‘We know her!’ Calgary watch parties celebrate local Olympic ski jumper

Residents and staff at United Active Living cheered loudly for Nicole Maurer as she competed in ski jumping at the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Crowds cheered extra-loudly in a Calgary seniors residence for local ski jumper Nicole Maurer as she made her Olympic debut Saturday.

Residents and staff of United Active Living seniors organization held watch parties at each of its five locations to support the Calgary athlete.

Maurer finished in 19th place in the women’s ski jumping at Milano Cortina 2026.

“Thank you for all of your support,” Maurer said in a short video she sent to United Active Living before the event.

“To see her over there and be like, ‘We know her!’ is just so exciting,” said Angela Elia, United Active Living’s marketing and communications coordinator.

Maurer works with the organization and is in Italy with her mother, Kelly Johansson, United Active Living’s vice-president, so it’s an exciting time for the 1,000 residents and 500 staff members back home in Calgary.

“About 1,500 team members here in the city as members of their extended family,” said Kim O’Brien, president and CEO of United Active Living.

Johansson gave residents behind the scenes access, video-calling one watch party from the base of the ski jump after Maurer’s practice jump so seniors could ask questions about her daughter’s performance, the sport and the emotions they were feeling.

“We can feel you cheering!” Johannson said on the call ahead of Maurer’s first official jump.

Those cheers got even louder as Maurer, the 17th of 50 athletes to jump, competed a successful landing on her first official jump, putting her in the top spot for a short while.

It also got Maurer into the finals with another Calgarian, Abigail Strate -- the Beijing 2022 bronze-medallist in mixed ski jumping.

Strate finished 11th and Maurer 19th in the women’s ski jumping in Milan 2026

“It was nice to see them into the finals,” said resident Maurice Handberg.

Maurer visited each of the United Active Living’s communities in the fall so it was exciting for some to see her on television competing in Italy.

“One of our residents, turns out he is a former ski jumper, so they were able to compare stories and talk about how the sport has evolved,” said O’Brien.

Maurer and Strate compete again February 15 and many Calgarians are ready to cheer again next weekend.

“Residents are excited,” said Elia.

“To have this great ski jumping connection with Nicole being part of our United family, she knows we’re all rallying around her,” she added.

Natalie Eilers of Calgary also made her Olympic debut in the ski jump event but did not place in the top 30 who advanced to the finals.

She made Team Canada after returning from a potential career-ending injury.