2008 Flaming Leaves Festival
Saturday, October 11 -- US Nordic ChampionshipsResults
Johnson continues to dominate Lake Placid ski jump hill; wins US national title Four crowns issued as USSA moves championships to autumn
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. Ð It's just not possible for ski jumper Anders Johnson to lose in Lake Placid. The United States Olympian from Park City, Utah won yet again on the 90 meter hill Saturday in capturing the 2008 U.S. National Championship against a strong field.
The United States Ski and Snowboard Association made the decision earlier this year to move the national competition from late March to October, and found a willing host in Lake Placid and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), managers of the Olympic Jumping Complex.
The win was Johnson's sixth straight on his "other" home hill. Fellow Park City jumper Lindsey Van emerged victorious in the women's national championship event.
The Lake Placid competition, part of the annual Flaming Leaves Festival, was held in radiant sunshine with temperatures in the mid 60s. Competitors jumped on the artificial surfaces at the Lake Placid venue that incorporates a porcelain tile in-run and synthetic landing hill. When watered, both surfaces emulate winter conditions.
"It means more that I had two really good jumps, but obviously it's nice to win again," Van said. "It's been a while since anything like that has happened, so I'm excited. It feels like a step in the right direction for me. I don't like losing. Who likes losing? Let's just say [I hope to win] every one I compete in from here on out."
The winner had jumps of 95 and 96 meters for 251 distance and style points. Van turned back Jessica Jerome and Alissa Johnson, two more Park City jumpers. Jerome posted 96 and 89.5 meter jumps for 237.5 points, while Johnson measured 92 and 88.5 meters and 226 points.
Against the backdrop of live music and vendors offering arts and crafts, Johnson flew 99 and 101 meters, totaling 268.5 points for distance and style. He bested Nordic combined specialists Johnny Spillane and Bill Demong. Spillane, of Steamboat Springs, Colo., second on the day, jumped 101.5 and 98 meters for 261.5 points. Demong, of nearby Vermontville, N.Y., who will be inducted into the Saranac Lake High School Hall of Fame next week, sailed 100.5 and 91 meters. The World Championship silver medalist placed third with 251 points.
However, Spillane and Demong were not done yet. On a day when the National Nordic Combined Championship was to be decided, the twosome put on a roller ski race that had the large crowd taking notice. They negotiated Lake Placid's nearly 1.7 kilometer paved loop that sent racers uphill to the rear of the complex and into the ski jump parking lot before blasting downhill around the outrun and behind the bleachers of the stadium. Eight laps and nearly 15 kilometers later, Spillane, who shadowed ski jump leader Demong for the first half of the race, overcame a 22 second ski jump deficit to grab the national crown by 9-tenths of a second.
"This was a really hard race," said Spillane, a world title holder. "I messed up my (ski jump) landings and was bummed out by my jumping. I was fortunate not to blow up in the cross country race. I just went hard to catch Billy and held the lead the rest of the way."
The give and take of trading advantages between the two friendly rivals gave the sundrenched audience great entertainment over the short loop. The concept of racers coming and going every few seconds appealed to Columbus weekend tourists and Nordic fans alike, particularly the fast downhill section between the upper and lower parking lots where racers tucked at breakneck speed.
"This was a good race and a lot of fun," said Demong, a member of the Saranac Lake High School Cross Country team that won a state championship in 1995. "This is a better time of year for the nationals. Usually there is a letdown at the end of the year after all the travel and competition. We have a better range of options in the fall. It's kind of a kick-off party and you can see how your summer training has gone."
Demong finished ahead of Todd Lodwick, of Steamboat Springs.
Jerome, meanwhile, grabbed the women's Nordic Combined win by taking a big lead in the ski jump portion of the event. Abby Hughes of Park City was second and Avery Ardovino, also of Park City, third. The women's cross country leg was decided by a running race.
The Flaming Leaves Festival will conclude Sunday with a Super Tour 90 Meter Ski Jump at 11 AM, accompanied by another beautiful Indian summer forecast.
For complete results and event photos, please log on to www.orda.org.
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Sunday, October 12 Super Tour Competition
Results
Ski jump streak continues for Johnson as he wins again in Lake Placid; Van repeats in women's event
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- For the seventh time in his last eight competitions in Lake Placid, Anders Johnson of Park City, Utah, ski jumped to the head of the field Sunday in completing a sweep of the Flaming Leaves Festival.
After taking Saturday's national championship on the 90 meter hill, Johnson returned to the same Olympic Jumping Complex 24 hours later, under similar sunshine and 65 degree weather, and captured the NYSEF 90 Meter Super Tour event.
Not to be outdone, Lindsey Van, also of Park City, took both ends of the Lake Placid doubleheader by winning Sunday's women's 90 meter on the artificial surfaces.
"I've jumped here many times and have always jumped well," said the past Winter Olympian. "I feel every time I'm here, I can do well."
For a struggling ski jumper, the six-foot-three-inch athlete appreciated the friendly confine of the 1980 Winter Olympic site.
"The start of summer training wasn't so good for me," continued Johnson. "But I've jumped better since August."
Then came a month in Europe where he performed better in summer Continental Cups and World Cups.
"That got my confidence back. The jumps here this weekend were some of my best of the season. Now I feel confident for this winter."
While vendors offered their goods and live bands performed under the tent, Johnson had the two best jumps of the day at 100.5 and 102 meters. His distance and style points totaled 263.5 for an easy victory. Eric Camerota of Park City was second with 249.5 points on jumps of 99.5 and 93 meters. Third place went to Nick Alexander of Lebanon, N.H. after jumping 99 and 92.5 meters for 246 points. Lake Placid's Andrew Bliss was fourth on the strength of his opening jump of 97 meters. A second attempt of 89.5 gave Bliss 240 points.
Bill Demong of Vermontville, N.Y., sponsored by the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), was eighth after placing third in the national championship ski jump and second in the Nordic combined nationals, both on Saturday. Demong is preparing to be inducted into the Saranac Lake High School Hall of Fame this week as part of the 1995 state high school championship cross country team.
The diminutive Van, trying to overcome a knee injury incurred last winter, posted jumps of 98.5 and 92 meters, picking up 249 points in the process.
"I took myself totally out of the situation and told myself to worry about it (the injury) later," said Van, who will now go west and seek the care of orthopedic specialist Dr. Richard Steadman. "This weekend was a lot better for me. I concentrated on my in-run position because the in-run here is a bit bumpy. Otherwise, I had stable conditions. It was a great weekend and I had lots of fun. Now I feel good about the winter and will try to stay healthy in the process."
Jessica Jerome of Park City was next with 97 and 89.5 meter jumps for 237.5 points. Avery Ardovino, Park City, secured third by jumping 89 and 92.5 meters for 226.5 points.
Sisters Nina and Danielle Lussi of Lake Placid finished 10th and 11th, respectively.
Canadian jumpers came to the surface in the junior division as Calgary, Alberta's Yukon De Leeuw grabbed the title ahead of teammate Matthew Rowley, also of Calgary. Brian Wallace of Woodbury, Minn. placed third, just a point from second place.
With the close of the Flaming Leaves Festival comes the start of a fall training camp in Lake Placid for many of these competitors. The winter version of this sport gets underway, on snow, next month.
For complete results, including event photos, please log on to www.orda.org.
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-ORDA-
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