Her take on the 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup this weekend?

“Fantastic weekend, spectacular crowds. The athletes did a great job breaking in the new hill. Spectacular performances, couldn’t be happier,” she said.

After a one-year hiatus because of COVID-19 restrictions, the ski jumping event at Pine Mountain returned to record or near-record crowds, eye-catching performances and the debut of the Kiwanis Ski Club’s $3 million renovated venue.

Fox said the official training session Friday drew that day’s biggest crowd ever. She also estimated a crowd of 10,000 to 12,000 people Saturday.

Domen Prevc of Slovenia reacts after his final jump Sunday at the FIS Continental Cup meet Sunday at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. Prevc moved into first place after the jump for his second win of the weekend. (Dave Kallmann photo)

“We could fit no more people in the parking lot (Saturday), so the community was fired up about it,” she said.

“We had a really good crowd for a Sunday and the economic impact this event has on our community is immense. So when it was missed last year, it was felt.”

The athletes themselves seemed to revel in the atmosphere. And why wouldn’t they? In Europe, the season’s FIS Continental Cup and World Cup events were done without spectators because of the COVID pandemic. So when Domen Prevc of Slovenia, who won both the afternoon session Saturday and the Sunday session, was asked about the crowds at Pine Mountain, he smiled.

“The spectators, finally, after so many years of COVID,” Prevc said. “For me, it’s amazing. Like it gives, you know, another 50 percent of power.”

“They love coming to Iron Mountain because of the people,” Fox added. “And this entire season in Europe, they’ve had no spectators. So to come here and see all the crazies that we get, was amazing for them. And they often go out in the crowd and mingle around.”

Steve Lehmann of Kingsford; Richard Lehmann of Janesville, Wis.; Ron Niemela of Vulcan; and Jeff Minerley of West Allis, Wis., tailgate during the FIS Continental Cup competition Saturday at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. (Dave Kallmann photo)

For Prevc, his first time jumping at Pine Mountain made an impression.

“Oh yeah,” he said, “I would be glad to come back next year.”

For more on the 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup weekend, see Local Sports.

Fans crowd the barrier to watch the awards ceremony Sunday at the FIS Continental Cup competition at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. (Dave Kallmann photo)

A crew keeps the track clean between trial jumps at the 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup competition Saturday at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. (Dave Kallmann photo)

Ziga Jelar of Slovenia during the 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup competition Sunday at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. Jelar placed second in Sunday's event after winning the Saturday morning session. (Dave Kallmann photo)

Forerunner Tony Benzie climbs the steps to the top of the slide before the 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup competition Sunday at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. (Dave Kallmann photo)

Philipp Raimund of Germany during the 2022 Marshfield Clinic-Dickinson Continental Cup competition Saturday at Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain. Raimund, 21, officially had the longest jump for the day in the first afternoon round at 436 feet or 133 meters. (Dave Kallmann photo)