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Steamboat Springs — Davis and Alex Miller have officially opened the ski jumping season at Howelsen Hill 10 of the past 11 years.

The brothers, who started their Nordic combined careers in the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club's junior programs and have risen to the ranks of the U.S. Ski Team, kept the tradition alive Tuesday. In fact, a large portion of the U.S. Nordic Combined team was in town to open the season on Howelsen's historical K-90 hill.

"It felt really good to get back on snow," Davis Miller said. "We've all been waiting for this day and we are all ready to go."

"It doesn't matter that these guys just got off plastic three weeks ago; they were all excited about getting back on snow," U.S. coach Chris Gilbertson said. "There were four guys in the wax room when I got here this morning. These athletes like to jump on plastic, but this is what it's all about."

Gilbertson, the World Cup B coach for the U.S. Ski Team, said the B team arrived in Steamboat during the past week with hopes that the jumps would be open. The coaches and athletes had to wait a few more days than expected, but when the word came down that the team would be jumping today, the athletes responded enthusiastically.

The American and Canadian ski teams used the K-90 jump Tuesday morning and Winter Sports Club coaches expected to get their athletes on the snow today.

The U.S. team returned to Park City, which also opened Tuesday, to train on the large hill. But Gilbertson said the team plans to return to Steamboat next week to begin fine-tuning prior to the World Cup B event planned for Dec. 7 to 10.

"It looks like we are right on track with a couple of guys, and we have a few that still have some work to do," Gilbertson said.

The former Winter Sports Club coach said he is looking forward to the December World Cup B event in Steamboat Springs, and has set high goals for his athletes.

He expects to have five skiers in the top 30, three in the top-10 and thinks he has at least two athletes on the roster with a chance of winning.

"I might be going out on a limb, but I think this team has the potential to do it," he said. "Our goal this season is to move at least two guys up (to World Cup A) in the first period. I don't care who it is, but it's got to be done."

The Nordic combined ski season will shift into high gear this weekend with two events in Kuusamo, Finland. The World Cup B season is scheduled to begin in Steamboat with a sprint event Dec. 9 and a two-jump, 15-kilometer race Dec. 10.