December 16, 2007 (Ramsau, Austria) – It’s always nice in Nordic combined, Billy Demong says, to know you can ski fast. Sunday, he jumped so-so but he really scooted through a 7.5 km race to finish sixth in a combined “hurricane” start event.

German Bjoern Kircheisen won both ends of the combined weekend visit to Ramsau and moved into the points lead. After six competitions, Kircheisen has 434 points with teammate Ronny Ackermann second at 371. Demong is fourth and teammate Johnny Spillane ninth.

Demong jumped to 20th place after the one round on Ramsau’s 98-meter hill. Norwegian Magnus Moan – who has medaled at the 2005 World Championships, the ’06 Olympics and then last winter’s Worlds – was 25th in jumping. But, starting behind Demong, he gave Demong a ride as he steamed past him in the first of the three 2.5 km laps.

Moan went on to post the fastest race as he churned into fifth place. Demong, right on his heels, had the second-fastest and moved up to capturing a photo finish for sixth place. Spillane was 28th.

“This was a nice way to end the first period,” Demong said. “I skied hard the first lap. Magnus caught up with me and we worked hard together.

“But just as we were catching the lead pack on the last big uphill, Bjoern and Ronny moved away as we were moving up.” Demong crossed the finish line as part of a seven-man train; he nipped Austrian Christoph Bieler in the photo finish.

The World Cup resumes after Christmas with the annual German Grand Prix, three events at two sites. The Jan. 5-6 events at Schonach, Germany, will both be on Schonach’s 96-meter jumping hill, so Demong and Spillane plan to get more jumps on small hills (vs. the 140-meter hill they’ll find Dec. 30 at the Grand Prix opener in Oberhof).

For complete results.