Nordic Combined Teams heads to Steamboat
Fri, Jul 2, 2010 - By US Ski Team
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO (July 1) –The Olympic medalists of the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team are preparing for one of the biggest crowds they'll see during competition at their summer camp in Steamboat. Camp attendees include Olympic medalists Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO), Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Brett Camerota (Park City, UT).
"Mainly it’s a jumping camp. We have a competition on Saturday and on Sunday we have a pretty fun roller skate race on Main Street in Steamboat that happens just before the parade. So we will have a really nice crowd," explained U.S. Nordic Combined Head Coach Dave Jarrett. "It's a good event and a highlight of the training camp. The reason why we come to Steamboat is it's one of the best events for the year with the crowds."
This is the first official camp for the Team where the athletes are training together. The sessions, although focused on jumping also include skating and time trials, preparing for the race this weekend and U.S. Nordic Combined Championships in Park City Aug. 1.
"It's our first main camp of the year and most everyone's here except for Billy [Demong]. It's nice to come home and train with the whole team, but a lot of endurance, some intervals and jumping on a smaller hill to really focus on using our muscles and jumping harder," said Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO). "That's my main goal, jumping better and getting the right technique down."
"It's good to see everyone back in one place again. Seeing everybody refocuses our energy to the job at hand, to compete, train hard and have fun doing it," said Lodwick.
The camp's attendees are made up of veterans and rookies, all training together to achieve the same goal. Although this block of practice is slightly more relaxed, the athletes are working hard to win spots at the summer Grand Prix and to improve their place on the Team.
"It's good to get out there and have everybody training together and working hard," said Spillane. "It's great to see some of these guys making big steps."
The Steamboat camp wraps up over the holiday weekend with the ski jumping portion of the nordic combined on Saturday, July 3 and the skate portion on Sunday, July 4, followed by a ski jumping competition then Fourth of July parade.
"It's awesome because we're one of the rare sports that get to bring a winter sport to the heat of July here in Steamboat," said Lodwick. "I think that's a plus for us."
"Mainly it’s a jumping camp. We have a competition on Saturday and on Sunday we have a pretty fun roller skate race on Main Street in Steamboat that happens just before the parade. So we will have a really nice crowd," explained U.S. Nordic Combined Head Coach Dave Jarrett. "It's a good event and a highlight of the training camp. The reason why we come to Steamboat is it's one of the best events for the year with the crowds."
This is the first official camp for the Team where the athletes are training together. The sessions, although focused on jumping also include skating and time trials, preparing for the race this weekend and U.S. Nordic Combined Championships in Park City Aug. 1.
"It's our first main camp of the year and most everyone's here except for Billy [Demong]. It's nice to come home and train with the whole team, but a lot of endurance, some intervals and jumping on a smaller hill to really focus on using our muscles and jumping harder," said Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO). "That's my main goal, jumping better and getting the right technique down."
"It's good to see everyone back in one place again. Seeing everybody refocuses our energy to the job at hand, to compete, train hard and have fun doing it," said Lodwick.
The camp's attendees are made up of veterans and rookies, all training together to achieve the same goal. Although this block of practice is slightly more relaxed, the athletes are working hard to win spots at the summer Grand Prix and to improve their place on the Team.
"It's good to get out there and have everybody training together and working hard," said Spillane. "It's great to see some of these guys making big steps."
The Steamboat camp wraps up over the holiday weekend with the ski jumping portion of the nordic combined on Saturday, July 3 and the skate portion on Sunday, July 4, followed by a ski jumping competition then Fourth of July parade.
"It's awesome because we're one of the rare sports that get to bring a winter sport to the heat of July here in Steamboat," said Lodwick. "I think that's a plus for us."