FasterSkier

Tag: Grand Rapids

  • 20-for-20 with Garrett Beckrich

    20-for-20 with Garrett Beckrich

    Garrett Beckrich of the United States racing to at the IBU Junior Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, earlier this season. (Courtesy photo)
    Garrett Beckrich of the United States racing to at the IBU Junior Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, earlier this season. (Courtesy photo)

    In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at this week’s International Biathlon Union (IBU) 2018 Youth and Junior World Championships in Otepää, Estonia, we asked those qualifying athletes several questions about themselves — actually, we had them fill in the blanks. Here we have 17-year-old Garrett Beckrich, of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, who is representing the United States at his first World Youth Championships.

    Today in Otepää, Beckrich finished 48th in the youth men’s 12.5 k individual, +6:03.9 with five penalties.

    ***

    “My full name is Garrett Beckrich but you can call me Garrett.

    I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MN and I learned to ski at Mt. Itasca Nordic Ski Center with Petra Cervenka.

    I spent the time between World Youth/Junior trials and Worlds racing in Czechia and Slovenia in the Junior Cup and Open Euro Championships respectively. I also raced in Minnesota High School races.

    The most brutal workout I did in the last training year to prepare for this was a 100 mile bike ride with the Midwest team and Vlad.

    One thing I’m working on this season to improve my biathlon is to learn how to calm myself during shooting, because this is my first year in biathlon. I picked up shooting very quickly since I have been doing that since I was young. I have a hard time mentally switching between aggressive skiing and calm and relaxed shooting. 

    This is my first time in Estonia and second time racing internationally, and so far it’s been a great experience. The coaches are very knowledgeable and have everything well organized. 

    One difference I’ve noticed between Estonia and the United States is that skiing is very popular here. The Otepää stadium has lots of room for spectators. 

    One of the things I’m most excited about for World Youth/Junior Championships in Otepää is the youth relay. We have a good chance in placing well in that event if we all are feeling well. 

    One race I’m especially targeting there is the sprint. I want to make my first international pursuit race after missing out on that at the Open European Championships. 

    Watching the Olympics in the leadup to my own races was very inspiring. Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall winning the team sprint showed that the US can compete with other teams on cross country skis instead of downhill.  

    I want to be like Jessie Diggins, because we are both Minnesotans and state champions.

    At Worlds, I really hope I can chat/make friends with someone from Brazil and ask them how they train for biathlon when they don’t have any snow.

    My favorite thing at the breakfast where we are staying is the cucumber lemonade. It tasted weird at first but after awhile you learn to dig the taste.

    Before this trip, if you said “Estonia”, the first thing I’d think of would have been where my grandma’s family originated from. They came to the US from Latvia and that is just south of us. 

    Now that I’m here, I’m pretty sure something I’ll always remember will be how similar it is to northern MN. There are lots of pine trees and it’s very cold. 

    If I had a totally free day here and didn’t have to worry about race fitness or training, I’d spend it going across the border to Latvia to say I had been there.

    The best way to follow me on social media is Instagram @grbeckrich.”

  • 20-for-20 with Siena Ellingson

    20-for-20 with Siena Ellingson

    American Siena Ellingson (48) at the start of the junior women’s pursuit at 2016 IBU Junior World Championships in Cheile Gradistei, Romania. (Courtesy photo)

    In another 20-something-question, fill-in-the-blanks series, we checked in with the world-class U.S. and Canadian biathletes that will be competing at 2017 International Biathlon Union (IBU) Youth & Junior World Championships Feb. 22-28 in Osrblie (also known as Brezno-Osrblie), Slovakia.

    Here’s 20-year-old Siena Ellingson, of Minnesota, who is representing the U.S. at her fourth Youth/Junior Worlds. On Thursday, Ellingson finished 50th to lead two Americans in the junior women’s 12.5 k individual.

    ***

    American Siena Ellingson during her standing stage of the women’s 3 x 6 k relay at IBU Junior World Championships in Cheile Gradistei, Romania. (Photo: IBU YJWCH Cheile Gradistei 2016/Facebook)

    “My full name is Siena Ellingson, but you can call me Siena. I was born in Lauderdale, Minn., raised in Minnetonka, and one thing you should know about my hometown is the name means big water!

    I started cross-country skiing when I was 13 and started biathlon when I was 14, thanks to Piotr Bednarski. I currently train in Grand Rapids, Minn., with Vlad Cervenka.

    If I’m not skiing, you might find me making things!

    If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘Anna Karenina‘.

    One of the things I’m most excited about for Youth/Junior World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie is having such large and competitive fields to race.

    This will be my fourth Youth/Junior World Championships, and this year, I’m competing as a junior.

    One race I’m especially targeting there is the sprint, because making the pursuit and getting a good start position depends on the results of the sprint.

    The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was tone down the suck.

    One of the best race memories I have is my first race at my first Junior Worlds. I remember starting with a big smile on my face, and not being nervous about how it was going to go, but just excited to be there.

    If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be… not exactly sure, but definitely working with kids.

    I’m missing zero days of school to be here; I’m currently un-schooling.”

  • 20-for-20 with Vasek Cervenka

    20-for-20 with Vasek Cervenka

    American Vasek Cervenka (front right) racing at 2016 Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. (Courtesy photo)

    In another 20-something-question, fill-in-the-blanks series, we checked in with the world-class U.S. and Canadian biathletes that will be competing at 2017 International Biathlon Union (IBU) Youth & Junior World Championships Feb. 22-28 in Osrblie (also known as Brezno-Osrblie), Slovakia.

    Here’s 18-year-old Vasek Cervenka, of Grand Rapids, Minn., who will be representing the U.S. at his second Youth Worlds. Last year, Cervenka spent the winter of 2015/2016 training in the Czech Republic, and he’s been there since January of this year (with plans to stay until mid-April).

    On Wednesday, Cervenka led the U.S. in 16th in the youth men’s 12.5-kilometer individual, the first race of 2017 IBU Youth World Championships.

    ***

    “My full name is Vaclav Cervenka but you can call me Vasek (VAH-SHEK). I was born in Boulder, Colo., and raised in Grand Rapids, Minn. I started cross-country skiing when I was able to walk, parents say 9 months old, and started biathlon when I was 13, thanks to my parents.

    I currently train in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, and Grand Rapids, Minn., with the Nove Mesto biathlon team or with Jakob Ellingson and Vladimir Cervenka.

    U.S. teammates Vasek Cervenka (l) and Cam Christiansen at the Junior IBU Cup #3 in Pokljuka, Slovenia. (Courtesy photo)

    If I’m not skiing, you might find me drinking tea watching ‘Rick and Morty’ or ‘Game of Thrones’.

    If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘The Adventures of Captain Underpants’ by Dave Pilkey.

    One of the things I’m most excited about for Youth/Junior World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie is meeting pretty foreign girls 🙂 (SC – vashiggy_21)

    This will be my second Youth/Junior World Championships, and this year, I’m competing as a youth. One race I’m especially targeting there is the 12.5 k individual.

    The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was ‘Don’t give a s**t about anyone else racing, focus on yourself.’

    One of the best race memories I have is the 2016 Youth Olympic games 10 k pursuit.

    If I could meet one World Cup biathlete, it would be Martin Fourcade.

    If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be colonizing Mars (sponsor me Elon Musk).

    I’m missing zero days of school to be here, and my teachers/professors are probably thinking, ‘Good call doing online school.’

    You can follow me on Instagram @Vashiggy_21.”