Sochi 2014

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PREVIEW

Teen sensation Sarah Hendrickson will lead a pack of U.S. female ski jumpers to the first Olympic competition in the sport's history at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. After the long-awaited addition into the Olympic program, the U.S. Women's Ski Jumping Team has established itself as a true contender for an Olympic gold medal.

The 2012 season marked the inaugural World Cup season for women’s ski jumping, with Hendrickson winning nine out of 13 World Cups to secure the overall World Cup title. Later in the season, the U.S. team further solidified its dominance, winning the Nation's Cup in front of a packed stadium in Oslo, Norway.

Favorite athletes to watch include World Cup leader Hendrickson, along with 2009 world champion Lindsey Van. This season, Hendrickson has already been on top of the world cup podium, and Van has tallied numerous top-10 finishes. The U.S. women established themselves as the ones to watch at the Sochi Games, and the world surely will be watching.

Olympic jumping events will be held at the RusSki Gorki Jumping Center in the mountain cluster during the Games. The complex holds 7,500 spectators and is comprised of the latest Olympic K-95 and K-125 ski jumps. The U.S. is already familiar with the new complex, as Team USA competed in an Olympic test event in December 2012. Hendrickson soared to victory on day one of competition, and on day two, the U.S. had three women finish in the top 10.

QUALIFICATION

Each country can qualify a maximum of nine quota spots (five men, four women) for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, with up to four athletes in each event. The allocation of quotas is based on the Olympic Quota Allocation List, which is calculated using the FIS World Cup and Grand Prix standings, followed by the Continental Cup standings from the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons combined. The qualification period ends on Jan. 19, 2014 with a total of 100 quota spots up for grabs (70 men, 30 women).

SELECTION

Selection criteria for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be available in May 2013.

KEY DATES