January 27, 2005 – Canada’s Nordic Combined team struggled to
find their top form on the large ski jump hill during
World Cup B competition in Liberac, Czech Republic on
Wednesday.

Jason Myslicki, of Thunder Bay, Ont., who posted the
top Canadian result of the day, was ranked 40th after
the ski jumping portion of the event, and started the
7.5 kilometre cross-country sprint two minutes 46.4
seconds behind the leader. Myslicki powered his way
through the short course to move up six spots,
finishing the day in 34th place.

“We don’t have a lot of experience at these jumps and
what we’re doing isn’t producing desired results,”
said Myslicki, who is leading the Canadian team on
this year’s World Cup B campaign. “We need to
reevaluate our approach to each jump to help change
things starting now.”

Myslicki, who has his sights set on executing a
successful performance at the upcoming World
Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany in February,
says he is focused right now on making the most out
of training.

“I have a World Cup B podium finish in the past at
Klingenthal, Germany, so I will be focused on
keeping it simple, keeping it positive, and taking
it from there.”

France’s Mathieu Martinez came in first in Wednesday’s
event to take home the gold medal. Pavel Churavy from
the Czech Republic finished the race +14.9 behind
Martinez to end the day in second, grabbing the
silver medal, while teammate Tomas Slavik rounded
out third to claim the bronze medal at +19.2.

Calgary’s Max Thompson, 20, and Spencer Harris, 17,
joined Myslicki in the two-day competition in Liberac.
Thompson crossed the finish line in today’s sprint
race at +3:20.3 to finish the event in 38th spot.
Harris, who is gaining valuable experience in this,
his rookie season, on the World Cup B circuit,
rounded off the day in 44th place at +5.47.8. There
were 48 competitors who finished Wednesday’s nordic
combined event.