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Steamboat Springs, CO
Raised by a Finnish mother from the Arctic Circle and a father who worked as a ski instructor, Malacinski grew up skiing almost as soon as he could walk. Quickly mastering both downhill and cross-country skiing, Malacinski grew up in the winter sports mecca of Steamboat Springs, making it easy to immerse himself fully in the art and culture of skiing. Malacinski's introduction to nordic combined came at age seven when Team USA Olympic medalists Todd Lodwick, Johnny Spillane, and Billy Demong returned to Steamboat Springs following their historic performances at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010—the first Olympic medals ever won by American athletes in Nordic combined. After getting to hold their medals, Malacinski became captivated by the possibility of competing at the highest level of winter sports. Growing up in a ski town where he tried numerous sports, he eventually discovered Nordic combined after driving past the ski jumps on his way home from hockey practice and asking his father if he could try it out.
Malacinski joined the U.S. National Team in 2018 alongside his sister Annika and has progressed consistently through the competitive ranks. He won his first U.S. National Championship in 2024 and has competed at multiple world championships, including the 2021 and 2023 editions. At the 2023 FIS Nordic Junior World Championships in Whistler, he recorded a fifth-place finish in the individual event and fourth place in the team competition. He also earned four medals at the 2023 World University Games in Lake Placid, demonstrating his ability to perform across different competitive formats.
During the 2024-25 world cup season, Malacinski finished as the top-ranked American man on the circuit. He opened the season with a career-best 13th-place finish in Ruka, Finland, where he jumped 126 meters and held tight with the world's best skiers in the 10-kilometer cross-country portion. He recorded four top-20 world cup finishes and finished the season ranked 26th overall.
Malacinski’s athletic philosophy centers on the belief that success is "all mental," emphasizing the psychological preparation required to excel in a sport as technically and physically demanding as nordic combined. Outside of training, Malacinski enjoys fishing and skateboarding. His cross-training regimen incorporates running, swimming, and biking to build the endurance and versatility required for his sport.
At the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the biathlon will take place in Anterselva/Antholz, an international biathlon center in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. The center frequently hosts biathlon world cups and is located about an hour no...
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Nordic combined was one of the first sports on the Winter Olympic program back in 1924. The sport combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing, with skiers starting the ski race according to how they finish in the jump. It is the only sport at the Win...
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