Minnesota Biathlon

Bill Meyer and Nisswa NW Biathlon will be hosting a race this coming Saturday, March 4 at the Nisswa (Brainerd) biathlon range. Please give Bill a call 218 963 4762 or send him an email if you have questions (wmeyer@arvig.net). Zero at 10:00
Race at 10:45 +_

Cost: None
Awards: none
refreshments: none
Fun: +++++

Trails in excellent condition as of Tuesday

Race Format:
2×4x2 relay. This is a Nisswa only format. We will pick two person teams based on previous race results [best person and an opposite; etc working towards the middle]
Each biathlete will go twice. They will ski the 2km blue loop and shoot prone using relay rounds if needed and do any penalty loops; ski again and shoot standing with relay rounds and penalty loops….
The changeover will then occur right after the standing penalty loops and the second skier will go… and do the same.2 laps 2 shootings.. tagging off to the first skier at the end of their laps….again do 2 laps 2 shootings…..tagging back off to the second skier. and the second skier will then finish the race with the 2 laps and two shootings plus penalties.

We will also have a novice class sprint race– 3 x a 1km loop with shooting tailored to the participant.  That will start at approximately noon with some shooting coached by experienced biathletes.

Directions:
Directions to the range: About 15 miles north of Brainerd  on #371 [about 1 mile north of the stoplight at Schaffers Grocery store/Holiday gas station] or 1/2 mile south of the Downtown Nisswa stoplight on #371; Turn west opposite Clark Lake Rd [that goes to the East towards my house]. This intersection is about 1 mile north of the Shaffers Grocery store/Holiday station stoplight. It is between the two stoplights in Nisswa.

Go short distance west to a tee. Take a left onto Hazelwood– go about 1/4 mile south and take a right- west onto Lower Roy Lake Rd. Follow this for about 0.9 mile and you will see gravel pits on the south side. Drive past them and turn left–south on Charmin towards the treatment plant. We will be parked opposite the concrete block buildings by the plant.

Bill M
My cell # is 218 839 4727
home phone is 218 963 4762

There are no facilitys [bathrooms] at the range so you might want to take a stop before you drive on over. Hope to see you on Saturday!!

Olympics:
Network Time – Eastern & Pacific Event

USA Feb 11 7:00 am to 9:00 am Individual, Men – LIVE
USA Feb 13 6:00 am to 8:00 am Individual, Women – LIVE
USA Feb 14 7:30 am to 9:00 am Sprint, Men – LIVE
USA Feb 16 6:00 am to 7:30 am Sprint, Women – LIVE
NBC Feb 18 Noon to 6:00 pm Pursuit, Men
NBC Feb 18/19 Midnight – 1:00 am Pursuit, Women
USA Feb 21 6:00 am to 8:00 am Relay, Men – LIVE
USA Feb 23 6:00 am to 8:00 am Relay, Women – LIVE
NBC Feb 25 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm Mass Start, Women
NBC Feb 25 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm Mass Start, Men

World Cups on Outdoor Life Network (OLN):

2/9/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Oestersund, SWE: Women’s 10km Pursuit
2/16/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Oestersund, SWE: Men’s 12.5km Pursuit
2/23/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Hochfilzen, AUT: Women’s 7.5km Sprint
3/2/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Oberhof, GER: Men’s 15km Mass Start
3/9/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Ruhpolding, GER: Men’s 12.5km Pursuit
3/15/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Antholz, ITA: Men’s 12.5km Pursuit
3/16/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm BIATHLON
3/23/2006 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm BIATHLON

Chad Salmela joins NBC as the biathlon analyst in Torino for his first Olympic broadcast assignment. During the 2002 Salt Lake Games, Salmela served as the stadium announcer at Soldier Hollow for both the biathlon and cross country skiing competitions. http://www.chadstorino.blogspot.com/

Greystone Biathlon Race – there is a new start time- zero at 12noon, Start at 1pm. Event Format is 4 stage race, Mass start.  Men and women will start separately.

Schedule:
11:00 am          Registration open
12:00 am          Range open – Experienced Zero
12:30 am          Registration closed
1:00 am          Experienced Mass Start
1:45 pm          Novice  instruction clinic
2:00 pm          Novice Mass Start
2:30 pm          Awards and treats following races

Directions:
Take Hywy 10 to St Cloud- on the east side of the St Cloud Prison, turn South on Minnesota Blvd.  (this is on the east side of St Cloud).  Drive to the top of the hill (approx 1 mile and turn left through the yellow gate.  You will take your first right in approx 100 meters and this will take you to the biathlon range.
Contact: Ion Senchea at 320 224 3691 or Bruce Busta at
320/259-8004

The decision has been made to go forward with the Loppet this weekend. Groomers are packing the new snow now.  Most of the course will be in good shape very soon. We will have a lot of work to add snow in short sections where last week’s warm spell destroyed the base.

We are asking all skiers, high school teams, and Loppet-lovers to come out and help us shovel over the next four days. Piotr Bednarski ((952) 237-0765) and Craig Rudd ((763) 242-0176) are leading this effort.

The first group shoveling efforts will begin at 1:00 and 5:30 Wednesday at Wirth Beach. Please come out and join of if you can.  Anytime you can help, please e-mail Bill Dosset or call Craig or Piotr and we will find something for you do to.  We will post schedules for shoveling times tomorrow and Friday soon (let me know if you have a group that can help at a particular time).