March 15, 2007 (Tarvisio, Italy)- World Championships bronze medalist Anssi Koivuranta of Finland led the jumping and held off Austrian Marco Pichlmayer to capture the gold medal in nordic combined Wednesday at the 2007 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships. Skyler Keate (Salt Lake City/National Sports Foundation/U.S. B Team) had the top U.S. result, finishing 37th.

Koivuranta, who was overtaken by Bill Demong (Vermontville, NY) for the silver medal at the World Championships earlier this month in Japan on a 15K course, had the best jumps and made his lead stand up over a 10K Junior Worlds course. He finished 16.4 seconds ahead of Pichlmayer, who was followed by two teammates.

Keate was 34th in jumping on the 109-meter hill in the field of 63 and finished the four-lap course almost nine minutes back of Koivuranta.

The next nordic combined event at Junior Worlds is the team competition Friday.

2007 FIS NORDIC JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tarvisio, ITA – March 14, 2007
Nordic Combined Individual
(2 jumps/10K race)

1. Anssi Koivuranta, Finland (1/12)
2. Marco Pichlmayer, Austria, 16.4 seconds back
2. Alfred Rainer, Austria, 38.5
4. Tomaz Druml, Austria, 1:06.5
5. Sebastien Reuschl, Germany, 1:49.1

37. Skyler Keate, Salt Lake City/National Sports Foundation, 8:57.3
42. Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, CO/Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, 9:21.1
53. Nick Hendrickson, Park City, UT/NSF, 13:17.6
54. Peter Friere, Lake Placid, NY/New York Ski Education Foundation, 13:25.0

For complete results click here.