Brett Camerota 9th in tight finish

Nordic Combined

Fri, Aug  13, 2010 - By US Ski Team

OBERTSDORF, Germany (Aug. 8) – A pair of brothers represented the U.S. Nordic Combined Team on Sunday in the final Grand Prix staged in Obertsdorf. Olympic silver medalist Brett Camerota (Park City, UT) slid inside the top-10 for the first time, finishing first for the U.S. in ninth, while Germany's Johannes Rydzek won the competition.

The nordic combined competition was tight, with the top nine men separated by 20 seconds as they pushed across the finish line in the cross country portion. Rydzek, who finished second Saturday, picked up his first Grand Prix win of the 2010-11 season with a time of 25:47.90, almost 12 seconds ahead of second place finisher Francois Braud of France.

The fight for second place was fierce with places second through seventh finishing within a second of each other. Braud crossed the line first in 25:59.80, one-tenth ahead of third place's Janne Rynnaenen of Finland, who shared the same time as Germany's Eric Frenzel in fourth.

"It was another solid day. Both Eric and Brett [Camerota] (Park City, UT) jumped very well and were ninth and 10th after jumping," said U.S. Nordic Combined Head Coach Dave Jarrett. "Brett skiied a solid race and was looking good the whole time. It was his first ever top-10, which is awesome."

Brett Camerota finished in ninth, clocking in at 26:07.40. Brett Camerota was the top U.S. competitor, ending the race less than 20 seconds behind Rydzek and around seven seconds out of third.

Bryan Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) scored another set of points finishing within the top-30 in 23rd. Olympian Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO), who had the fourth fastest cross country time, and Eric Camerota finished respectively in 31st and 48th.

"We are psyched and moving forward," said Jarrett.

The summer Grand Prix series will continue Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13-14 in Oberwiesenthal, Germany.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Grand Prix
Obertsfdorf, Germany – August, 8, 2010
Nordic Combined

1. Johannes Rydzek, Germany, 25:47.90
2. Francois Braud, France, 25:59.80
3. Janne Rynnaenen, Finland, 25:59.90
4. Eric Frenzel, Germany, 25:59.90
5. Tomaz Druml, Austria, 26:00.30
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9. Brett Camerota, Park City, UT, 26:07.40
23. Bryan Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, CO, 27.11.50
31. Taylor Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, CO, 27:41.40
48. Eric Camerota, Park City, UT, 29:38.20