Oslo, Norway –Steamboat Springs, Colo.’s Bryan Fletcher continued to pace the U.S. Ski Team on Friday, finishing 14th in the first event of the season finale at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival in Oslo won by Japan’s Akito Watabe.

“I was a little disappointed in my jump results today,” Fletcher admitted. “I wasn’t totally out, though, in 17th place. Going into the cross country I knew that with a good race it was possible to be top-10. I went out and skied the way I could and did exactly what I was focusing on doing and trying to conserve energy. The way the snow and the warm weather is can really wear you out. Being conservative on the course paid off and I was able to move up a couple spots. Overall it was a good strategy and I stuck with the game plan I wanted.”

Billy Demong, of Vermontville, N.Y., came from well back in the jump to finish 19th.

“Billy and Bryan had a good race today,” said Dave Jarrett, the U.S. Ski Team’s Nordic Combined Head Coach. “Taylor (Fletcher, Bryan’s brother)  fell on the first lap and was trying to catch back up and that killed him.”

Taylor Fletcher finished the day in 41st.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Nordic Combined World Cup
Holmenkollen Ski Festival – Oslo, Norway – Mar. 9, 2012
Men’s Gundersen NH HS106/10.0 K