LAHTI, Finland (Feb. 19, 2016) - Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) made a big leap in cross country, moving up to finish 24th as the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup resumed in Lahti. Germany’s Eric Frenzel took the win in dramatic fashion to further extend his World Cup lead.
Fletcher soared 108.0 meters on his jump, finding himself more than three minutes back going into the 10k cross country segment. He skied the seventh fastest leg to cut the margin by more than a minute, finishing 24th.
"Today was a closer step forward to knowing I can be where I want to be,” said Fletcher. "Today I had a much better jump but was still late on the end, losing the power that is needed. The race was solid but racing from the back is always hard to ski fast, as you end up doing a lot of leading. There were a couple times I got blocked by a slower skier and lost contact with the skiers I was with and I had to ski harder to catch back up."
Fletcher has been focusing on jumping, which is even more critical than in the past with new rules that changed points per meter from 1.5 to 1.8, giving strong jumpers a bigger lead going into cross country.
The race ended in dramatic fashion, with 18-year-old Norwegian Jarl Riiber set up for his first win. But Riiber took a wrong turn in the stadium, opening the door for World Cup leader Frenzel to pounce on another win.
A team sprint is set for Saturday with another individual event Sunday in Lahti, all tests for the 2017 World Championships.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Taylor Fletcher finished 24th, taking the seventh fastest cross country leg.
- The race series is a test for the 2017 World Championships in Lahti.
- A team sprint is set for Saturday with an individual event Sunday.
QUOTES
Taylor Fletcher
Today was a closer step forward to knowing I can be where I want to be. Today I had a much better jump but was still late on the end, losing the power that is needed. The race was solid but racing from the back is always hard to ski fast, as you end up doing a lot of leading. There were a couple times I got blocked by a slower skier and lost contact with the skiers I was with and I had to ski harder to catch back up.
RESULTS
Individual Gundersen
