By Shannon Lukens for Steamboat Radio News.

Fireworks are suspected in a wildland fire in the Cedar Mountain area of Moffat County, early Tuesday morning. It was on Bureau of Land Management land. Firefighters from Craig Fire Rescue, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, and the fire crew with the Moffat County Sheriff’s office responded and were able to contain the fire to about 1.5 acres. The sheriff’s office says the initial investigation looks like the fire was started by fireworks, which are illegal in Moffat County (and Routt County) right now, due to  fire restrictions and “extreme wildfire danger.” The sheriff’s office wants to know who started it. If you have any information, give them a call at (970) 824-4495 or Submit a Tip | CRIMEWATCH.

Press Release from Moffat County Sheriff’s Office — FIREWORKS SUSPECTED IN EARLY MORNING WILDLAND FIRE

 

Photo courtesy Elisa Maines.

Nordic Combined will not be an Olympic event in the 2030 Winter Olympics, which will be held in the French Alps. The International Olympic Committee announced today that the sport is being cut entirely from the Winter Olympics games, for the first time in history. Here’s IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey.

Screenshot from IOC Press Conference.

“I think we’ve said consistently throughout the conversations regarding Nordic Combined that we were assessing the discipline and not necessarily the men Nordic Combined or the women Nordic Combined. What was really at stake is the universality of Nordic Combined overall as a discipline. It’s also capacity to raise audiences. So for us, it was really a debate, not so much about the parity within this discipline, but the two factors I mentioned before, which is low popularity, and they’re having a high concentration of a few countries at the top of the sport. So those were the criteria that we have consistently assessed, and that’s why it was not really a topic of being equitable from a gender parity standpoint, but more of are we able to carry forward Nordic combined as part of our program?”

The IOC reports that of the popularity indicators, “Nordic Combined ranked lowest among all Olympic Winter Games disciplines at Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026. At the most recent Olympic Winter Games, it was the lowest-ranked discipline in 11 of the 14 popularity indicators assessed.”

“Nordic combined will remain on the programme of the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games and is eligible for future inclusion at the Utah 2034 Olympic Winter Games through the candidate discipline pathway under the evaluation process established within the Fit for the Future strategic framework.”

Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has one of the largest ski jumping and Nordic Combined teams, with more than 170 athletes. Since 1932, SSWSC has had a ski jumper or Nordic Combined athlete represented in every Winter Olympics except for 1936. This includes 40 Olympians.

Steamboat Springs Nordic Combined athletes and medal at Steamboat Springs History Museum (formerly Tread of Pioneers Museum).

Steamboat Springs Nordic Combined athletes won five Olympic medals, at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Johnny Spillane won three silver medals, Todd Lodwick won a silver medal, and Billy Demong won a gold medal.

Nordic Combined is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The first major competition was in 1892 in Islo. It was added to the 1924 Winter Olympics games.

The IOC announced three sports being added to the Winter Olympics are freeride skiing, freeride snowboarding, and synchronized figure skating.

• More on the Story — IOC cuts Nordic Combined from the Winter Olympics
• IOC Press Release — Alpes 2030 to be first gender-equal Olympic Winter Games – freeride (ski and snowboard) and synchro9 (figure skating) athletes to debut
•  FIS Press Release — Nordic Combined cut from Olympic Winter Games
• What is Nordic Combined from Nordic Combined USA

 Statement from Nordic Combined USA

The IOC announced this morning that Nordic Combined has been removed from the Olympic program.

For more than a century, Nordic Combined athletes have represented the very best of winter sport, combining courage, endurance, technical skill, and versatility in a discipline unlike any other. While today’s decision is difficult for athletes, coaches, supporters, and fans around the world, it does not diminish the value of the sport or the people who make it special.

We are grateful to the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS), national federations, clubs, volunteers, coaches, and supporters who have worked tirelessly to advance Nordic Combined and advocate for its future. Their commitment has created opportunities for athletes at every level, from local club programs to the World Cup and World Ski Championships, and has helped strengthen the sport for generations to come.

While the Olympic Games are an important part of Nordic Combined, they are not the only measure of its success. Every year, athletes compete on the World Cup circuit, pursue World Championship medals, and represent their countries on the international stage. Just as importantly, every winter young athletes take their first jump from a local hill, learn to race on cross-country skis, and discover the unique challenge of combining two disciplines into one sport.

Those experiences, and the lessons they teach about courage, perseverance, confidence, and resilience, remain at the heart of Nordic Combined. Today’s decision does not change that.

At Nordic Combined USA, our mission stays the same. We are committed to developing athletes, supporting Team USA, and inspiring the next generation of Nordic Combined skiers. The future of our sport will not be defined by a single decision, but by the athletes who continue to chase ambitious goals, the clubs that introduce young people to Nordic Combined, and the communities that support them along the way. We look forward to continuing that work alongside our partners in the United States and around the world.

 

Photo courtesy Town of Yampa

A bear has been busy in Yampa. Trash was found scattered across several streets Tuesday morning. The town is asking residents to use Bear Smart guidelines and keep trash inside, either a garage, shed or enclosed space, before Tuesday morning pickup, and never put trash cans out the night before.

 

A large auction is going on all week at the Steamboat Grand, with 240,000 head of cattle being auctioned off. It’s a virtual auction, run by Superior Livestock Video Auction. The auction at the Steamboat Grand is called a Week in the Rockies and it runs through Friday.

Justin Warren of Routt County is the local broker for Superior Livestock.

“We video the cattle in your pasture. We’ve got buyers in house, buyers on the internet, and buyers calling in on the phone. Then we’re selling the cattle all over the United States. They’re going all over the United States. We’ve got 7,500 registered buyers buying from all over the United States buying cattle at the auction.”

Once purchased, the buyer has to then figure out how to get the cattle from the rancher that sold it.

Thursday will be the busiest day with all Colorado cattle being sold, including cattle from here in Northwest Colorado.

More on the Story – A virtual auction of 240,000 head of cattle is happening in Steamboat Springs this week

 

The board for Visit Moffat County and the Moffat County Tourism Association meets at 3 p.m. today (Wednesday, July 8), in the board room of the Yampa Building in Craig.

 

Stop by the Steamboat Springs Rodeo grounds Wednesday evening to watch Routt County Gymkhana. It starts at 5 p.m. every Wednesday throughout the summer. Contestants and spectators are always welcome. This week, all contestant entry fees are sponsored by Wendy and Jon Wade with The Steamboat Group.

 

Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Events Calendar on our website.

 

For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.