Results:

1112 Guard Regionals- Mt Itasca 27 Jan Sprint
1112 Guard Regionals- Mt Itasca 28 Jan Pursuit

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Snowflake Biathlon Race & Novice Race

Hosted by Duluth/Esko Biathlon and Snowflake Nordic Ski Area

Date: Sunday, January 8, 2012 (Snow Conditions are Fair to Good: Recommend to Use Older Skis)

Location: Snowflake Nordic, 4348 Rice Lake Road, Duluth (one mile north of the intersection of the Rice Lake and Arrowhead Roads)

Race Format: Mass Start (PPSS)

RESULTS -

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Results – IBU Trials Mass Start 12.19.11- pdf

Press Release: Dec 19, 2011, Mt Itasca, Coleraine, MN
Day 3: IBU Cup Biathlon Trials‐ Mass Start

Athletes were greeted with a rather bitter north‐west wind this morning at Mt
Itasca, but everyone was eager to get the race underway. The head to head nature
of the Mass Start really increases the pressure on the shooting range, and makes this
the most exciting biathlon event.

In the Men’s 15km Mass Start, Russell Currier (MWSC) of Caribou, Maine, took the
hole shot and led out the race for the first 2.5km. Junior competitor Raleigh
Goessling (MWSC) tried to get the better of his elders by cleaning the first stage and
taking over the lead after the first shooting, but things soon turned around and it
became the Russell Currier Show by the second prone stage. Russell put on an
impressive show of ski speed and excellent shooting, missing only 2 of 18 targets.
Mark Johnson (Mt Itasca Biathlon), Grand Rapids, MN, doggedly tried to keep in
contact with Currier, matching his shooting over the first three stages. Currier
slammed the door shut with a clean final standing stage, while Johnson took an
uncharacteristic 3 penalties in his last standing.

As the battle was raging at the front end of the race, Sean Doherty of Conway, NH,
overcame some early prone penalties to quietly move up within 30 seconds of Mark
Johnson. Doherty, age 16, is the top US qualifier for the Youth Olympic Games team
and a 2 time World Junior Championship competitor. Sean cleaned his last
standing stage quickly, and moved into 2nd place, finishing 22 seconds ahead of
Johnson.

In the Women’s 12.5km Mass Start, Katrina Howe (MWSC) took the early lead,
shooting 9 for 10 in the first two prone stages. She was followed closely by Anna
Kubek (Mt Itasca Biathlon). Beth Ann Chamberlain (MWSC) struggled with prone,
hitting 5 for 10, but fast skiing kept her within striking distance. Beth Ann was able
to reel in both Kubek and Howe just before the last standing stage, setting up a
classic biathlon duel. All three competitors lined up on the range together, and once
the smoke cleared it was Kubek out with 1 penalty, Howe with 2, and Chamberlain
with 3. Kubek was able to maintain her lead to the finish line, capping off a
tremendous race series for the 16 year old.

The Mass Start concluded the 3 race series for team selection to the January IBU
Cup. The USBA International Competition Committee will announce nominations to
the IBU Cup team in the next few days (biathlon.teamusa.org).

RESULTS – IBU Trials Pursuit 12.18.11 pdf

Press Release: Dec 18, 2011, Mt Itasca, Coleraine, MN

Day 2: IBU Cup Biathlon Trials‐ Pursuit Format
Day 2 of the IBU Cup Trials opened with a perfect shooting and skiing conditions. Despite a balmy 35 degrees, the course set up well, and the ski tracks at Mt Itasca were firm and fast. Russell Currier (MWSC) of Caribou, ME came out swinging after a poor performance in the Sprint competition of Day 1 where he finished in 4th. He had something to prove and he was able to redeem himself over the 12.5km course and 4 shooting stages.

Currier had the best shooting of the day, hitting 18 for 20, and skied with his signature high tempo and jump skate on the steep pitches of the 2.5km loop. Mark Johnson (Mt Itasca Biathlon) of Grand Rapids, MN finished in 2nd with 3 penalties, 1:04 sec out, followed by Wynn Roberts (US National Team/National Guard) of Battle Lake, MN, with 6 penalties.

In the Women’s 10km race, 14 seconds separated the top three finishers. Beth Ann Chamberlain (MWSC) returned to her hometown training ground at Mt Itasca and put down the fastest ski time of the day and hitting 15 for 20. BethAnn was just able to hold a 6 second margin of victory over Katrina Howe (MWSC) of Gunstock, NH who had 4 penalties. In third place, 14 seconds out of first, was 16 year old Anna Kubek (Mt Itasca Biathlon) of Duluth, MN, also with 4 penalties.

Day 3 will feature the most exciting format in biathlon, the mass start‐ 15km for men and 12.5km for women, with four shooting stages.

PHOTOS by Ben Kremer – if you have better photos please send them to info@minnesotabiathlon.com for inclusion. Thanks!

RESULTS – IBU Sprint 12.17.11 pdf

Press Release: Dec 17, 2011, Mt Itasca, Coleraine, MN

Day 1: IBU Cup Biathlon Trials‐ Sprint Format
All the athletes arriving at Mt Itasca for the IBU Cup Trials were pleasantly surprised to find 2.5km of perfectly groomed man‐made snow at Mt Itasca. With no natural snow within a 150 mile radius, it’s a pretty bleak drive on the way to Mt Itasca. “Conditions are much better at Mt Itasca than at the opening Biathlon World Cup in Ostersund (Sweden), commented U.S. National Women’s Coach, Jonne Kahkonnen. The Ostersund World Cup was held in early December on a 3 km loop of snow that had been stored over the summer, and then spread on the course. The IBU Cup Trials events will select up to 2 male and 2 female athletes to join the rest of the US National Team in Europe to race on the IBU Cup circuit in January. The IBU Cup is a “B” level World Cup and the large fields can make the races extremely competitive. A very uncharacteristically warm December day greeted the athletes on Saturday morning. Most athletes who have raced here in the past expect temperatures in the single digits, and slow, dry snow. Temps in the 20’s with, perfect corduroy, and super fast conditions were a welcome change.

Hannah Dreissigacker (Green Team) of Craftsbury, VT, started her biathlon season with a big win today, shooting 80% and finishing with a 40 second margin of victory. The big surprise of the day was 16 year old Anna Kubek of Duluth, MN who topped the shooting scores with 1 penalty, finishing in 2nd place. Anna is the top US qualifer for the Youth Olympic Games team, and has put lots of pressure on the senior women with her fast and accurate shooting. Katrina Howe (MWSC) of Gunstock, NH, shot 70% and finished third, 1:01 out.

On the men’s side, recent William’s College grad, Mark Johnson (Mt Itasca Biathlon) took the Day 1 victory with 3 penalties on the day. Mark is a Grand Rapids, MN native and has returned to train with his home club, and Jr. National Team Coach, Vladimir Cervenka. A veteran of several World Junior Teams, Mark is one of the top shooters, especially on home turf. Wynn Roberts (US National Team/National Guard) of Battle Lake, MN placed second, 17 seconds out with 4 penalties. Raleigh Goessling (MWSC) of Duluth, MN surprised the seniors athletes with his third place finish. Raleigh is still a junior competitor and has been pushing the seniors for the past two years. Wynn and Raleigh have both spent many summers and winters training at Mt Itasca over the past years, and will be calling on that home field experience to give them an edge.

Day 2 of the IBU Cup Trials will feature a 12.5km Pursuit format for men, and at 10km Pursuit format for the women.

Here are some photos taken by William Johnson from Sunday’s race