Veterans Lead World Champs Combined Team

PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 28) – Brothers Bryan and Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) will lead a strong team of six nordic combined athletes named by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association to compete in the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy Feb. 20-March 3. They will join a team with three World Champions including Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY), Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) who will celebrate the 10^th anniversary of his historic world title on the same Italian course. Michael Ward (Aspen, CO) will make his Worlds debut.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association named six nordic combined athletes to compete in the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships Feb. 20-March 3 in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
• Brothers Bryan and Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) lead the squad. Taylor Fletcher was named FIS Nordic Combined Athlete of the Week for his career first podium a week ago in Seefeld, Austria. Bryan scored a breakthrough win at Holmenkollen in Oslo last season.
• The squad includes three world champions with Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY), Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO).
• Spillane, who will compete in his eighth Worlds, made history 10 years ago on the same Val di Fiemme course with an historic world title.
• It will be the seventh Worlds for Demong, who has three medals – gold, silver, bronze.
• Lodwick will be making an unprecedented eighth Worlds appearance, dating back to Tronheim, Norway in 1997. In 2009 he swept to double gold.
• Michael Ward (Aspen, CO) is the only newcomer to the lineup, earning his spot on strong early season Continental Cup including a second in Park City/Soldier Hollow.
• The Team is in Sochi this week for Olympic test events before finalizing its preparation for Worlds.

2013 U.S. World Championship Nordic Combined Team
(Name, hometown, birthdate, USSA club, past World Champs)
Billy Demong, Vermontville, NY, 3/29/80, Lake Placid Ski Club (1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Bryan Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, CO, 6/27/86, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (2007, 2009, 2011)
Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, CO, 5/11/90, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (2011)
Todd Lodwick, Steamboat Springs, CO, 11/21/76, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011)
Johnny Spillane, Steamboat Springs, CO, 11/24/80, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Michael Ward, Aspen, CO, 12/23/92, Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club

SCHEDULE
FIS Nordic Ski World Championships
Val di Fiemme, Italy
Feb. 20 – Opening Ceremony
Feb. 22 – Individual Gundersen start (HS106 meter jump/10k XC)
Feb. 24 – Team Event (HS106 meter jump/4x5k XC)
Feb. 28 – Individual Gundersen start (HS134 meter jump/10k XC)

QUOTES
Dave Jarrett, Head Nordic Combined Coach
We are psyched for Val di Fiemme. The Fletcher Brothers are continuing to improve and have proven they can be medal contenders on any given day. The three World Champions are hoping to find their stride in time for the World Championships. It's a matter of putting everything together. We know they are capable of winning, now they just have to get back to their winning ways. Excited for Michael (Ward) to make his debut - qualifying with a Continental Cup podium in December, this is the next step for him in his progression.

RESULTS
Official Schedules and Results

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION
Val di Fiemme 2013