PREDAZZO, Italy — Rising American star Tate Frantz officially cemented his status as the future of U.S. ski jumping on Monday, February 16, 2026, delivering a series of poised performances during the 10th day of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The 20-year-old Lake Placid native, competing in his first Olympic Games, helped lead the United States to an eighth-place finish in the inaugural Olympic men’s super team event.
The competition, held at the Trampolino Giuseppe Dal Ben, was shortened to two rounds due to intense snow and shifting wind conditions. Despite the weather-induced chaos, Frantz remained a model of consistency. In the final round, Frantz recorded a jump of 132 meters, matching the distance of his veteran teammate Kevin Bickner. The American duo finished with a total score that secured eighth place, while Austria took home the historic first gold medal in the super team format.
A Breakthrough Olympic Campaign
Frantz’s performance in the super team event follows a string of impressive results throughout the 2026 Games. Earlier in the week, the Adirondack-raised athlete finished 21st out of 50 competitors in the men’s individual normal hill event. He also played a pivotal role in the mixed team competition, where Team USA secured a seventh-place finish with a total score of 932.9.
The young jumper’s success has provided a spark for the U.S. coaching staff. During one of Frantz’s high-scoring flights earlier in the week, NBC cameras captured a moment of pure exuberance on the coaches’ stand, where one American coach accidentally struck another while celebrating the “generational talent’s” landing.
From Lake Placid to the World Stage
Born March 28, 2005, Frantz grew up in the Olympic cradle of Lake Placid, New York. The son of a former U.S. figure skating team member, Frantz began his journey in the After School Ski Program at Whiteface Mountain before specializing in ski jumping with the New York Ski Education Foundation (NYSEF).
His rise to the Olympic roster was fueled by a breakout 2024-2025 season, which included his first career World Cup podium at the Summer Grand Prix and a silver medal at the Junior World Championships. Frantz made history in 2023 as the youngest competitor in the field when the World Cup returned to his hometown of Lake Placid for the first time in over three decades.
Looking Ahead
While the 2026 Games have seen veteran Kevin Bickner find his form in the final rounds, the spotlight has remained firmly on Frantz as the leader of a new era for American Nordic sports. With his debut Olympics now featuring multiple top-10 team finishes and a solid individual showing, Frantz is expected to be the cornerstone of the U.S. program heading into the next quadrennial.
“It’s a dream come true to be here,” Frantz said in a recent interview with the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. “To lead this team and represent Lake Placid on the world stage is something I’ve worked for since elementary school.”
As the Milan Cortina Games continue, Frantz remains one of the most watched young athletes on Team USA, proving that the “fly guy” from the Adirondacks is ready to compete with the world’s elite.