December 19, 2009 (Lake Placid, NY) – There can be little doubt that Junshiro Kobayashi, was the talk of the Intervale ski jumping complex on Saturday at the twice Olympic Winter Games village after laying down a sweet jump of some 133.5 meters – as you know in combined athletes take only one jump, then ski a 10km course. While Kobayashi is clearly a gifted jumper his cross-country ski race did not show the same excellence and he ended the day in 26th place overall.

In a day that saw temperatures sneak slightly into double digits, the conditions for both events were truly ideal for the annual stop here for the Lamb Lumber FIS Continental Cup (formerly World Cup “B”).

Austrian Tomaz Druml (SC Achomitz), the eventual winner, was ranked 13th after the morning jumps. He used a very fast xc ski time to achieve victory, winning with a time of 26.37.4. Andreas Guenter, a German combiner from Ski Club Baiersbronn, who is both a stellar jumper and cross-country skier finished second following a close sprint to the finish with US Nordic Combiner, Taylor Fletcher, who turned in a solid performance.

Fletcher ending up 21st following the jumping event and started the 10km race two minutes behind the leader. He made his way up through the entire field, only to lose out on the sprint for silver grabbing the bronze, 9/10ths of a second from gold.

The U.S. Nordic Combined Team was all about personal bests in Saturday’s event. Both Fletcher and Nick Hendrickson (Park City, UT) finished with personal best results in third and 10th place.

Alex Miller of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club was 12th, while Eric Camerota (Park City Nordic Ski Club) was 25th. Alex Glueck also of SSWSC was 33rd, with Willy Graves (Putney Ski Club) was 37th. American Brett Denny was 42nd.

On Sunday the final day of events in Lake Placid includes another individual Gunderson competition beginning with ski jumping at the Intervale Ski Jumping Complex Sunday starting at 10 AM.

Full results here.

Results

1. Tomaz Druml, Austria, 26:37.40
2. Andreas Guenter, Germany, 26:38.00
3. Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, CO, 26:38.30
4. Fabian Riessle, Germany, 26:40.20
5. Nicolas Martin, France, 26:55.90

10. Nick Hendrickson, Park City, UT, 27:08.70
12. Alexander Miller, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, 27:15.30
25. Eric Camerota, Park City Nordic Ski Club
27. Carl Van Loan , Andover Outing Cub
33. Alex Glueck, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
37. Willy Graves, Putney Ski Club
42. Brett Denney, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
44. Chanon Pretorius, Altius Nordic Ski Club
45. Barrett Martineau, Altius Nordic Ski Club
47. Alex Barton, Altius Nordic Ski Club