U.S. Jumping champion Nick Alexander earned his first individual World Cup start Friday (Nov. 27) in Finland.

Qualification for a World Cup jumping event at Kuusamo took place during a World Cup team jumping event and Alexander was the only U.S. athlete to qualify.

The Team event was won by Austria followed by Germany in second and Finland in third. The U.S. team finished 13th with Alexander, Nick Fairall, Michael Glasder and John Lyons manning the jumps.

Alexander will compete at Kuusamo Saturday in the first World Cup individual ski jumping competition of the season.