LAKE PLACID, NY ??” After a change of schedule due to uncooperative weather, Matthias Menz of Germany took the midway lead Friday in the Lamb Lumber World Cup B Nordic Combined mass start cross country ski competition.

In Nordic combined mass start, the traditional format of jumping followed by a cross country ski race is reversed. The athletes have a 10 kilometer mass start race (all starting together in seeded positions) and finish with jumping according to the finish of the cross country ski race.

Sebastien Lacroix of France took second in the ski leg of this event. Marcel Hoehlig of Germany currently stands third with American Bill Demong, in the lead pack all the way, in fourth place.

Antii Kusima of Finland was first across the finish line, but was later disqualified for leaving the course.

“I was not that quick on the double-pole. It was a cluster,” said Demong of the 68-skier mass start. “But I stayed with the leaders. I didn??в„ўt feel like I had to win this since ultimately the event is decided on the ski jump results.”

A scheduled 90 meter ski jumping segment was postponed Friday due to heavy snowfall and strong winds.

The event will conclude Saturday morning with a competition off the 90 meter ski jump.

The week??в„ўs program will conclude immediately thereafter with the Lamb Lumber sprint race, which combined one round of ski jumping and a 7.5 kilometer ski race at the Verizon Sports Complex.