Bryan Fletcher leads US Nordic Combined team in Germany
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Steamboat Springs Nordic combined skier Bryan Fletcher had a strong jump Saturday but suffered a broken pole in the cross-country portion and fell to 31st place as the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup got back underway in Schonach, Germany.
The Austrians swept the podium with Felix Gottwald taking the top spot, Mario Stecher finishing second and Bernard Gruber in third.
On a wet and rainy day in Germany’s Black Forest, Fletcher jumped to ninth place and started 55 seconds back. But within the first kilometer, he broke a basket on a pole and lost the lead pack.
“It was a learning experience for him,” U.S. Nordic combined coach Chris Gilbertson said in a U.S. Ski Team release. “He just got frustrated with the situation. A big train caught him and passed him, and he wasn’t able to hang onto them.”
Taylor Fletcher broke a pair of poles Saturday and finished 56th. Brett Denney was 58th and Eric Camerota was 60th.
A four-man team event is on tap for today. The U.S. team will go out with the same four, with Bryan Fletcher expected to anchor.
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