STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Former world champion Johnny Spillane, who watched Todd Lodwick and Bill Demong win world title last year, edged his U.S. teammates today to win the Nordic combined Olympic Trials.
Spillane’s victory guarantees him a spot on the U.S. team for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Demong had the best jump of the day, just ahead of Lodwick. Demong had a one-second start on Lodwick in the cross-country race, and Spillane started nine second after Demong. But Spillane had the fastest time in the cross country and edged Lodwick by just over a second.
All three of the skiers should be on the Olympic team, which will be name in late January, based on their World Cup results. The question for this team will be who fills the last spot in the four-man team event. Two skiers tied for fourth in today’s Trials: Brett Camerota of Park City and Bryan Fletcher of Steamboat Springs.
Spillane, who is a native of Steamboat Springs, has endured seven surgeries including two knee procedures this past summer. He overcame his lack of training this summer and has been the strongest of the three on the World Cup circuit.
