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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Author: US Biathlon

  • Back to Back Silver Medals for Campbell Wright at World Championships

    Back to Back Silver Medals for Campbell Wright at World Championships

    Campbell Wright (USA) celebrates his silver medal at the IBU World Championships Biathlon in the men’s pursuit in Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)
    By: Sara Donatello

    After a historic World Championship silver medal in the men’s 10km sprint, Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/Waiorau Nordic Skiing) is back on the podium in Lenzerheide, SUI with yet another silver medal in the men’s 12.5km pursuit. Missing just one target in his first prone stage, Wright went on to clean the final three stages of his race and solidify his second place position.

    “Yesterday after the race I was pretty hyped up, I did not sleep very much last night as you can imagine I was pretty excited,” said Wright after the pursuit. “I got on the start line today and said ‘just enjoy every single meter of this race, man’. I’ve already proven what I needed to prove yesterday that I can really race with these guys and I’m not just a tourist here, but I can actually ski well and shoot well on a good day. I just started this race with nothing to lose and that’s the best place to be.” 

    Campbell Wright (USA) on his way to his second straight silver medal at the IBU World Championships Biathlon, in Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Once again, Wright stood on the podium with World Cup overall leader Johannes Thinges Boe of Norway, who held on to his title of defending world champion. The third-place position was filled this time by Eric Perrot of France, who made the impressive jump from 15th position at the start.

    With the seventh overall ski time, Wright crossed the finish line just a mere 8.6 seconds behind Boe, closing the gap between them by seven seconds on the final lap. He noted that it was not in an effort to beat Boe, but more so to ski away from Perrot, who also cleaned his final shooting stage. With speedy skis and support from Team USA staff and teammates on the course, Wright held Perrot to third by +12.2 seconds.

    Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA/National Guard Biathlon), despite missing four targets on the day, had the 22nd overall ski time to land his third-best result this season in 21st place. Paul Schommer (Appleton, WI/Team Birkie/Ariens Nordic Center) was the biggest mover among U.S. men, jumping 17 positions to land 39th overall. Sean Doherty (Conway, NH/Army World Class Athlete Program) rounded out the U.S. men with a solid 45th-place finish.

    Paul Schommer (USA) during the Men’s Pursuit at the IBU World Championships Biathlon in Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Earlier in the day Chloe Levins (Williston, VT/Unaffiliated) and Lucinda Anderson (Golden Valley, MN/Team Birkie) both moved up in the field in their first-ever World Championship pursuit races. Levins jumped from bib 52 to land in 48th and Anderson from bib 56 to finish 49th.

    A well-deserved training day tomorrow for the U.S. Biathlon Team before the women are back at it on Tuesday, February 18 at 9:05 EST/15:05 CET for the 15km individual. The men’s 20km individual will begin the following day, February 19, at 9:05 EST/15:05 CET.

    Campbell Wright (USA), Johannes Thingnes Boe (NOR), Eric Perrot (FRA), (l-r) – IBU World Championships Biathlon, pursuit men, Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • Campbell Wright Earns Silver Medal at IBU World Championships

    Campbell Wright Earns Silver Medal at IBU World Championships

    Campbell Wright (USA) on his way to second-place in the Men’s Sprint at the IBU World Championships Biathlon in Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Crossing the line just 28 seconds behind the World Cup overall leader Johannes Thinges Boe of Norway, Wright took the second stand, with France’s Quentin Fillon-Maillet completing the podium in third.

    “Coming into the day, I just had all the confidence that I could ski with the top guys,” said Wright in an interview with SVT. “I skied with Ponsiluoma that second loop and felt pretty in control to be honest. I just figured I really gotta hit the targets on standing. I managed to do it, and honestly, I have no words.”

    Campbell Wright (USA) pushes for every second in the Men’s Sprint at the IBU World Championships Biathlon in Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Campbell Wright (USA) celebrates with his fans at the IBU World Championships Biathlon in Lenzerheide (SUI). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Teammate Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA) also hit a World Championship personal best with his 12th place finish. Germain also cleaned his targets, posting a 22nd ski time to set himself up nicely for the pursuit, just +1:08 back from the leading Boe.

    Sean Doherty (Conway, NH/Army World Class Athlete Program), with a 45th overall ski time, raced to 41st, missing just one target in prone and cleaning his standing shoot. Paul Schommer (Appleton, WI/Team Birkie/Ariens Nordic Center) placed all four U.S. men in the top 60 with his 56th place finish, despite three misses on the day. This was Schommer’s first World Championship start since 2023 in Oberhof, GER.

    Campbell Wright (USA) celebrates the first American Men’s podium at IBU World Championships. (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • U.S. Biathlon Announces Women’s Coaching Initiative 

    U.S. Biathlon Announces Women’s Coaching Initiative 
    Midway, UT – U.S. Biathlon announced today the implementation of its Women’s Coaching Initiative, designed to increase the number, experience and visibility of female biathlon coaches in the U.S. and internationally and inspire future generations of female coaches and athletes. This new initiative, building on the coaching apprenticeship opportunities available over the past several years, will provide formal mentorship and professional development opportunities for female coaches from all Nordic backgrounds to gain biathlon coaching experience across all levels.

     

    The U.S. Biathlon Women’s Coaching Initiative will provide female coaches from all Nordic backgrounds – biathlon AND cross-country coaches, wax technicians and former athletes – with opportunities throughout the season to integrate with U.S. Biathlon staff and teams on the ground at domestic and international U.S. Biathlon and IBU events.
    “It is critical that we keep pushing to include more women in staff and support roles at the highest level of racing,” said Kelsey Dickinson, U.S. Biathlon Board Athlete Representative and current U.S. Biathlon Senior National Team athlete. “Having more women coaches will help raise the bar for everyone because a diversity of backgrounds and experience on staff allow a team to be more dynamic. Not only is this good for performance, but increasing the number of women in coaching roles will add to a safe and professional atmosphere for everyone.”

    This career development opportunity is designed to help women with a serious interest in a career in coaching/biathlon improve their skills and learn from the best U.S. Biathlon coaches, wax technicians and support staff. Participants will work with U.S. Biathlon team staff to carry out diverse duties dependent upon experience levels, interests and current team requirements.

    “We are very excited to introduce this program that will encourage and support more women becoming biathlon coaches, which is critical to an inclusive and vibrant sport,” said U.S. Biathlon President & CEO Jack Gierhart. “Our goal is to provide professional development opportunities for women at all levels, along with flexibility that will lower barriers to participating.”

    The Women’s Coaching Initiative Selection Panel, composed of female coaches, athlete representatives and U.S. Biathlon staff, will review each applicant. Applications are due May 29, 2024, by 5pm ET and selected applicants will be announced by June 5, 2024.

    For more information, please click HERE.

    Women’s Coaching Initiative Selection Panel

    • Eileen Carey, U.S. Paralympic Nordic Program Director and Women’s Ski Coaches Board Member
    • Kelsey Dickinson, U.S. Biathlon Athlete Representative & World Cup Athlete, and Women’s Ski Coaches Executive Director
    • Kristen Bourne, U.S. Ski and Snowboard XC D-Team Coach
    • Lowell Bailey, U.S. Biathlon Director of High Performance, World Champion, Olympian
    • Margie Freed, U.S. Biathlon and U.S. Ski Team World Cup Athlete
    • Tim Burke, U.S. Biathlon Director of Athlete Development, Olympian, World Championships Medalist
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • U.S. Biathlon Announces 2024-25 Senior National Team and National Development Group

    U.S. Biathlon Announces 2024-25 Senior National Team and National Development Group
    Midway, Utah – The United States Biathlon Association has released the nominated members of the 2024-25 Senior National Team and 2024-25 National Development Group. While U.S. Biathlon remains committed to maintaining high standards for National Team qualification, it also is focused on providing ample opportunities for developing athletes to train and be part of a larger, collaborative team community within the sport and the development pipeline. Establishing the National Development Group is an important initiative in support of this goal and the organization’s 2030 plan.

    Senior National Team

    A1:

    Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program)

    Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon)

    A3:

    Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut)

    Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

    Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon)

    Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA/National Guard Biathlon)

    Margie Freed (Apple Valley, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

    B:

    Nikolas Burkhart (Olympic Valley, CA/Team Crosscut)

    Grace Castonguay (Jackson, NH/Ethan Allen Biathlon Club)

    Vasek Cervenka (Grand Rapids, MN/National Guard Biathlon)

    Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

    Bjorn Westervelt (Stowe, VT/University of Vermont)

    The National Team is coached by U.S. Biathlon National Team Head Coach Armin Auchentaller, and Assistant Coach Emil Bormetti. Both Auchentaller and Bormetti are heading into their third season coaching the National Team.

    “With the new season coming up, we are excited to offer access to elite training plans and camps to a larger pool of athletes through the Senior National Team and National Development Group,” said U.S. Biathlon National Team Head Coach Armin Auchentaller. “I am looking forward to working with the athletes and hope that they can use this opportunity to continue to improve over the summer and feel prepared for the upcoming 2024-25 race season.”

    The National Development Group aims to support athletes who have not yet met National Team criteria, and provide a pathway that eventually can lead to a National Team nomination. To view the 2024 National Development Group selection criteria, click HERE.

    National Development Group

    Sarah Beaulieu (Fort Fairfield, ME/Auburn Ski Club)

    Cheresa Bouley (Zimmerman, MN/Minnesota Biathlon)

    Luke Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

    Travis Cooper (Kenai, AK/National Guard Biathlon)

    Lina Farra (Heber City, UT/NYSEF)

    Anna French (Plymouth, MN/Team Altius)

    Jackie Garso (Lake Clear, NY/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

    Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, VT/National Guard Biathlon)

    Michaela Keller-Miller (Plymouth, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

    Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT/Team Crosscut)

    Lexie Madigan (Truckee, CA/Auburn Ski Club)

    Eli Nielsen (Stehekin, WA/National Guard Biathlon)

    Dolcie Tanguay (Fort Kent, ME/Paul Smith’s College)

    “We are incredibly excited to expand U.S. Biathlon coaching and team support to a larger group of athletes,” said U.S. Biathlon Director of High Performance Lowell Bailey. “As we continue to see growth in domestic participation, and improvement in international results, it is evermore important that U.S. Biathlon assists athletes at all levels of the development pipeline. The National Team will always sit at the top of that pipeline, but it’s important that aspiring athletes have a pathway and support on their way to the top. The National Development Group provides that “bridge.” Congratulations to all of the nominees and I am looking forward to another great training year to come.”

    *Please note that the team naming is subject to change pending final board approval.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • U.S. Biathlon Announces 2024-25 Junior National Team

    U.S. Biathlon Announces 2024-25 Junior National Team
    Midway, Utah – The United States Biathlon Association released the selected members of the Junior National Team for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

    Junior National Team

    Virginia Cobb (Westford, VT/Ethan Allen Biathlon Club)

    Mirra Payson (Lexington, MA/HSC Biathlon)

    Haley Finch (Anchorage, AK/Alaska Winter Stars)

    Wes Campbell (Park City, UT/ Team Soldier Hollow)

    Thor Sheppard (West Yellowstone, MT/Team Altius)

    Cale Woods (Bozeman, MT/Team Crosscut)

    Elias Soule (Anchorage, AK/Anchorage Biathlon Club)

    John Lohuis (Anchorage, AK/Biathlon Alaska)

    “We are happy to announce the names of the exceptional athletes who have earned their place on the Junior National Biathlon Team, marking the highest domestic level of achievement in youth and junior development,” said U.S Biathlon Director of Athlete Development Tim Burke. “As in the past, this team’s reach will continue beyond those named to the Junior National Team, as we will include additional athletes at team training camps to create a balanced training environment.”

    Coach Brian Halligan will oversee the Junior National Team for the 2024-25 season. Halligan is heading into his third season coaching the Junior National Team, serving his first season as head coach last season.

     

    “I am really excited to work with this year’s Junior National Team,” said Junior National Team Head Coach Brian Halligan. “We are beginning to see some great depth in our Youth and Junior fields and I feel the athletes who have been selected for the JNT this year not only possess great talent, but will work hard and continue to grow as they mature as athletes and humans. After all, that is what this team is about: growth and development.”

    “It’s great to see that many of our current Junior National Team members have come through the U.S. Biathlon development pipeline by participating in U.S. Biathlon’s Regional Select Camps and Elite Development camps,” added Burke. “I look forward to seeing these programs continue to grow.”
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Inaugural 2024 U.S. Biathlon Collegiate Nationals Sets the Tone for Future Events

    Inaugural 2024 U.S. Biathlon Collegiate Nationals Sets the Tone for Future Events

    (Photo by Ana Paradis)
    The inaugural U.S. Biathlon Collegiate National Championships took place March 22, 2024 at the Fort Kent Outdoor Center in Fort Kent, Maine, in conjunction with the 2024 U.S. Biathlon National Championships. Twelve collegiate athletes representing six colleges and universities from around the Northeast traveled to Fort Kent to race and represent their respective schools.

    Friday’s U.S. Nationals sprint race doubled as the Collegiate Nationals sprint race, where athlete standings were counted towards both events. Crystal trophies were awarded to the top three athletes for both women and men, and the top three collegiate teams, determined by combining the best two athletes’ scores from each team.

    “What a great weekend in Fort Kent,” said U.S. Biathlon Director of Sport Development John Farra. “I am very pleased that the Collegiate Championships were a success! The intent was to provide recognition to those athletes who are in a course of study at a collegiate institution and who define themselves as biathletes, as well as provide recognition to the schools that are supporting their sporting efforts. These collegiate institutions are helping us in our sport development efforts, and we got to celebrate that in Fort Kent.”

    Grace Castonguay, currently a senior at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, claimed the historic Collegiate National Championships title for the women. Castonguay raced to a time of 29:43, missing just one target in prone and three in standing. Hannah Chipman of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, took home second place, covering the course in 31:36 with just three misses on the day. Dolcie Tanguay, racing for Paul Smith’s College out of Paul Smith’s, New York, finished in third with a time of 32:32, mirroring Chipman on the range with three misses.

    (Photo by Ana Paradis)
    “It was really fun and special to be recognized as a college athlete, as well as a biathlete, this past weekend,” said Castonguay. “Collegiate ski racing has influenced a lot of my development and progress as a biathlete and has been a major part of my identity for the past three years, so it was nice to recognize its role in my biathlon journey.”

    On the men’s side, Bjorn Westervelt, a senior at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont, won the historic Collegiate National Championships title for the men with a time of 30:50, despite six misses on the range. Paul Smith’s College saw three athletes on the individual podiums with teammates Aiden Ripp and Diego Schillaci claiming second and third in the men’s category. Ripp raced the 10km course in 34:08 with Schillaci on his heels with a time of 35:43.

    (Photo by Ana Paradis)
    Paul Smith’s College continued their podium success in the team category as the team of Tanguay, Ripp, Scillaci, Brady Miller and Kaisa Bosek took home the title with the top collective team score. Saint Michael’s College athletes Castonguay and Evelyn Hudrlik stood on the podium in second place with the local team of Bridget Reusch and Caleb Hunter of University of Maine at Fort Kent raising their flag in third. The University of Vermont placed fourth, Dartmouth College in fifth and St. Lawrence University finished in sixth place.

    Westervelt added, “I think it’s awesome that U.S. Biathlon is highlighting all the student athletes out there that balance being university students and competing in high level athletics at the same!”

    (Photo by Ana Paradis)
    “It was so exciting to not only be a part of the first ever U.S. Biathlon College National Championships but to also take home the National Championship title,” said Paul Smith’s College Head Biathlon Coach Matt Dougherty. “I was so happy not only for the Paul Smith’s athletes but all the collegiate athletes who had this opportunity to compete and be recognized for their hard work, dedication and effort through their college careers.”

    “Getting to share the podium for the overall team score with Evelyn, my college teammate, was really special,” added Castonguay, “and I know it made the rest of our team at Saint Michael’s College very proud.”

    This inaugural Collegiate Biathlon National Championships marked the beginning of what will be an exciting annual event for all current and future collegiate biathletes to represent their respective colleges and universities. For the past four years, U.S. Biathlon has worked closely with Paul Smith’s College as the Official Education Partner of U.S. Biathlon, committed to growing the visibility and opportunity for collegiate biathletes. Not only were they an integral part in the success of the Collegiate National Championships event, but they further proved the success of their own biathlon program in Fort Kent.

    “In late 2020, Paul Smith’s College announced a unique partnership with U.S. Biathlon and four years later we had a Collegiate National Championship. It’s a great reward for the entire community of biathlon,” added Dougherty. “This is also a testament to Paul Smith’s College and everyone who supported the development of the biathlon program at Paul Smith’s. We knew there was a need for a place dedicated to helping biathletes develop and obtain a world class degree at the same time. All the campus’ support made this possible and it’s a testament to what Paul Smith’s College stands for world class results from a small school in the woods. We are excited to help grow the college ranks for biathlon and hopefully serve as inspiration for other colleges to follow suit.”

    “This has become an important initiative as we aim to give credibility to those institutions who recruit biathletes as Nordic ski racers and support their desire to juggle both sports, while also giving credibility to those biathletes who may not be competing for a Collegiate institution in skiing, but are committed to working towards a degree while training and competing in both cross-country skiing and biathlon,” added Farra. “There are many ways to achieve one’s sporting and high education goals and we had a great representation of that in Fort Kent.”
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • 2023-24 World Cup Season Wraps Up in Canmore

    2023-24 World Cup Season Wraps Up in Canmore

    Margie Freed (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, sprint women, Canmore (CAN). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    The final weekend of BMW IBU World Cup racing wrapped up in Canmore, Alberta in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The clear, sunny skies saw athletes transform their race suits into makeshift shorts and t-shirts, making the heat a bit more bearable for the final sprint, pursuit and mass start races of the 2023-24 season. Team USA ended the season on a high note with much to look forward to for the 2024-25 season ahead.

    The weekend kicked off with the final women’s 7.5km sprint of the season on Thursday, where Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) led the team with a 26th place finish, shooting a perfect 10 for 10, to qualify for Saturday’s 10km pursuit. Margie Freed (Apple Valley, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) landed in 74th with just misses on the range. Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT/Team Crosscut) followed Freed in 81st place, hitting nine of ten targets, and Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) rounded out the group in 90th place with two misses in standing.

    In Friday’s men’s 10km sprint, Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) finished in 28th, after putting three shots wide on the range. Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) joined Wright in the top 40 to score World Cup points, racing to 36th place with just one miss on the day. Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) and Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) just missed out on Saturday’s pursuit, finishing in 70th and 73rd, respectively.

    Jake Brown (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, pursuit men, Canmore (CAN). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    Saturday’s pursuit was Irwin’s day. Extending her clean shooting streak to 30 out of 30 on the weekend, she jumped 14 places from bib 26 to finish the day in 12th place, her top pursuit result of the season and first pursuit clean shooting. Wright moved up the leaderboards as well, jumping from 28th to 18th with just one miss in the range. Brown stayed consistent, finishing the day where he started in 36th with four misses on the day and the 18th ski time overall, scoring valuable Nations Cup points in his last start of the season.

    Due to her outstanding performance in the sprint and pursuit, Irwin received bib 29 in Sunday’s 12.5km mass start, her second mass start of the season. She continued her clean shooting streak through the first stage, but three misses in her second stage and one miss in her final standing shoot landed her in 27th. Irwin ended the season in 38th in the World Cup overall standing, her highest placement thus far in her career.

    With the 2023-24 BMW IBU World Cup season in the rearview mirror, athletes now head their ways with many traveling to Fort Kent, Maine for one final race weekend at the 2024 U.S. Biathlon National Championships and inaugural U.S. Biathlon Collegiate National Championships, March 22-24. To find all World Cup results and standings, visit biathlonworld.com/results. For information on the upcoming U.S. Biathlon National and Collegiate National Championships, visit usbiathlon.org/national-events-calendar.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Irwin Finishes 12th in Final Pursuit of the Season

    Irwin Finishes 12th in Final Pursuit of the Season

    Deedra Irwin (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, pursuit women, Canmore (CAN). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) rounds out this season’s pursuit races with a stellar 12th place finish, just one of two athletes in the pool of 60 to shoot a perfect 20 for 20 in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Irwin, jumping 14 places from bib 26, crossed the line in 12th, just +1:23.1 behind the pursuit victor Lisa Vittozzi of Italy, who shot 19 for 20.

    “It feels amazing to shoot clean in the last pursuit of the year,” said Irwin. “I’m happy it was enough to get me into the mass start and it’s always exciting to get another opportunity to race and score points. I’m definitely feeling pretty fatigued on the course, but the wax crew is doing an amazing job of giving me competitive skis.”

    Her first World Cup pursuit clean and second clean shooting in a four stage race this season, the first taking place in the mass start in Lenzerheide, Switzerland in December 2023, Irwin has proven mentally tough as the long season is coming to a close. The veteran athlete has shot a perfect 30 for 30 in both the sprint and pursuit races, putting her in a position to race in her second mass start of the season in Canmore.

    ”Armin, Emil and I have been working really hard after a shaky start to the trimester with my standing shooting,” Irwin added. “I’m so happy I’ve been able to get over that mental hump on the range and clean all my stages so far this weekend.”

    Later in the day, Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) and Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) toed the line for their final pursuit race of the season, wearing bib 28 and 36.

    Campbell Wright (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, pursuit men, Canmore (CAN). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    Wright, missing just one shot in his final standing shoot, was back up in the top 20 with a 19th place finish, +2:42.3 behind the pursuit victor Johannes Thinges Boe of Norway. Brown, who headed into his final shoot 14 for 15, felt the pressure and ended up missing three targets. Though, with an 18th ski time overall, Brown’s three added penalty loops only dropped him to 36th at the finish line.

    With the final day of World Cup racing ahead, Irwin will start the women’s 12.5km mass start wearing bib 29 at 1:10 ET/11:10 MT, with the men’s 15km mass start to follow at 5:10 ET/3:10 MT. Information on how to watch can be found at usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. For spectator resources, visit usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Flowers For Campbell Wright At Home World Cup

    Flowers For Campbell Wright At Home World Cup

    Jake Brown (USA), Campbell Wright (USA), Armin Auchentaller (ITA), Coach Team USA, Maxime Germain (USA), Kelsey Joan Dickinson (USA), (l-r) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, sprint men, Soldier Hollow (USA). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.

    Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) rewrites his World Cup personal best for the fourth time this season at home at Soldier Hollow with a sixth place finish in the men’s 10km sprint, a ticket to his first World Cup flower ceremony. Shooting nine for ten, Wright crossed the line just 20 seconds behind the leading Frenchman Eric Perrot and seven seconds back from a podium finish.

    “The home World Cup has greatly exceeded my expectations,” Wright said, “I’ve been on a roll recently, but I am aware that the roll can end aggressively at any point, so I am just enjoying today and look to do the same tomorrow.”

    Perrot was joined on the podium by French teammate Emilien Jacquelin and Norwegian Johan-Olav Botn, with Sturla Holm Laegreid also of Norway and Sebastian Samuelsson of Sweden being the only two who crossed the line with a time better than that of Wright.

    Wright started in bib five today, with World Cup overall leader Johannes Thinges Boe hot on his heels in bib six. “My race plan was when [Boe] catches you, not if he catches you, but when, just hold on,”  Wright said after the race, “So when I looked back and didn’t see him I thought, ‘I am doing quite well right now.’”

    With this sprint result, Wright extends his top-20 streak to 12 races across World Cup and World Championship competitions and jumps to 30th in this season’s sprint standings and 33rd in the World Cup overall standings.

    The rest of the men’s team carried Wright’s momentum, with all four U.S. men qualifying for Sunday’s pursuit, along with Margie Freed (Apple Valley, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) on the women’s side. Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) finished in 44th, Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) in 50th and Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA/National Guard Biathlon) in 56th.

    The final day of racing at Soldier Hollow will kick off with the women’s 10km pursuit at 10:00 MT/12:00 ET, followed by the men’s 12.5km pursuit at 11:50 MT/1:50 ET. For information on how to watch, visit usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. For spectator resources, visit usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • U.S. Men’s Relay Team Makes History at Home

    U.S. Men’s Relay Team Makes History at Home

    Jake Brown (USA), Sean Doherty (USA), Vincent Bonacci (USA), Campbell Wright (USA), (l-r) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, relay men, Soldier Hollow (USA). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    The men’s 4×7.5km relay kicked off the Soldier Hollow BMW IBU World Cup with the U.S. Biathlon Team racing to an historic fourth place finish, the best-ever U.S. finish on home soil in the discipline. The quartet of Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut), Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon), Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) and Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) each put on world class performances both on the range and on skis to achieve this milestone in front of a home crowd.

    Starting in bib 14,, Bonacci kicked off the race with a phenomenal lead leg, shooting clean and tagging off to Doherty in third place, just 10 seconds off the leaders. Bonacci, who is a native of Salt Lake City, Utah, wanted to “put it on for my city”. The local fans showed up, filling every corner of the course, making sure the team could feel the support.

    “We had more fans than the last time the World Cup was here,” Doherty said after the race, “Real home crowd feeling, I have to say I love it. It was fun, we put on a good show which is what we always aim to do.” 

    Doherty continued pushing, staying with the leaders and, after using just three spares on the range, tagged off to Wright in fifth place. Wright, as we have seen time and time again, had a spectacular leg, only needing one spare round in prone and cleaning his standing shoot to push the team up to second place at the third and final exchange. Brown, despite having to ski one penalty lap, kept his calm and pushed to the limit on his final lap, fending off a late charge from the Swedish team, to secure the team a fourth place finish.

    “My favorite spot was out on cabin hill. I went by the fans and they were chanting ‘Jake, Jake, Jake,’ which was pretty surreal,” Brown said just after finishing, “I had never had something like that before, so that was really cool.” 

    The team crossed the line just +1.30 off the leading Norwegian team of Sturla Holm Laegreid, Tarjei Boe, Johannes Thinges Boe and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen. Norway was joined on the podium by Italy’s Patrick Braunhofer, Tommaso Giacomel, Didier Bionaz and Lukas Hofer, and Germany’s Justus Strelow, Johannes Kuehn, Benedikt Doll and Philipp Nawrath.

    *The best-ever U.S. men’s relay finish took place in Ruhpolding Germany in 1988, where the team of J. Thompson, C. Schreiner, D. Binning and L. Nelson raced to third place.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Wright Hits First World Cup Top Ten With Eighth Place Finish in Oslo

    Wright Hits First World Cup Top Ten With Eighth Place Finish in Oslo

    Campbell Wright (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, individual men, Oslo (NOR). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) rewrites his World Cup personal best for the third time this season with an eighth place finish in the men’s 20km individual to kick off the third trimester of racing in Oslo, Norway. At 21 years old, Wright shot a near perfect 19 for 20, which propelled him to just +0.15 back from a spot in the flower ceremony and +0.54 back from a podium finish.

    “It was tough skiing on the first few loops, but it got better for me and I was able to hit the targets,” said Wright. “It was great, I loved it. Ten out of ten from me!”

    Wright’s time was +1.59.8 behind the individual victor Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway, who shot a perfect 20 for 20. It was a familiar Norwegian sweep as Laegreid was joined on the podium by Tarjei Boe and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen.

    Wright’s eighth place finish was his first-ever World Cup top-10 and a 12 spot jump from his 20th place in the individual at World Championships just two weeks ago. It also extends Wright’s streak of top-20 performances that dates back to his single mixed relay ninth place finish with Deedra Irwin in Antholz, Italy. Since then his results have consisted of 11th, 12th, 20th, 7th, 5th, 18th and the most recent 8th in Oslo.

    “Campbell had a great race,” said U.S. Biathlon Head Coach Armin Auchentaller. “He opened up with a good pace and kept his ski speed consistent until the end. On the range, it was a world class performance. The combination of his ski speed and the precise, fast shooting brought him into the top 10. We are all very excited about this one!”

    Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) crossed the line in 53rd with five misses on the day. Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) made it three U.S. men in the top 60, finishing 60th, despite having to change his ski during the race. Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) struggled on the range with seven missed targets, but managed to keep up his ski speed and land in 72nd.

    “The ski speed was satisfying for Sean, Vincent and Jake,” added Auchentaller. “Vincent was unlucky with a ski he had to change during the race, but all in all a good race.”

    Earlier in the day, the women battled more fog and rain, making for tough course conditions. Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) landed the top result amongst the U.S. women crossing the line in 51st with four misses. Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT/Team Crosscut) followed suit with four misses and crossed the line in 76th. Margie Freed (Apple Valley, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project), finishing 84th, is back to racing the IBU World Cup circuit after taking time to compete in the recent Cross-country World Cups in Canmore, Canada and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, VT/National Guard Biathlon) did not race in the individual.

    Racing continues tomorrow with the women’s 12.5km mass start set to begin at 7:20 ET/1:20 CET, with the men’s 15km mass start to follow at 9:20 ET/3:20 CET. For information on how to watch, visit usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. Spectator resources can be found at usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.
  • 2024 BMW IBU World Championships Preview

    2024 BMW IBU World Championships Preview
    Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, will host the 2024 BMW IBU World Championships.

    After two training weeks in Italy, the U.S. Biathlon Team is geared up for the 2024 BMW IBU World Championships in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. The two week event features 12 different races, giving each athlete multiple opportunities for success and fans a taste of each biathlon discipline. Racing will kick off with the mixed relay on Wednesday, February 7.

    Looking back at past World Championship highlights, only a handful of U.S. athletes have personally experienced the feeling of winning a medal at the event, but Lowell Bailey, U.S. Biathlon Director of High Performance, is the sole U.S. athlete who has stood on top of the podium. Back in 2017, one of the last athletes to start the men’s 20km individual, Bailey had the race of his life, shooting a perfect 20 for 20, and clinching the gold medal by just 3.3 seconds.

    Reflecting on his experience, Bailey said, “World Championships is the pinnacle of the season, but that doesn’t mean that an athlete should do something different from what they’ve done all season long. The key to success at the big events is not varying from what you have spent so much time training to do; all you have to do is go out and execute the skills you’ve already built.”

    The U.S. Biathlon Team has racked up impressive results, continuously improving throughout the season. Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) has built up momentum from personal best results in the sprint and mass start events earlier this season in Lenzerheide, with her top ski speed and shooting accuracy proving to be a consistent piece of the puzzle in relays. Most recently, Irwin teamed up with Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) to finish ninth place in the single-mixed relay in Antholz, Italy.

    Jackie Garso (Lake Clear, NY/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) will race in her first World Championships after achieving a World Cup personal best in Antholz, finishing 66th in the women’s short individual. Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT/Team Crosscut) is coming off one of her best race weeks, shooting a perfect 100% at the 2024 IBU Open European Championships in Brezno-Osrblie, Slovakia, and racing to a personal best 28th place in the women’s individual.

    Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, VT/National Guard Biathlon) will race in her second biathlon World Championships after a strong individual performance at Open European Championships, achieving a season best result. Filling the World Championships spot left by Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA/Craftsbury Green Racing Project), who will take time to focus on health and recovery, Lina Farra (Heber City, UT/NYSEF) will also race her first IBU World Championships.

    Wright, racing in his third World Championships and first wearing red, white and blue, came out of the second trimester with a World Cup personal best 12th in the sprint and 17th in the pursuit in Ruhpolding, two of his three top results on the circuit. Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) had a standout performance at Open European Championships, skiing to sixth place, his second of the season, breaking up a Norwegian top-six sweep in the men’s individual. This will be Bonacci’s second World Championships appearance.

    With an individual 10th place finish at Open European Championships, placing two U.S. men in the top 10, Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA/National Guard Biathlon) is showing solid ski speed and shooting coming into his second World Championships. Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) leads the U.S. Biathlon Team in international racing experience, competing in his eighth World Championships. Rounding out the roster, Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project), racing in his fourth World Championships, currently holds the top World Championships result amongst this year’s U.S. Team heading into Nove Mesto.

    “I think Nove Mesto will be a special one for the team,” said Brown. “I think we’re ready to go!”

    It is guaranteed to be an exciting two weeks of racing, so be sure to tune in to the livestream, follow live results on the IBU app and follow along on social media. For all information on how to watch, visit usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. For spectator information, visit usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.

    2024 BMW IBU World Championships – Nove Mesto Na Morave, Czech Republic

    February 7

    Mixed Relay (M+W) 11:20 EST/ 5:20 CET

    February 9

    Women’s 7.5km Sprint 11:20 EST/ 5:20 CET

    February 10

    Men’s 10km Sprint 11:05 EST/ 5:05 CET

    February 11

    Women’s 10km Pursuit 8:30 EST/ 2:30 CET

    Men’s 12.5km Pursuit 11:05 EST/ 5:05 CET

    February 13

    Women’s 15km Individual 11:10 EST/ 5:10 CET

    February 14

    Men’s 20km Individual 11:20 EST/ 5:20 CET

    February 15

    Single Mixed Relay (M+W) 12:00 EST/ 6:00 CET

    February 17

    Women’s 4x6km Relay 7:45 EST/ 1:45 CET

    Men’s 4×7.5km Relay 10:30 EST/ 4:30 CET

    February 18

    Women’s 12.5km Mass Start 8:15 EST/ 2:15 CET

    Men’s 15km Mass Start 10:30 EST/ 4:30 CET
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    U.S. Biathlon Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Irwin and Wright Speed to Ninth Place in Single Mixed Relay

    Irwin and Wright Speed to Ninth Place in Single Mixed Relay

    Campbell Wright (USA) and Deedra Irwin (USA), IBU World Cup Biathlon, single mixed relay, Antholz, Italy. (Photo: Manzoni/NordicFocus)
    Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) and Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) skied to a ninth place finish in the single mixed relay at the sixth World Cup of the season in Antholz, Italy. Between the pair, both Irwin and Wright held top-10 ski times throughout the race, finishing only four seconds back from the eighth place Estonia and 30 seconds back from a top-five finish.

    “It felt good to ski with everyone today and be in the mix,” said Irwin. “I think we pulled together a great race. The wax techs did an amazing job with the skis. Antholz really showed off her beauty today!”

    Despite having to ski a penalty loop each, Irwin and Wright landed just +1.09.5 behind Germany’s leading pair of Vanessa Voigt and Justus Strelow, who used just one spare round. Germany was joined on the podium by Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen of Norway and Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser and Simon Eder.

    Of the two single mixed relays this season, Team USA has placed in the top 10 each time. Back in November in Oestersund, Sweden, the pair of Irwin and Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) skied to an eighth place finish, cleaning their prone shoots and only using three spare rounds in standing. Just two months later, Irwin and Wright placed ninth with two added penalty loops, further proving the USA to be dangerous competition.

    The third and final single mixed relay of the season will take place on January 15 at the 2024 World Championships in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. Team USA will be looking to top their best finish and continue delivering top ski times. For information on how to watch, visit https://usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. For spectator resources, visit https://usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Wright Sprints to World Cup Personal Best

    Wright Sprints to World Cup Personal Best

    Campbell Wright (USA) finished a career best 12th in the IBU World Cup Biathlon Sprint in Ruhpolding, Germany. (Photo: Manzoni/NordicFocus)
    Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) raced to a World Cup personal best 12th place in the men’s 10km sprint in Ruhpolding, Germany, his second race of the weekend. With only one miss in standing, Wright crossed the finish line just 0.9 seconds behind Philipp Horn of Germany.

    “I’m feeling really good on the skis,” said Wright. “Great contrast from Oestersund when I was 100th ski time, so good progression. Just loving it.”

    Wright was +50.1 behind the sprint victor, Vetle Christiansen of Norway, who shot clean. Christiansen was joined on the podium by Tommaso Giacomel of Italy and Norwegian teammate Tarjei Boe. Feeding off the energy from his stellar relay leg on Thursday, Wright was able to re-write his previous World Cup personal best 15th from the 2021/22 season in Antholz, Italy.

    “Campbell had a really smart race today,” said U.S. Biathlon Team Head Coach Armin Auchentaller. “On the first loop he had Tarjei Boe in front of him and we kept telling him to stay in the draft, which allowed him to save energy for the second loop, where he had one of the best course times. He stayed relaxed and did a good job on the range with a fast shooting time. I am very proud of him.”

    Jake Brown (Saint Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) skied to 57th, shooting clean in prone and missing just one target in standing. Brown will race with Wright in tomorrow’s pursuit. Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) hit nine of ten targets and finished in 66th. Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) did not start in the sprint.

    Racing will kick off tomorrow with Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) racing in the women’s 10km pursuit set to begin at 6:30 ET/12:30 CET. Wright and Brown will follow suit in the men’s 12.5km pursuit at 8:45 ET/2:45 CET. For information on how to watch, visit usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. For spectator resources, visit usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • Oberhof Racing Concludes With Solid Performance from Women’s Relay Team

    Oberhof Racing Concludes With Solid Performance from Women’s Relay Team

    The U.S. Biathlon women’s team with Armin Auchentaller, Emil Bormetti and Lucia Biermaier following the women’s relay in Oberhof, Germany.
    After a delayed start to the race weekend in Oberhof, Germany with rain and strong winds creating challenging conditions for the athletes, the U.S. Biathlon Team was able to pull off clean shooting, pursuit qualifications and strong relay performances. The focus now turns to this weekend’s races in Ruhpolding, Germany, which will kick off with the women’s relay on Wednesday, followed by the men’s relay, sprint and pursuit races, spread over five days.

    In the opening sprint race in Oberhof, Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT/ Team Crosscut) impressed with a clean shooting in her first race of the World Cup season. Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI / Army World Class Athlete Program) skied to 46th after three misses in the standing shoot to qualify for the 10km pursuit. Irwin finished 49th in the pursuit hitting 16 of 20 targets.

    The highlight of the weekend came on Sunday, with the team of Jackie Garso (Lake Clear, NY / Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA / Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Irwin and Levins fighting for a top 10 in the women’s relay. Each athlete put in an impressive leg to finish in 11th, and are eagerly looking towards the opening relay in Ruhpolding.

    The men’s team qualified three athletes in the pursuit for the second straight World Cup. In the 10km sprint, Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN / Craftsbury Green Racing Project) led the group in 46th, with Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH / National Guard Biathlon) and Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL / U.S. Biathlon) following in 54th and 58th. Wright made up the most ground in the pursuit, jumping 21 spots to finish 37th with two missed shots. Doherty followed suit, gaining 11 places to cross the line in 43rd, with Brown rounding out the bunch in 55th.

    Sean Doherty (USA), Miha Dovzan (SLO), Tero Seppala (FIN), (l-r) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, pursuit men in Oberhof, Germany. (Photo: Thibaut/NordicFocus)
    World Cup 5 in Ruhpolding will feature the women’s team of Irwin, Dickinson, Levins and Garso and the men’s team of Doherty, Brown, Wright and Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT / Team Crosscut). For information on the IBU App and live stream, visit www.usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. For spectator resources, please visit usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources.

    World Cup 5 – Ruhpolding, Germany

    January 10

    Women’s 4x6km Relay 8:30 EST/ 2:30 CET

    January 11

    Men’s 4×7.5km Relay 8:30 EST/ 2:30 CET

    January 12

    Women’s 7.5km Sprint 8:30 EST/ 2:30 CET

    January 13

    Men’s 10km Sprint 8:30 EST/ 2:30 CET

    January 14

    Women’s 10km Pursuit 6:30 EST/ 12:30 CET

    Men’s 12.5km Pursuit 8:45 EST/ 2:45 CET
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
  • USBA—Standout Weekend In Lenzerheide to Wrap Up First Trimester

    USBA—Standout Weekend In Lenzerheide to Wrap Up First Trimester
    The first trimester of the IBU World Cup concluded this past weekend in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Team USA’s Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) stepped up and had the best weekend of her career, landing eighth in the sprint on Thursday. The last time U.S. Biathlon had an athlete in the top ten was in 2022 when Irwin skied to seventh place in the individual event at the Olympics in Beijing.

    Irwin, who shot clean in the sprint, was followed by teammate Grace Castonguay (Jackson, NH/Ethan Allen Biathlon Club) in 74th with one miss, skiing to a World Cup personal best after making her debut in Hochfilzen. Jackie Garso (Lake Clear, NY/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) finished in 80th with three misses in standing. Irwin continued to have a strong weekend, finishing 21st in Saturday’s pursuit after only two missed shots in her first stop in prone. In Sunday’s mass start, Irwin shot 20 for 20, the first of her World Cup career, landing her in 13th to round out the weekend.

    “Just incredible to have two of my races go clean. It’s just unreal. It’s really just a dream come true to have all of this come together,” said Irwin. “The wax team did such an amazing job and my coaches did an amazing job preparing me, so to be able to share this weekend with so many amazing people who have helped me get to this point is just so cool. I can’t wait to come back to Lenzerheide next year for World Championships!”

    Friday’s men’s 10km sprint brought a strong showing by the U.S. men’s team. Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) led the group in 27th with one missed shot. Jake Brown (Saint Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) finished neck and neck in 48th and 49th to both qualify for Saturday’s pursuit, Bonacci’s first World Cup pursuit qualification. Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) finishing just out of pursuit contention in 72nd with two misses on the day.

    In Saturday’s pursuit, Doherty skied to 37th place after one miss in each of his four shooting bouts. Bonacci followed suit, also missing four, finishing 48th. Brown did not start the pursuit.

    The first trimester has brought World Cup debuts, personal bests, clean shooting and stellar performances. During the World Cup premier in Östersund, Sweden, Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) raced to a personal best 36th in the women’s individual, where Margie Freed made her World Cup debut. Irwin’s 8th place, clean shooting and feature in the mass start, and Bonacci’s 48th place and pursuit qualification in Lenzerheide highlighted the weekend’s results.

    The U.S. Biathlon Team will now head into a well-deserved holiday break before the second trimester of World Cup racing begins in Oberhof, Germany on January 4. Highlighting the new year will be World Championships taking place February 7-18 in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, and March 8-10 will bring the IBU World Cup back to home soil for the first time since 2019. The top biathletes will be racing at Soldier Hollow in the second-to-last race weekend of the season, which is sure to be a spectacle. For information on the Soldier Hollow World Cup, check out https://ibuworldcuputah.com/.

    Sean Doherty (USA) leads Vladimir Iliev (BUL) in the IBU World Cup Biathlon, pursuit men in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo: Manzoni/NordicFocus)
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
    Visit our Website
  • First Mass Start of the Season, First World Cup 20/20 for Irwin

    First Mass Start of the Season, First World Cup 20/20 for Irwin
    After two solid days of racing in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) found herself amongst the top 30 female biathletes in the world in the first mass start of the season. Adding to her list of World Cup personal bests, Irwin shot her first perfect 20/20.

    “Emil [Bormetti] and Armin [Auchentaller] gave me an amazing pep talk last night,” said Irwin. “We tried to focus on coming into this race with less nerves and focusing on one thing at a time. It feels incredible to have it all come together. My first 20/20 on the World Cup and in a mass start! I couldn’t ask for a more perfect day.”

    Deedra Irwin (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, mass start women, Lenzerheide (SUI). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    Irwin crossed the line in 13th, just +1.27.9 behind the leader, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet of France, who swept the weekend by also winning the sprint and pursuit races. Braisaz-Bouchet was joined on the podium by Swedish sisters Elvira and Hanna Oeberg.

    Coming into the mass start, Irwin raced to a World Cup best eighth in the sprint, cleaning both rounds of shooting. In the pursuit, the nerves showed in the first round of shooting with two misses, but she was able to shoot clean the rest of the way and finish 21st. Irwin currently sits in 27th on the World Cup total score with 93 points, which landed her bib 27 in the mass start.

    The coming weeks will be a well-deserved rest period for the U.S. Biathlon Team. World Cup racing will resume after the new year on January 4 in Oberhof, Germany. The weekend will feature another round of sprint, pursuit and mass start races to kick off the second trimester.

    Deedra Irwin (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, pursuit women, Lenzerheide (SUI). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
    Visit our Website
  • Top World Cup Result Qualifies Bonacci for Pursuit

    Top World Cup Result Qualifies Bonacci for Pursuit
    A stellar performance from Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) landed him a World Cup personal best 49th place in the men’s 10km sprint in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. With just one miss in standing, Bonacci qualified for his first World Cup pursuit.

    “I am happy to have had a World Cup where I didn’t really feel stressed to race, and was just happy to have some sun and mountain air to go for a fun race in,” said Bonacci. “It’s super cool to be in the top 60 with Jake and Sean as well and I am excited for the race tomorrow.”

    Bonacci’s time was +2.30 behind the sprint victor, Benedikt Doll of Germany, who shot a perfect 10/10. Doll was joined on the podium by Johannes Thingnes Boe of Norway and German teammate Philipp Nawrath.

    This season has been one of notable improvements for Bonacci. Today’s 49th place was a 17-spot jump from his previous World Cup personal best 66th in last season’s sprint at the World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. Two weekends ago, at the IBU Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland, Bonacci also jumped 16 spots to claim 6th place in the individual and a spot in the flower ceremony.

    Team USA teammates Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) and Jake Brown (Saint Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) also qualified for the pursuit. Doherty finished in 27th place with one miss standing, and Brown finished only one second ahead of Bonacci in 48th, with two misses in standing. Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) crossed the line in 72nd with one miss in both prone and standing.

    Doherty, Brown, Bonacci and Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) will race in tomorrow’s pursuits. Irwin will kick the day off wearing bib eight in the women’s 10km pursuit set to begin at 6:45 ET/12:45 CET, followed by the men’s pursuit at 8:40 ET/2:40 CET. Live stream can be found at eurovisionsports.tv/ibu/.

    Vincent Bonacci (USA) – IBU World Cup Biathlon, sprint men, Hochfilzen (AUT). www.nordicfocus.com. © Manzoni/NordicFocus.
    About U.S. Biathlon

    As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

    Media Contact

    Sara Donatello

    saradonatello@usbiathlon.org

    +1 (518) 524-5354
    Visit our Website
  • Clean Shooting Propels Irwin to Eighth in Lenzerheide

    Clean Shooting Propels Irwin to Eighth in Lenzerheide
    Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) raced to a World Cup-best eighth place in the women’s 7.5km sprint, kicking off the first-ever World Cup in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. She landed just one spot off her career-best seventh place from the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, an historic finish for U.S. Biathlon.

    “Emil and Armin really helped me put together a good ski plan for the race the past couple of days, and I really felt confident on the range all week,” said Irwin. “Fede, Gio and the wax team gave me amazing skis today. Honestly, we’ve all been saying it since Östersund that I have all the puzzle pieces and just had to fit them all together on the same day. Today was that day. It was a perfect team effort from everyone to keep me motivated and working the course from start to finish!”

    Shooting a perfect 10/10, Irwin crossed the line only 13 seconds behind Germany’s Franziska Preuss and +1.12.6 off the leader, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet of France, who also shot clean. Braisaz-Bouchet was joined on the podium by Norway’s Ingrid Tandrevold and Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi.

    Coming into the sprint race in Lenzerheide, Irwin’s World Cup personal best was a 14th in the sprint in Otepää, Estonia during the 2021/22 season. Jumping six spots to rewrite her personal best as eighth, reiterated Irwin’s place as a top contender amongst the women as they head into the pursuit on Saturday.

    “I am really looking forward to the pursuit,” added Irwin. “I’ve never started this far up before and I’m ready to keep the momentum going.”

    Team USA also had a World Cup personal best from Grace Castonguay (Jackson, NH/Ethan Allen Biathlon Club) with a 74th place finish in her second-ever World Cup start. Jackie Garso (Lake Clear, NY/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) finished in 80th. Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) did not race in the sprint.

    Looking to feed off the energy of Irwin’s result, the U.S. Biathlon men’s team will race in the 10km sprint tomorrow at 8:15 EST/02:15 CET. Live stream is available at eurovisionsports.tv/ibu/.

    Deedra Irwin (USA) competes in the IBU World Cup Biathlon Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo: Manzoni/NordicFocus)
  • International Biathlon Referee: Sara Studebaker-Hall

    International Biathlon Referee: Sara Studebaker-Hall
    Sara Studebaker-Hall, two-time Olympian and current U.S. Biathlon Director of Operations, became the first U.S. woman to earn her International Biathlon Union (IBU) technical delegate certification in 2022, one of only a handful of Americans to achieve that distinction. Fast-forward to the 2023 IBU World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria, Studebaker-Hall took part in her first biathlon World Cup as an IBU referee.

    “Hochfilzen is such a great venue – they have such an experienced organizing committee and such great fans that the atmosphere is amazing,” said Studebaker-Hall. “It was where I had my first top-30 result, so it also holds a special place for me personally! I had the opportunity to work with some really experienced TDs from IBU and it was great to be able to learn from them and gain more experience on the biggest biathlon stage.”

    Hochfilzen, Austria: IBU World Cup Biathlon. (Photo:  Manzoni/NordicFocus)
    Studebaker-Hall began her officiating journey in 2014 after she retired from biathlon. Following the completion of the level one and two officiating courses to be a domestic official in 2014, she spent the next 4 years assisting in various areas to gain experience. After applying for and completing the international referee exam, administered by the IBU, Studebaker-Hall was able to be assistant chief of competition to Tracy Lamb at the 2019 IBU World Cup at Soldier Hollow.

    Though it typically takes four years of experience to become eligible for a technical delegate (TD) certification, Studebaker-Hall was able to get her license in three years given her history as a biathlete and experience as a coach. To become a TD, one must attend conferences with current TD members and take both an oral and written exam, over a two-day period.

    After passing her exam and officially becoming the first American woman with a technical delegate certification, Studebaker-Hall was also elected to the IBU technical committee in September 2022.

    For Studebaker-Hall, the 2022/23 season consisted of officiating at two IBU Cup events in Canmore, Canada, as the start/finish referee, as well as being a shooting range referee at the 2023 FISU World University Games in Lake Placid, NY. It wasn’t until this past weekend in Hochfilzen, Austria that Studebaker-Hall had the opportunity to officiate as the start/finish referee at an IBU World Cup event.

    “Refereeing at the IBU Cup last season helped me gain knowledge, confidence and experience, but there’s nothing quite like the big show of the World Cup! It was such an exhilarating experience and really made me excited for hosting the world at Soldier Hollow in March.”

    As a strong advocate for gender equality in sport, Studebaker-Hall is breaking barriers in the U.S. and being a role model within the international biathlon world. Not only did she officiate her first World Cup event, but did so with her six-month-old daughter in tow.

    “Last year, I was about six months pregnant with my daughter, and this year I was able to bring her along. IBU was so supportive of me having her there with my parents to watch her during the races. I think it’s really important for athletes, especially women, to see that you can stay involved in the sport after competing and still have a life,” she added. “It takes some planning and lots of support, but I’m so glad I was able to continue working as a referee this season despite having my daughter. She won’t remember it, but hopefully someday she’ll also look back and see that I was able to have this great experience of working the World Cup while nursing a baby and feel empowered by that. I really love officiating and am excited about being one of many women coming up as IBU referees!”