Nordic Combined: Demong takes silver in Vikersund

American nordic combined skier and world champion, Bill Demong took second place at the penultimate World Cup competition of the season in Vikersund, Norway today. 

The podium read like a who’s who in the sport as World Cup leader, Finn Anssi Koivuranta took home the gold ahead of Norway’s Magnus Moan, who stands second in the overall rankings. Demong is third overall.

Demong came out of the jumping leg in 16th, then made up ground in the cross country race finishing second.

The podium was Demong’s ninth of the season, while Koivuranta hauled in his seventh victory of 2009.

Koivuranta now leads Moan by a convincing 99points in the race to the crystal globe. 

The World Cup nordic combined season concludes tomorrow with a final competition in Vinkersund.

American nordic combined skier and world champion, Bill Demong took second place at the penultimate World Cup competition of the season in Vikersund, Norway today. 

“I was sure that Magnus would come up but I thought that we together would catch Anssi,” said Demong. “I’m happy with my second place; it is the fourth podium spot in a row for me.”

The podium read like a who’s who in the sport as World Cup leader, Finn Anssi Koivuranta took home the gold ahead of Norway’s Magnus Moan, who stands second in the overall rankings. Demong is third overall.

Demong came out of the jumping leg in 16th, then made up ground in the cross country race finishing second.

The podium was Demong’s ninth of the season, while Koivuranta hauled in his seventh victory of 2009.

“This was a good day for me; I celebrated my seventh career victory; I had one of my best jumps during the whole season; and I succeeded in a very hard race in one of my biggest ever cross-country fights,” said Koivuranta. “Now I am leading in the overall with 99 points and things look pretty good.”

Koivuranta now leads Moan by a convincing 99 points in the race to the crystal globe, and will only need two points (a 29th place) from the final race tomorrow to take the title should Moan would win the competition. “I won’t celebrate tonight but maybe tomorrow night. I will keep going to do all the things I’ve done before all other races, too,” said Koivuranta. “I want just to stay relaxed and to enjoy the last competition.”

Demong consolidated his third place in the overall standings and cannot be outplaced by fourth place Bjoern Kircheisen of Germany who has a disadvantage of 132 points.

The World Cup nordic combined season concludes tomorrow with a final competition in Vinkersund.