Fletcher Skis to 18th in Schonach

SCHONACH, Germany (Dec. 21) – Bryan Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO), the lone U.S. athlete, skied up from 31st to finish 18th in the nordic combined World Cup Saturday. His jump put him 1:28 back in the start of the 10k cross country portion, where he showed his strength by earning the 11th fastest time of the day to finish 18th. Norway’s Magnus H. Moan won the race Saturday with fellow Norwegian Haavard Klemetsen and Japan’s Akito Watabe rounding out the podium. Nordic combined athletes will compete in a second World Cup in Schonach on Sunday before a break over the holidays.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bryan Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO), the lone U.S. athlete, skied up from 31st to finish 18th in the nordic combined World Cup Saturday.
• His jump put him 1:28 back in the start of the 10k cross country portion, where he showed his strength by earning the 11th fastest time of the day to finish 18th.
• Norway’s Magnus H. Moan won the race Saturday with fellow Norwegian Haavard Klemetsen and Japan’s Akito Watabe rounding out the podium.
• Veteran Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) was back in Utah this week competing at the nordic combined Continental Cup at Soldier Hollow and Utah Olympic Park in Park City, where he won two out of three events and earned the USA a strategic fifth World Cup quota spot for the remainder of the season.
• Nordic combined athletes will compete in a second World Cup in Schonach on Sunday before a break over the holidays.

QUOTES
Bryan Fletcher
Todays competition was bittersweet. Jumping was average and on par with how I have been performing. Still not my best jump by any means but I was in the hunt. In the Cross Country portion I started off really well, I paced the first two laps correctly and really started to move through the field well. On the end of the third lap however I went to pass a skier on the left and he stepped into me stepping on my ski and taking both of us out. After that I quickly tried to get back into the race. I skied back up to 14th place but in the finishing sprint of the race I didn't have the legs and was passed by the skiers in tow behind me leaving me in 18th place. Unknowingly I broke a ski in the fall. I felt it was a little strange but after a crash nothing feels right so I kept pushing and skied the 4th and final lap of the race on a broken ski. So a bit of bad luck on the day but considering the circumstances I am happy with the outcome.

It was definitely strange being the only American out there. I certainly missed having the team there today. Tomorrow we will be out there again and I have hopes that tomorrow all of our guys will be in the mix!

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