February 26, 2009 (Liberec, Czech Republic) – Despite the US disqualification the Nordic Combined team relay had one of the most exciting finishes of the 2009 Championship as Japan claimed the gold medal. After a game of cat and mouse for the final two legs of the relay between France, Norway and Japan – which allowed Germany to join the lead group – Germany blew the race open by 15 seconds heading into the final skiers.

Norihito Kobayashi of Japan took the lead down the final hill before the gradual climb into the stadium and with the draft effect both Tino Edelmann of Germany and the great Magnus Moan of Norway came up beside Kobayashi but he held them off and carried a lead into the final homestretch and just out lunged Edelmann for the gold medal – the country’s first medal of the championships.
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Release by USSA

The USA suffered a blow in the nordic combined team event at the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships when Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) was disqualified for not having a starting bib. Demong was disqualified by officials at the top of the jump as he prepared for his single competition jump. The remaining three U.S. athletes did jump. The team stands 12th of 12 teams after the jumping round and will withdraw from the cross country legs.

According to Demong, between the trial round and the competition, he had tucked the starting bib into his jumping suit, as is customary when it’s snowing so the bib doesn’t soak up water. As he prepared for his jump, he was unable to find the bib in his suit. The starter threw him a forerunner’s bib, but the competition jury held him up and disqualified him under International Competition Rule 526.1 which requires a competitor to wear their starting number in competition. Demong later found that the bib had slipped all the way down into his boot.

“It was an unusual accident and Billy is deeply disappointed that it has impacted the Team,” said U.S. Ski Team Nordic Director John Farra. “The athletes met together as a team and are moving forward. They will not look back and will not allow this to deter them from their efforts to display that they are the best nordic combined team in the World. The next chance to show this is on Satruday when they will fight for medals on the large hill.”

Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) has won two gold and Demong a bronze so far in the Championships. The final event is Saturday with a large hill jump and 10K cross country where both Lodwick and Demong will be among the contenders.

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