Dec_12_Sprint_Competition – Spreadsheet

Dec_12_Sprint_Competition – pdf

Mark Johnson and Jenny Wygant Take Day 1 Sprint Victories At Biathlon World Team Trials

After 10 days of non-stop snowmaking, snow hauling, and just getting the job done, the exhausted hometown race volunteers were rewarded by a solid 20 second victory by Mt Itasca biathlete Mark Johnson. After a disappointing series of World Cup qualification races in October, Johnson was ready for some payback, shooting 90% and skiing aggressively. Wynn Roberts of Battle Lake, MN skied to a 2nd place to finish with 3 penalties and the fastest ski time of the day. Roberts is no stranger to Mt Itasca, having trained there with coach Vladimir Cervenka most of his junior career. Zach Hall of Anchorage, AK was third with 2 penalties. Hall is looking to making his second IBU Cup team, having qualified last year. All three men are currently on the US Biathlon National Team.

In the women’s race, Jenny Wygant was all smiles as she climbed to the top of the Mt Itasca awards podium. Wygant is an Army nurse and a member of the Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). She is only in her second full year of biathlon training. She trains with the US Development Team in Lake Placid, NY, and she struggled last year with the return to a heavy training load and learning how to hit targets consistently. Wygant is on familiar ground at Mt Itasca, having grown up in Burnsville, MN and having skied for the Northern Michigan Wildcats. She shot her first biathlon targets at Mt Itasca in December 2007.

Susan Dunklee of Baton, Vermont placed second with 3 penalties, 15 seconds adrift of Wygant. Dunklee is also starting her 2nd year and biathlon and came off a brilliant first season, qualifying for the IBU Cup team and winning the 7.5km Sprint National championship. Laura Spector of Lennox, MA was 3rd, also with 3 penalties. Laura was on last years World Championship team.

Conditions at Mt. Itasca were perfect today, “We could have run the Olympics on today’s course,” beamed Vladimir Cervenka, Junior National Team coach and Chief of Competition. Perfect corduroy on a 2.5k man made loop greeted athletes this morning. Conditions look like they will be significantly colder and slower for tomorrow’s 15km and 12.5km Mass Start events. This is the most exciting event in biathlon and one that requires the coolest nerves in the range. The 3km and 2.5km loop will include a very steep 100m climb just before the range, making for high heart rates and aching legs as the athletes try to focus on shooting.