Hosted by Duluth/Esko Biathlon and Snowflake Nordic Ski Area

Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010

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)

Distance: B, G, YW, MW:          7.5 km;
YM, JW:                   10 km;
JM, SM, SW, MM:          12.5 km.

Registration: 9:00 AM to 9:55 AM at Snowflake Nordic Chalet

Zero:                   10:00 AM to 10:45 AM

Race Start:          11:00 AM, Mass Start

Cost:                  $15 (cash or check payable to Snowflake Nordic)

Novice Race (Instruction, Rifles and Ammo provided)

Novice Safety Clinic at approx.:  12:00 to 12:25 PM

Race Start at approx.:    12:30 PM

Race Format:     Mass Start/ 5K (3 by 1.75 k), PP + penalty loop

Cost:            $15 (cash or check payable to Snowflake Nordic)

Awards Biathlon + Novice Race at approx.: 1:15 – 1:30 PM

Questions?          Call John Gould at 218-269-2854

or e-mail: jgould1952@yahoo.com

We will cancel out for tomorrow and try to reschedule to the 14th of February–the Sunday after the State HS meet.

Looks like we should get some snow on top later tomorrow or Monday. As soon as we do, I will regroom the range.

I will set up a training plan and get it out shortly. If the weather clears enough to groom in the am, we might have a local  practice tomorrow at 1:00.

Bill Meyer

————–

What: The Nisswa Games Biathlon Meet. This is a series of contests oriented to more shooting than normal–that you will not find in the IBU Rules. Each team earns points depending on how they place in each event. Overall biathlon skills are emphasized.

Depending on numbers interested, teams of 2 or 3 will be handpicked from the entrants to be as equal as possible. Sometimes one lucky sole gets to do both positions.

The games are:

• Russian/AK –Into position–hand load one shot–tag off- goal is to clean the target asap
• Short leg relay–do a lap, relay rounds, penalty loops, tag off–each does one prone+one standing alternating..
• Patrol race– group sprint race-team all needs to finish at same time.

The longest skiing will be the last event with a 1km loop x 3

Novices are welcome–ideally you should bring your own rifle..or contact me ahead to be sure I have you covered..

Where: Nisswa Range–see attached map

When: 1:00 zero, Sunday the 24th of January, 2010

Contact: Please let me know if you plan to attend. Email Bill Meyer

Cost: None      Awards: minimal    Prizes: None     Fun: That is the whole goal!!

Bill Meyer

1-Hour Delay

Unless the forecast changes drastically, the Snowflake race will be held. The event will be delayed one hour–so an 11:00 zero and 12:00 race. A further delay or shortened course is also possible depending on the conditions.

It will be cold–but not abnormally so. The venue will have a tent set up with a heater for a few people at a time–guess the more that crowd in the warmer it will be!! They will also have some handwarmers and blankets available..but wouldn’t hurt to stock up on more.

Snowflake Biathlon Race & Novice Race

Hosted by Duluth/Esko Biathlon and Snowflake Nordic Ski Area

Date: Sunday, January 3, 2010
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)
Distance:

B, G, YW: 7.5 km;
YM, JW 10 km;
JM, SM, SW, MM 12.5 km.

Registration: 10:00 AM to 10:55 AM at Snowflake Nordic Chalet

Zero:   11:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Race Start:  12:00 AM,  Mass Start

Cost:  $15 (cash or check payable to Snowflake Nordic)

Novice Race (Instruction, Rifles and Ammo provided)

Novice Safety Clinic at approx.:  1:00 to 1:25 PM
Race Start at approx.:    1:30 PM
Race Format:     Mass Start/ 5K (3 by 1.75 k), PP + penalty loop
Cost:    $15 (cash or check payable to Snowflake Nordic)

Awards Biathlon + Novice Race at approx.: 2:15 – 2:30 PM

Questions?  Call John Gould at 218-269-2854 or e-mail: jgould1952@yahoo.com

USBA will be enforcing a “same wax” policy for the 2010 IBU Cup Team Trials, Dec 12-22, 2009 at Mt Itasca, MN and the Jr/Youth World Team Trials, Dec 19-22, 2009. All athletes wanting to qualify for the 2010 IBU Cup Team are required to adhere to the waxing policy in order to be considered for nomination to the team. Athletes failing to follow this protocol will be ineligible for selection to IBU Cup Team.

The purpose of this “same wax” protocol create the most fair conditions to select the IBU Cup Tam. A secondary reason is to reduce the cost for the clubs and USBA programs by reducing the cost of wax, as well as eliminating the need to bring extra staff for the sole purpose of preparing testing and preparing all combinations of wax.

1. A committee of 5 coaches will be elected at the first coaches’ meeting on Friday, Dec 11. This committee will select the wax for each event. All teams should be sure to have a full range of: the chosen wax line. If an athlete or group of athletes does not have access to the “wax of the day” the wax will be provided to them by the TD at the wax room. In order to aid in the process of ski marking, athletes are asked to remove markings, stickers, tape, etc, in the area from 10 cm below the tip of the ski to the binding.
2. All waxing of race skis must take place at the Mt Itasca waxing building between 7:30pm-9:30pm the night before each race. The “wax of the day” will be selected by 7:30pm by the waxing committee. All race skis need to be waxed and left unscraped, and then registered with the TD by 9:30pm. The TD will record serial numbers each ski stamped with the “stamp of the day.” Registered skis will be locked in the waxing building overnight. The wax room will be closed at 9:30pm.
3. On race day, the wax room will be open 2hr30min hours prior to zero and coaches can scrape and brush skis. After scraping and brushing, skis need to be returned to the fenced in, numbered racks just outside the wax room. All registered race skis must remain in the numbered racks until 30 min prior to zero.
4. Registered skis will be released to athletes 30 min before zero. Athletes have 20 minutes to test their skis and return the pair that they intend to race on to the starting corral. Skis must be returned to the corral 10 min prior to the opening of zero. Once skis leave the wax room the ski bases cannot be brushed or manipulated in anyway (structuring, corking, etc). As skis are returned to the starting corral, the serial numbers will be checked. Once a pair of skis has been brought to the corral, it cannot be removed or replaced. There will be numbered slots along the fence in the corral area so that athletes can put their skis in the slot that matches their bib number.
5. Athletes found to have applied additional waxes, liquids, rub ons other than those announced as the “wax of the day” will be disqualified from the race.

The purpose of the Waxing Protocol is to make the racing fair, and to let athletes and coaches focus on the business of preparing to race. The Technical Delegate, after consultation with the competition jury, may modify the waxing protocol in order to make it less cumbersome and more effective.

We will be using TOKO Cold Powder, Holmenkol Matrix Blue and Holmenkol Matrix Red as the standardized waxes. USBA will supply wax to all athletes who do not have it.

We appreciate each the cooperation and understanding of every athletes and coach. USBA feels that this process will ensure a fair Trials process. All comments and suggestions for improvement of the waxing protocol should be directed to the Chair of the International Competition Committee, Piotr Bednarski, mnbiathon@aol.com, 952/ 237-0765 cell.

Deadline for Entries

Pre-registration closes on Thursday, 31 December 09 for military personnel to the NG Biathlon office.  Pre-registration closes on Friday, 08 Jan 10 for civilian competitors.  Payment by check or cash is mandatory as part of the civilian race registration (not applicable to military competitors).  Please use the registration form included with this program and mail with payment to:

CW3 Keith Silbernick
604 8th St SW
Little Falls, MN 56345

Event Schedule

Wed, 13 Jan 10

• 0900 to 1700 – Race Registration – Race HQ
• 1900 – Team Captain’s Meeting – Race HQ Conference Room

Thur, 14 Jan 10

• 0900 to 1130 – Official Training, Sprint
• 1630 – Team Captain’s Meeting, Draw – Race HQ Conference Room

Fri, 15 Jan 10

• 0900 to 0945 – Race Zero
• 1000 – Sprint Race, all classes
• 1400 to 1500 – Official Training, Relay Race
• 1630 – Team Captain’s Meeting – Race HQ Conference Room

Sat, 16 Jan 10

• 0900 to 0945 – Race Zero
• 1000 – Relay Race
• 1430 – Award Ceremony (Camp Ripley Theater)

Minnesota Cup #1: Biathlon Race & Novice Race

Hosted by Mt.Itasca Nordic Ski Association

Date: Sunday, December 6, 2009

Place: Mt.Itasca, Coleraine

Race Format: Mass Start (PPSS)
Distance: B, G, YW: 7.5km,

YM, JW: 10km;

JM, SM, SW, MM 12.5km;

(Distance might change depending on # of biathletes)

Registration: 9:00 AM –   9:55 AM

Zero: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM

Race Start: 11:00 AM  Mass Start

Cost:          $20 (cash or check payable to MINSA)

Novice Race (Instruction, Rifles, and  Ammo provided)

Novice Safety Clinic approx: 12:00 – 12:25PM

Race start approx: 12:30PM

Race Format: Mass Start – 5k (3×1.7k), PP + penalty loop

Cost:              $20 (cash or check payable to MINSA)

Awards Biathlon + Novice Race approx.: 1:15pm – 1:30pm

Questions?  call Vlad or Petra 218-999-5046

or e-mail pcervenkova@hotmail.com

Mt Itasca will be the host for 2010 US Biathlon World Team Trials in December. Mt Itasca has hosted numerous Jr and Senior World Team Trials as well as the North American Championships and US National Championship events since it opened in 2000. The 3.3km snowmaking loop, 30 point biathlon range, tough terrain, spectator friendly stadium and waxing facilities have made it a superb venue for major biathlon and cross country events.

This years event will start with Senior Team Trials on Dec 12-22, and will include 5 races. These races will be used to select a team of 3 men and 3 women to compete at the IBU Cup in Altenberg, Germany in early January. The IBU Cup will be used as the final qualification series for selection of the US Biathlon Olympic Team. The athletes qualifying in the Mt Itasca races will compete against the US athletes who had been competing at the December World Cup. The final Olympic team size will be 5 men and 5 women.

A number of Minnesota athletes are looking to take advantage of the home course. These athletes include Carolyn Bramante (Duluth) who was a 2006 Olympian, and also a member of the 2007 and 2008 World Championship teams. On the men’s side, Wynn Roberts (Battle Lake) and Leif Nordgren (Marine on St Croix) both competed in their first World Cups last season and are training hard in preparation for the Trials. Kevin Patzoldt (Grand Rapids) was on the verge of qualification for international teams last year and looks to take advantage of his home course knowledge. Kevin’s father Ken Patzoldt is the head groomer and snow maker at Mt Itasca, and Kevin himself has a plenty of sweat equity invested at Mt Itasca. 2002 Olympian Dan Campbell of Hastings, MN made a return to high level competition last season, missing Europa Cup qualification by one position.

The Junior/Youth World Team Trials will run Dec 19, 20, 22. The three races will be used to select the Junior (age 19-20) and Youth (18 and under) teams to the World Junior Championships which will be held in Solleftea, Sweden in late January. At last years World Junior Championship in Canmore, Alberta, Grace Boutot (Presque Isle, Maine) and Addie Byrne (Grand Rapids, MN) placed 2nd and 6th respectively in the 10km Individual. They are both looking to improve on those results this year.

Junior National Team Coach Vladimir Cervenka lives in Grand Rapids and bases his training at Mt Itasca. “Its really exciting to have the World Team trials for both seniors and juniors at Mt Itasca. In an Olympic year, the quality of the racing field is very high. There are a number of local athletes like Wynn, Leif, Addie and Kevin who have grown up racing at Mt Itasca. This will be their chance to really shine at their home course. Mt Itasca has some very tough climbs and technical descents. It will definitely break up the field.”

Snowmaking will commence at Mt Itasca as soon as the temperature get cold enough in mid- November. Plans are to have 1.5km loop open for the season opening race, Minnesota Cup # 1, on the weekend of Dec 5, 6. For more information regarding the World Team Trials and Minnesota Cup events, go to www.biathlon.teamusa.org, or download the information below.

2010 Senior Team and Junior Team Trials Invitation (updated Dec 2, 2009)
2010 World Trials Mt Itasca -(pdf version)

2010 World Trials Mt Itasca -(word version)

Important Waxing Information