Lodwick dominates World Cup-B at Howelsen Hill

Lodwick dominates World Cup-B at Howelsen Hill{mosimage}STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Todd Lodwick swept both ends of a nordic combined World Cup-B doubleheader in his hometown during the weekend with Eric Camerota the No. 2 American in each event as Olympic qualifying took on some new urgency.

The Mountain Resorts events at Howelsen Hill attracted a strong field as Europeans, like Americans, are trying to qualify for Olympic berths this winter. Lodwick is home for the holidays, skipping the World Cup Dec. 17-18 in Ramsau, Austria, so he decided to take part in the World Cup-B events.

Saturday, Lodwick dominated both the large-hill (HS127) jumping and the 15-kilometer race to win the individual event by nearly two minutes over Austrian Bernhard Gruber. Camerota was 17th in the jumping and moved up 10 spots during the 15 km race, finishing 2:48.4 behind Lodwick. His twin, Brett Camerota, was the only other U.S. skiers in the top 20, finishing 16th.

Sunday in the sprint, Lodwick led the one round of jumping, going 119.5 meters, and started the 7.5km race 14 seconds ahead of Austrian Michael Palli, who eventually dropped out of the race. Lodwick went on to win by 0.4 seconds over Germany’s Christian Beetz with Camerota fifth, 49.9 seconds back.

The World Cup-B schedule opens with three stops in the United States. Utah Olympic Park in Park City and Soldier Hollow, the 2002 Olympic cross-country venue, are the next stop. An individual (large hill and 15km are set for Friday with a mass start (10km and large-hill jumping) Saturday before the tour completes its first period with two events Dec. 20-21 with a two-man team sprint and a regular sprint in Lake Placid, N.Y., at the Lamb Lumber Classic.

– Courtesy USSA News Bureau