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Steamboat Springs — Eighth-grader Taylor Fletcher got off to a solid start last weekend by combining jumps of 84.5- and 81.5-meters to win the junior division at the first of two Super Tour events that will be held in Steamboat Springs this winter.

"It was pretty good," Fletcher said. "The conditions were pretty good through the second round, but then when things started to warm up they got a little sticky."

Fletcher said he was pleased with the result, especially after struggling in the first two Super Tour events earlier this year in Park City. On Saturday, he collected 182.5 points to beat out teammate Trevor Wart, who finished at 181.5.

"It's a pretty big deal," Fletcher said of finishing first in the junior class. "It means that you are one of the top juniors in the country."

Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club coach Chris Gilbertson said he was happy with the way the junior jumpers showed and he also was happy to see senior jumpers Alex and Davis Miller moving up in the pack.

However, he wasn't happy to see the Canadian team come into Steamboat and steal the thunder and most of the prize money.

The overall title went to Canadian Dominik Bafia, who netted 232 points on jumps of 87 and 96.5 meters. Teammate Gregory Baxter was second at 231 points and Central Division ski jumper Kyle Kessler came in third with 224.5 points.

The top Steamboat Springs skier in the class was Tommy Schwall, who came in sixth with 212 points. Davis Miller was 17th and Alex Miller was 21st.

"I was happy to see Alex and Davis moving up," Gilbertson said. "They still aren't jumping their best, but it's coming along -- especially when you consider where they were last year at this time."

Team Canada set the pace in the senior division, but it was the Steamboat Springs skiers who controlled the junior classes.

In addition to his top finish in the special jumping event, Fletcher also captured second in the Nordic combined competition. He was edged by teammate Andy Gerber for first. Gerber crossed the finish line 9 seconds ahead of Fletcher. Eastern Division skier Peter Freire took third and Winter Sports Club skier Niels Morck came in fourth. Steamboat's Kyle Lockhart was sixth.

Meanwhile, Canadian Wesly Harris took top honors in the Nordic combined senior class by topping National Sports Federation skier Skyler Keate by 43 seconds. The Miller brothers finished third and fourth, respectively.

But the real dominant force last weekend wasn't from the United States, Canada or Steamboat Springs. It was the wet, warm weather that made for tricky conditions on Saturday and forced the cancellation of Sunday's final events.

Gilbertson said crews at the Winter Sports Club did everything possible to hold the event, but in the end Mother Nature won out and the event had to be cancelled.

--To reach John F. Russell call 871-4209

or e-mail jrussell@steamboatpilot.com