February 25, 2010 (Whistler, BC) – The US Team was primed for the final Nordic Combined

event at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Whistler Olympic Park and reigning World Champ, Billy Demong, did not disappoint making history as he claime the gold in the Large Hill/10km cross-country ski event. His team mate, Johnny Spillane, added sparkle to the day earning his third silver medal of the Games while Bernhard Gruber from Austria claimed the bronze.

Gruber braved wind, rain, snow and a restart to out-jump the field by 5m during the ski jumping portion. He started with a 34-second lead over Spillane. Third was Janne Ryynaenen (FIN/40 seconds back) and in sixth, with a disadvantage of 46 seconds, was Demong.

Felix Gottwald (AUT) was the fastest skier on the course, moving up from 40th following  the jump to place 17 overall. Second fastest was Demong, who easily caught Spillane and moved forward together with him to catch the leader. At the 4.2km mark the Americans took over the lead relegating Gruber to third. At the last hill, Demong attacked and put some meters between himself and Spillane. Gruber was able to maintain third place but unable to follow the two Americans.

At the finish Demong won the USA’s first Olympic gold medal for Nordic Combined winning by four seconds over Spillane who claimed his third silver of the Games. Gruber took the bronze at 10.8 seconds.

With their historic 1-2 victory the USA is also the most successful nation at the Games in the sport – with one gold and three silver. Gruber is only the third Austrian to win an individual medal at Olympic Nordic Combined events following Klaus Sulzenbacher (1988) and Felix Gottwald (2002, 2006)