PARK CITY, UT (Dec. 11) – Olympic champion Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) will highlight the field as a dozen nations come to Park City this week for an International Ski Federation Nordic Combined Continental Cup. A field of 55 international athletes is expected for the two-event program Dec. 11-13 event to be held at the Utah Olympic Park ski jumps, with cross country racing at Gorgoza Park.
The event will feature many of the top nordic combined athletes in America including Demong, plus fellow Olympian Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO).
Nordic combined consists of a single ski jump on the 100-meter hill at the Utah Olympic Park, followed by a 10k cross country event at Gorgoza Park, where athletes will ski six laps up and down the tubing hill - including jumps and high-speed turns. All events are free and open to spectators. The cross country events were moved from the perennial site of Soldier Hollow to allow the resort to concentrate snow preparation on its own trails. The Soldier Hollow organizing committee is still managing the event.
FIS NORDIC COMBINED CONTINENTAL CUP
Thursday, Dec. 11
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. – Event 1 - Ski Jumping (HS100 hill), Utah Olympic Park
Friday, Dec. 12
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. – Event 1 - Cross Country (10k), Gorgoza Park
2:00 - 4:00 p.m. – Event 2 - Ski Jumping (HS100 hill), Utah Olympic Park
Saturday, Dec. 13
8:00 – 8:45 a.m. – Event 2 - Cross Country (10k), Gorgoza Park
WHO TO WATCH
Billy Demong – Lake Placid area native, now living in Park City; 2010 Olympic champion.
Taylor Fletcher – Steamboat Springs native and two-time Olympian, considered one of the fastest cross country skiers on the tour.
QUOTES
Dave Jarrett, Head Coach
We are really psyched to be able to pull this event off considering the weather conditions. Kudos to Soldier Hollow for helping find an alternate site as well as the Utah Olympic for getting the hill ready in mid-November and Billy Demong for securing the opportunity at Gorgoza Park.
It will be a pretty deep field with plenty of World Cup skiers from most nations competing. It is nice that everyone will get to start the race and have a chance to score points no matter what place they are after jumping. It will be a crazy race on a short loop, but fun for spectators.
Billy Demong, Olympic Champion
This will be a great showcase for our sport at Gorgoza Park and an amazing opportunity for spectators to watch the races. Thanks to both Soldier Hollow and Gorgoza Park for giving us this opportunity.
