Andover Outing Club’s Luke Daniels and Matt Doyle represented the East at the 2013 Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Junior National Championships. In a field of 54 competitors, Luke and Matt competed with top athletes from the United States, both individually and as a team on the K70 meter ski jump as well as a cross-country individual and team sprint. The competition was held from February 27 to March 2 in Minneapolis.
“It is quite an accomplishment making it to this level in ski jumping and Nordic combined, and it takes a lot of training and dedication” states Coach Tim Norris, from the Andover Outing Club. “Luke and Matt both started their ski jumping and Nordic combined careers at the Andover Outing Club, and it is great to see them reach this competition level.”
Luke Daniels
Sixteen-year-old Luke Daniels of Loudon is a junior at Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York. Luke has had some of his best results this year. Luke started the year with two podium finishes at the New Year’s competition in Lake Placid. He skied into a fourth place finish in Nordic combined in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He went on to place third in ski jumping in Minneapolis, second in Salisbury, Connecticut, and he flew into a first place win in Brattleboro, Vermont.
He ended the season on a high note, once again on the podium, capturing the bronze medal during the two men’s Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Competition at the Junior National Championships.
Matt Doyle
Sixteen-year-old Matt Doyle of Salisbury is a sophomore at Merrimack Valley High School. In 2012, Matt earned the prestigious title of 2012 New Hampshire High School Ski Jumping Champion. Matt’s goal this winter was to train harder in cross-country skiing, so he added high school cross-country skiing to his resume. He ended the season with some of his fastest race times.
Matt also had great results in ski jumping, consistently placing at the top of his class. Matt flew into podium finishes multiple times this winter, placing third in Salisbury, Connecticut and first in Brattleboro, Vermont. Matt had his most impressive finish this year, flying into first place in the ski jumping elimination round at the Junior National Championships.
The two athletes were proud to represent the Andover Outing Club and the East in the 2013 Junior National Championships. The athletes train year round, both locally and nationally. Throughout this past year they have trained and competed in Chicago, Eau Claire, Minneapolis, Lake Placid, Brattleboro, and Salisbury, Connecticut.
The Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Junior Nationals is an elite competition for US top junior athletes. If you would like more information about the Junior Olympic program and Ski Jumping and Nordic combined, visit SkiJumpEast.com. For information and updates on the Andover Outing Club, “like” us on facebook.com/AndoverOutingClub.