Park City, UT – Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined skiing will return to college campuses across the country in 2011 for the first time in over two decades.nAs the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) held its annual Board of Directors meeting in Park City earlier this month, John Jacobs of Reliable Racing Supply and USCSA Board Member made a presentation proposing that the USCSA sanction Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, men and women, for the 2011 ski season. As part of Jacobs’s presentation the entire USCSA Board visited the Utah Olympic Park to watch a Nordic Jumping practice session. Upon returning to the meeting the USCSA Board of Directed voted unanimously to sanction Nordic Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined during the 2011 season, culminating with these events being contested at the 2011 USCSA National Championships.

Nordic Ski Jumping has not been sanctioned at the college level in the U.S. since the early 1980s. Men and women ski jumping athletes can once again make the decision to continue their jumping careers while attending college.

“With this vote by the USCSA these athletes can further their education and continue to participate in the sport that they love,” said Jacobs.

“Today’s vote is a historic moment for our organization and the sport of Nordic jumping and Nordic Combined, and will carry the USCSA well into the future,” added Mark Sullivan, president of USCSA.

Along with voting to sanction Nordic Jumping, the USCSA Technology Committee also unveiled a new point scoring system which has been developed to rank USCSA student athletes. This scoring system was developed in partnership with Split Second Timing and USCSA.

“Our athletes now have the ability to compare themselves with others across the county”, said Sullivan, adding that the system has been a request of both athletes and parents over the years.

The USCSA also discussed the relationship the USCSA has with the United State Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA). The USCSA has voted to give Sullivan the authority to continue conversations with USSA over the future of the respective organizations relationship.

The USCSA is the sports federation for collegiate team ski racing and snowboarding in America. In excess of 180 colleges from coast to coast, field over 4,500 male and female, alpine, freestyle, Nordic skiing, and snowboarding athletes in over 300 events annually. Team performance is emphasized within the USCSA, a departure from the typical individual scoring format often found in skiing.