Bryan FLETCHER

At age 3, Bryan Fletcher was diagnosed with leukemia and the following seven years he was fighting the illness with chemotherapy and suffered a stroke as a consequence. At the same time young Bryan Fletcher discovered ski jumping and a little later, at age six, cross-country skiing. He remembers: "I was hooked from day one. I would divide my time between chemo treatments and the sport, which helped to keep my spirits alive. I would spend two weeks in Denver undergoing treatments and a week in Steamboat, throwing my body off a jump and into the air! Ultimately, this helped me to fight for my life."

After his World Cup debut in Val di Fiemme in 2009, the American constantly improved and was also not stopped by an injury in 2010. He calls the winter 2011 his breakthrough season with his first World Cup victory at Oslo and consistent Top 30 results that made him the most successful American this season.

Besides his ambition in sports it's also important for the resident of Steamboat Springs to stay involved in the fight against cancer. Holidays in the competition break over summer? Not for Bryan Fletcher who is ambitious in his training and also in dedicating his time to various organizations raising money for families affected by leukemia. In 2015, Fletcher founded his own organisation, ccThrive together with other cancer survivors to provide positive role models for childhood cancer victims.