Anchorage ski jumpers Eli Hermanson and Ryan Brubaker combined for a fourth-place finish in the nordic combined relay to lead a group of Alaskans at the U.S. Junior National Championships earlier this month in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Competing in the U-16 boys division, Hermanson and Brubaker recorded the second-fastest ski time of the day to claim fourth place in the event, which combines skiing and ski jumping.
A second Alaska team, Hugo Compton and Nathan Shuttleworth, placed seventh in the relay.
In individual nordic combined, Hermanson led a group of four Alaskans into the top 16. Hermanson, who logged the third-fastest 5-kilometer time, placed ninth, Brubaker was 10th, Shuttleworth 11th and Compton 16th.
In individual jumping, Brubaker's 14th-place showing led the Alaskans. Shuttleworth was 17th, Alex Murray 20th, Hermanson 22nd and Compton 23rd.
The championships wrapped up with an elimination jumping contest on a 70-meter hill. Brubaker and Hermanson both advanced to the second round and both recorded personal-bests. Brubaker soared a career-best 69 meters to finish sixth and Hermanson went 65.5 to finish 13th.
All five jumpers are members of the Team AK program that trains at the Karl Eid Ski Jumps.