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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.

Tag: Lars Hammernes Leopold

  • U.S. Biathlon Announces Nominations for Opening World Cup and IBU Cup Rosters (Press Release)

    U.S. Biathlon Announces Nominations for Opening World Cup and IBU Cup Rosters (Press Release)

    Press Release by Bill Kellick/USBA:

    Paul Schommer was named to the IBU Cup roster for the start of the 2019-20 season Photo: Rachelle Weymuller)

    (Oct. 28, 2019) — Following the completion of the U.S. Biathlon Fall Festival and IBU Cup Trials held over the weekend in Soldier Hollow, Utah, 15 athletes have been nominated to the U.S. Biathlon teams competing at the opening events of the 2019-20 season.

    “We had an impressively competitive trials this season, with several lead changes throughout the competitions,” said U.S. Biathlon Director of High Performance Lowell Bailey. “I feel really good about the teams we are sending and their ability to compete with the world’s best on the international stage.”

    Six members of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team have been selected to compete at the first three International Biathlon Union World Cup events on this year’s calendar, including women’s Olympic Team members Clare Egan (Cape Elizabeth, Maine), Susan Dunklee (Barton, Vt.), Joanne Reid (Grand Junction, Colo.) and Emily Dreissigacker (Morrisville, Vt.). Named to the men’s World Cup team are 2018 Olympians Sean Doherty (Center Conway, N.H.) and Leif Nordgren (Hinesburg, Vt.), along with Travis Cooper (Kenai, Alaska) and Alex Howe (Gilford, N.H.).

    The IBU kicks off its 2019-20 World Cup season in Oestersund, Sweden, Nov. 30-Dec. 8. That will be followed by World Cups in Hochfilzen, Austria, Dec. 13-15, and Le Grand Bornand, France, Dec. 19-22.

    Named to the U.S. squads competing at the IBU Cup competitions in Ridnaun-Val Ridanna, Italy, Dec. 12-15, and in Obertilliach, Austria, Dec. 18-21, are Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, Wash.), Hallie Grossman (South Burlington, Vt.) and Maddie Phaneuf (Old Forge, N.Y.) on the women’s side, and Lars Hammernes Leopold (Truckee, Calif.), Max Durtschi (Ketchum, Idaho), Paul Schommer (Appleton, Wis.) and Jake Brown (St. Paul, Minn.) on the men’s side.

    “It’s an exciting time for U.S. Biathlon, with several new names in the mix on our international teams. It will be fun to watch,” Bailey added.

  • Day Two: U.S. Biathlon Fall Team Trials

    Day Two: U.S. Biathlon Fall Team Trials

    On Saturday, the second day of racing at the U.S. Biathlon Fall Team Trials saw biathletes race mass start distance races outside Midway, Utah at Soldier Hollow (SoHo).

    Clare Egan (USBA) won the women’s 10-kilometer event in 29:55.81 minutes. Egan, coming off a career best year on the IBU World Cup, shot clean while prone and missed two targets standing. Susan Dunklee (USBA), the winner of Thursday’s sprint race, placed second in 30:41.10 (1, 1, 3, 1). Joanne Reid raced to third in 30:41.10 (2,1,1,0). It was Reid’s second podium of the week at the Fall Trials.

    The men raced 13.5 k on Saturday. Travis Cooper (USBA/National Guard Biathlon) backed up his win on Thursday with another victory in the mass start event. Cooper won in a time of 34:59.80 and missed a single target in his second standing bout. Paul Schommer (USBA) placed second in 35:06.28 (0,0,1,2). Third place went to Lars Hammernes Leopold (JNT). He crossed the line 0.41 seconds after Schommer and missed a single target in each of his standing stages. This was Leopold’s second podium of the trials at SoHo.

    The Fall Trials conclude Sunday with a sprint race. The three-race SoHo series, along with results from the rollerski trials this summer in Vermont, are used to fill remaining start opportunities for Period 1 on the World Cup and Periods 2 and 3 on the IBU Cup.

    Day Two Race Results

  • Day One of Racing at the U.S. Biathlon Fall Team Trials

    On Thursday, a three race series to help determine international race starts for U.S. biathletes began with a sprint at Soldier Hollow (SoHo) outside Midway, Utah.

    For the IBU World Cup, five U.S. athletes have pre-qualified with a top-25 result on the World Cup or World Championships last season.  Pre-qualified athletes include Joanne Reid, Clare Egan, Susan Dunklee, Sean Doherty, and Leif Nordgren.

    According to the USBA selection criteria, the remaining World Cup Period 1 spots and IBU Cup Period 2 and 3 spots are determined through a series of rollerski races held over the summer in Jericho, Vermont and the current series at SoHo.

    Yesterday, the women raced a 7.5-kilometer sprint, the men 10 k.

    Susan Dunklee (USBA/CGRP) won the women’s race in 22:31.59 minutes after missing a single shot while shooting prone. Joanne Reid (USBA) was second in 23:31.08 (1,0). Hallie Grossman (USBA/CGRP) placed fourth but was the third American in 24:14.29 (1,1).

    Travis Cooper (USBA/National Guard Biathlon) scored the win in the men’s 10 k sprint with a time of 26:13.45 while shooting clean. Lars Hammernes Leopold (U.S. JNT) placed second in 26:21.58 with no misses on the range. Sean Doherty (USBA/National Guard Biathlon) was third in 26:29.50 (1,1).

    Racing will continue on Saturday with 10 k/13.5 k mass start race.

    Full Race Results