1. Finland leaped into the lead of the Nordic combined in the jumping portion Thursday, as two-time Olympic defending champion Japan was mediocre and slipped to fifth. 2. Finland grabbed the lead in the Nordic combined after the jumping portion Thursday, as two-time Olympic defending champion Japan was mediocre and slipped to fifth. 3. Heckman, one of four Steamboat Springs skiers on the U.S. combined team, won the jumping portion of the competition on Howelsen Hill. 4. Stecher, who won the jumping portion of the event, lost the seven-second lead he had over Gottwald entering the sprint. |