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Tag: 2013 canadian biathlon championships

  • Vaillancourt, Smith Collect Mass-Start Titles at Canadian Biathlon Nationals

    Audrey Vaillancourt (Quebec) completed her set of three titles at 2013 Canadian Biathlon Championships on Tuesday with a photo-finish victory over Megan Heinicke (Biathlon BC) in the 12.5 k mass start in Whistler, B.C.

    “We both deserved to win today,” Vaillancourt wrote in an email. “I’m just glad I managed to have a better stretch.”

    Vaillancourt shot clean at Whistler Olympic Park to finish in 34:54.0. Heinicke was just 0.2 seconds behind and missed one shot (0+0+1+0).

    “Today skiing didn’t feel as good as during the weekend,” Vaillancourt wrote, “So I focused more on shooting and it worked very well; I had a perfect day on the range.”

    Vaillancourt enjoyed her first mass start of the season: “On the last lap we came out of the range together, so I knew this was going to be a really tough one,” she wrote. “We both tried to drop each other at different places on the course, but we were both dead tired and ended up together for the final sprint! It has been a photo finish for the win!”

    Corrine Malcolm (U.S. Biathlon) took third place in 36:38 (1+0+1+0), 30 seconds ahead of Julia Ransom (Biathlon BC) in fourth.

    “Today was actually the best I’ve ever shot in a race,” Malcolm wrote.  “Unfortunately I lost a little bit of time when I accidentally started to ski onto the 2km cut off on our second loop.  Luckily [Canadian biathlete] Rosanna [Crawford] saw me veer off and was able to yell to me to turn around. By the time I made it back to the right trail Julia was coming by and I was able to get in with her and ski nice and relaxed.  Julia and I stayed together until the last shooting stage where I cleaned and she missed her final shot.”

    Ransom’s time of 37:08 (2+0+1+1) was good enough for third Canadian, but shooting was perhaps not surprisingly the difference for the 20 year old who started her first Cross Country World Cup earlier this season in Canmore, Alberta.

    In the men’s 15 k mass start, Nathan Smith (Alberta/Biathlon Canada) struck back after Sunday’s starting error by dominating the day. He won by 44 seconds in 37:53 despite missing three shots (1+0+0+2) during what he described as ideal shooting conditions.

    “I missed that first shot prone and was a little concerned, but after that I felt comfortable and in control,” Smith told Biathlon Canada. “I know I didn’t win the pursuit race, but I feel like I’m in great shape and accomplished what I came here to do.”

    Marc-André Bédard (Quebec) was second in 38:37 with four misses.

    “Shooting was perfect 3 out of 4 times,” he wrote in an email.  “[I] missed 4 at my first standing!”

    Although disappointed by his shooting, that should not be a problem next week when Bédard competes at Canadian cross-country nationals. “I’m hoping to repeat or do better than my 4th at the 15 free last year!” he wrote.

    Bill Bowler took third place to lead a large American contingent with his second podium. He finished 43 seconds behind Bédard, and also had four penalties (0+1+2+1).

    “I felt good on the skis,” Bowler wrote. “Definitely better than in the races earlier this week.”

    He agreed that the conditions weren’t a problem. “It was a perfect day for racing with fast tracks,” he wrote. “The weather in Whistler can be volatile so it was nice to have sun and solid conditions.”

    Kurtis Wenzel (Alberta) grabbed the Canadian bronze with 39:31 (0+0+1+1), good for fourth overall.

    Biathlon wraps up Wednesday with the relays.  The Sea to Sky Nordic Festival continues with cross country nationals (March 23 to 29), nordic combined (March 28 to 30) and ski jumping (March 28 to 30).

    Mass-start results

  • Vaillancourt Doubles Up, Wenzel Moves Up in Canadian Nationals Biathlon Pursuit

    Vaillancourt Doubles Up, Wenzel Moves Up in Canadian Nationals Biathlon Pursuit

    Canadian biathlete Audrey Vaillancourt at the 2011 Biathlon World Juniors in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. (Photo: Judy Geer)
    Canadian biathlete Audrey Vaillancourt at the 2011 Biathlon World Juniors in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. (Photo: Judy Geer)

    Audrey Vaillancourt (Quebec) made it 2-for-2, winning the pursuit at 2013 Canadian Biathlon Championships at Whistler Olympic Park on Sunday. Vaillancourt started first after her Saturday sprint victory and finished first despite missing four shots (1+0+1+2) in 31:43.4 for the fastest ski time of the day.

    Vaillancourt was happy with her results, writing, “there is much more competition at nationals now that I am in the senior category, so winning the two first races is beyond my expectations.”

    The weather was a factor in the sprint, but much less so in the pursuit.  “On Saturday we had really tough conditions with the rain and wind, but for me it turned out to be an advantage, since I cleaned my race while the others had lots of trouble on the range.”

    “I felt really good on my skis all weekend,” Vaillancourt wrote. “After I came back from Europe at the beginning of March I had a couple days to rest well and get back to some good training at home, and I guess it paid off!”

    Julia Ransom (Biathlon BC) moved up to second with the second fastest ski time of 32:27.3, shooting slightly better than Vaillancourt (0+0+2+1). But in the sprint, she struggled on the range, missing six shots and placing sixth.

    “The wind had really picked up for the standing bout and I made the decision to wait for it to settle down,” Ransom wrote. “Waiting an extra few seconds is typically a safe move to make (if you hit targets). However I had waited WAY too long and missed four. Double mistake on my part.”

    Ransom was not bothered by the weather: “The weather on both days hit every point on the spectrum, but that is why I love Whistler!”

    Megan Heinicke (Biathlon BC) slipped from second to third after struggling on the range, missing seven shots. Claude Godbout (Quebec), Leysan Valiullina (Russia), and Corrine Malcom (U.S. Biathlon) rounded out the top six.

    Kurtis Wenzel (Alberta) won the men’s pursuit, shooting clean and delivering the second fastest ski time of 32:11.4. Canadian A-team member Nathan Smith (Alberta) started first after winning Saturday’s sprint, setting the fastest time of 31:53.7 while missing three shots (0+0+1+2). A starting penalty cost Smith the victory, leaving him 6.8 seconds behind Wenzel.

    “I don’t think I have ever started a pursuit in first so it was a little different today,” Smith told Biathlon Canada. “I skied conservative the whole race, but after I missed my second shot in standing, I realized I had a 30-second penalty for starting to early and I upped the pace for the final lap.”

    Raleigh Goessling (USA) used good shooting and a fast ski time of 32:53.1 to move from seventh to take the bronze. Goessling wrote that his pursuit went very well: “I shot a career best 19/20 (1,0,0,0) and skied much better than I did in the sprint.”

    Canadian B-teamer Marc André Bédard (Quebec) maintained his fourth place from the sprint, while Bill Bowler (USA) slipped to fifth after taking Saturday’s bronze.

    Complete results