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Fletcher Breaks Up Austrian Podium

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
December, 11 2015

SOLDIER HOLLOW, UT (Dec. 11, 2015) - Austria’s David Pommer took a career first win Friday in a narrow victory over teammate Bernhard Flaschberger in a FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup event in Utah. The U.S. Ski Team’s Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) came from a minute, 20 seconds back after the jump to finish third. Austria took five of the top six places.

Despite the Austrian dominance, the USA took five of the top 16 spots and had six athletes in the top 30 points.

Japan’s Hisaki Nagamine led after the jump with a 97.5 meter ride - longest of the day. The USA’s Ben Berend (Steamboat Springs, CO) was fourth, just 22 seconds back. Pommer tied for fifth with a 95.5 meter jump while Flaschberger was close behind in eighth, going 91.5 meters. Fletcher was a bit behind in his takeoff in the morning jump, soaring 88.5 meters to stand 14th - starting a minute, 20 seconds back.

Fletcher started out hot, making up ground on the first of five laps and finding himself in contact with Pommer and Flaschberger by mid-race in the 10k. But by the fourth lap, he started to fatigue, and had to summon his reserve energy to hold off Franz-Josef Rehrl of Austria by two seconds to claim third.

The Continental Cup continues Saturday and Sunday with jumping at the Utah Olympic Park in the morning (10:30 a.m. comp round) and 10k cross country in the afternoon at Soldier Hollow (2:00 p.m. start).

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Career first Continental Cup win for David Pommer
  • Five Americans in top 16
  • Six Americans in the top 30 points
  • Second best Continental Cup for Michael Ward in tenth
  • Career best Continental Cup for Ben Berend in 12th and Jasper Good in 13th
  • Career best Continental Cup for Ben Loomis, helping solidify his quest to make the Youth Olympic Games team team that will be named in January.
  • First Continental Cup points for Stephen Schumann in 25th.

QUOTES
David Pommer
My jumping performance was pretty good so I knew I could have a good race. Everything went well - my skis were fast, the track was hot and I’m happy with my win. I just set a good pace and get up there five times no matter how much it hurts.

Bernhard Raschberger
It was a good jump this morning - eighth was good for me and I was happy. I competed here four years ago when I was younger. Now I’m stronger and the uphill isn’t that bad for me. I’m happy with my race.
 
Taylor Fletcher
I usually like jumping in the fog - you just have to trust yourself. But I was a little coming off the takeoff. I just have to get the timing right and get those critical meters.
 
I skied a pretty solid race for the most part. But in lap four I started cramping in my chest a little bit. When you get those side cramps it’s pretty paralyzing. I skied a good race but I know I can ski 30 seconds faster.
 

RESULTS
Individual Gundersen 10k

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