PARK CITY, Utah – Twelve men, including Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY), who finished third in the 2008 World Cup standings, and 2003 World Champion Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) have been named to the 2009 U.S. Nordic Combined Team according to Nordic Program Director John Farra.
With the entire 2008 roster making a return to competition, the nordic combined team will feature athletes who pulled in seven podium finishes, one of which was a win, on the World Cup circuit and two podiums in World Cup B, now called the Continental Cup tour. Demong, a powerhouse on the team, set two records in 2008 when he collected a record number of six World Cup podiums and he became the first American to finish the season third in the overall.
“What an awesome U.S. Team we have! This squad has two World Championship medalists, a World Cup overall podium performer, and deep talent pool ready to move up the ranks,” Farra said.
Also highlighting the team are fraternal twins Eric and Brett Camerota (Park City, UT). Brett spent the 2008 season improving upon his jumping abilities and showed that in the cross country arena, he can go fast while brother Eric won a World Cup B competition which qualified him for competition in the World Cup circuit.
The Team's other set of twins, who are identical, Alex and Davis Miller (Steamboat Springs, CO) along with fellow B team members Willy Graves (Putney, VT), Skyler Keate (Salt Lake City), Bryan Fletcher and Alex Glueck (both Steamboat Springs, CO) are all eager to step it up in 2009 and lead their team to competitive success.
“We are excited to see who steps up to join Billy and Johnny at the top this winter during World Champions in the Czech Republic (Liberec; Feb. 18-March 1), and in Vancouver in 2010,” Farra said.
Several members of the Team currently are in Europe competing in the Summer FIS Grand Prix tour that has stops in Hinterzarten and Oberstdorf, Germany as well as Einsiedeln, Switzerland.
2009 Nordic Combined Team Roster (birthdate, hometown, club program and * if Olympian)
A Team
Eric Camerota (1/9/85; Park City, UT; National Sports Foundation)*
Billy Demong (3/29/80; Vermontville, NY; Lake Placid Ski Club/Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)*
Johnny Spillane (11/24/80; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)*
B Team
Brett Camerota (1/9/85; Park City, UT; National Sports Foundation)*
Bryan Fletcher (6/27/86; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
Alex Glueck (11/9/82; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
Willy Graves (9/10/86; Putney, VT; National Sports Academy/Putney Ski Club)
Skyler Keate (11/13/87; Salt Lake City; National Sports Foundation)
Alex Miller (12/24/85; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
Davis Miller (12/24/85; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
The 2009 FIS Nordic Combined World Cup season opens in Kuusamo, Finland, Nov. 29-30. Last season Spillane finished second in the Gunderrsen and Demong third in the sprint to start the historic season for the U.S. Team at the Kuusamo opening.
Source: USSA
