Jones’ World Cup season off to strong start – Park Record

Parkite ski jumper Paige Jones is on pace for the best season of her career, and it’s coming at the perfect time with the Olympics right around the corner next winter. 

  Jones’ top long-term goal is to qualify for her first Games, and it looks like she’s right on track, ranked 31st in the world after the first three World Cups of the season. Her ranking makes her the top American, and she’s not done here, with bigger and better goals on her horizon. 

Jones wants to finish the year ranked in the top-25 in the world. The 22-year-old finished last year ranked 49th. Jones would also like to post her first top-20 individual Cup result. 

Through six Cup events this season, Jones has one top-10 team result and three more top-30 results. 

Jones shares the U.S. women’s team with fellow Parkites Sam Macuga and Josie Johnson. 

“It’s been a good start for me,” said Jones. “I ended the fall season off with some pretty strong results in Klingenthal and was hoping to carry that into this season, and managed to score points in Lillehammer and then in China – had a personal best both days, that was really exciting.”

In the fall pre-Cup season, Jones posted three top-10 results at events in Romania and Germany. 

On Jones’ agenda will be pairing these improved results with consistency. She’s in only her third season on tour. 

“Be able to get through the season feeling mentally and emotionally well,” added Jones on her goals. “I luckily have people coming to visit me throughout the season.”

Jones had her boyfriend, a luger, spend time with her during the season-opening Lillehammer, Norway Cup. She’ll have her parents watch her at the early-February Lake Placid Cup and the late-February Trondheim, Norway World Championships. 

With only a little over a week off before the next Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Jones and the U.S. jumpers are unable to return home for the holidays. Jones said the visits are how she manages being away from Park City all winter. 

Jones said she’s most looking forward to the two Japanese Cups next month and the World Championships as the season goes on. 

“Norway is really big into skiing, especially Nordic skiing,” added Jones. “I think it’ll pull a good crowd.”

The Garmisch-Partenkirchen Cup will hold a men’s and women’s large hill competition Dec. 30. Dec. 31-Jan. 1, the women’s field will be in Oberstdorf, Germany for another large hill competition, as stop two of the FIS Two Nights Tour. 

To track Jones’ results in the Two Nights Tour and beyond this season, see her FIS page.

The entire Two Nights Tour can be streamed on Ski and Snowboard Live.

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