sports in 11 of 14 popularity metrics in Milano Cortina. Wilson feels that the metrics were not explained well to Nordic Combined USA with numbers.  “It felt like things were headed the right way,” Wilson said. “Seven countries are in the top 10 overall standings for women; that’s pretty good for diversity.” Wilson said Nordic Combined USA has since moved on to focusing on the future of the sport. She wants to make sure athletes’ frustrations are heard, while also reminding them that this isn’t the end of Nordic combined.  “I know the Olympics have huge importance because the sport has been a part of it for 100 years,” Wilson said. “This is an event that happens once every four years. … There are plenty of sports out there that are not a part of the Olympic movement that do just fine.” The FIS World Cups and World Championships now become the pinnacle of the sport. There will be 11 Nordic combined World Cups this season and a World Championships in Falun, Sweden, Feb. 25-March 2, 2027. Wilson is hopeful these events are enough to keep kids across the country pursuing the sport.  “Hopefully people are putting their kids in these programs because it’s a cool sport and it gives their kid a chance to do two different things,” Wilson said. “There’s tons of amazing life skills they get out of that, and it’s fun and it’s unique to where they live.” Youth ski jumpers and Nordic combined skiers at Park City Ski and Snowboard’s Springer Tournee the second week of July had to grapple together with the IOC’s decision. They were back practicing on July 8, continuing to chase their goals.  “It definitely had an impact,” Park City Ski Snowboard Ski Jumping and Ski Mountaineering Director Adam Loomis said. “This was kind of the perfect way to move forward from some tough news and be reminded that our values and what makes us strong haven’t gone anywhere.” Many of the skiers at the Springer Tournee came to learn from national team mentors. They often have dreams of competing in future Olympics like 2034, where Nordic combined could potentially be back on the table.  “How amazing would it be to have local athletes competing in Park City in the Salt Lake Games?” Wilson said. “You would hope that the organizing committee is interested in having the sport with its ties.” The post Nordic combined community saddened by removal from 2030 Olympic program appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less