Camerota

USA's nordic combined team, from left, Bill Demong, Johnny Spillane, Todd Lodwick and Brett Camerota celebrate their silver medal in the men's team nordic combined Tuesday.

U.S. men's team pockets first medal in Nordic combined 2010

Lodwick, Demong, normal hill silver medalist Johnny Spillane and Brett Camerota took silver on Tuesday, putting themselves in terrific position with strong ski jumps in the morning and battling through a tough 4x5-kilometer relay as snow fell in Whistler Olympic Park.

U.S. men's team pockets first medal in Nordic combined 2010

Through Camerota, then Lodwick, then Spillane, then Bill Demong.

Now that U.S. is medallist, here's a Nordic combined primer 2010

"I haven't had that many jumps on this hill, but that was my furthest jump," Camerota said.

U.S. men's team pockets first medal in Nordic combined 2010

Brett Camerota, the only member of the U.S. team without a world title, held his own with a strong jump and handed off to Lodwick with a narrow lead after the first leg of the relay.

U.S. men's team pockets first medal in Nordic combined 2010

"We all want the medal so bad," Brett Camerota said.

Now that U.S. is medallist, here's a Nordic combined primer 2010

Camerota was especially pleased with his jump of 133.5 meters (122.3 points), third-best in his group.

U.S. men's team pockets first medal in Nordic combined 2010

BLOG: 'Fourth man' or not, team thrilled with Brett Camerota

U.S. men's team pockets first medal in Nordic combined 2010

Last week, Lodwick questioned the coaches 'decision to ski two-time Olympian Van Loan over 21-year-old first-time Olympian Brett Camerota.

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Brett Camerota placed 28th in the individual for the next-best U.S. result.

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