Monthly Archives: October 2010

MN Biathlon 2010 – 2011 Winter Schedule

Posted on by
Day Date Location Description
 

December
Sunday 12 Mt. Itasca Race
Zero / Start 10 / 11 Mass Start 

Novice
 

IBU Cup Trials – December 14 – 19 – Mt. Itasca
Tuesday 14 10 – 2 Unofficial Training
Wednesday 15 10 – 12 Official Training
Thursday 16 Zero / Start 10 / 11 Mass Start
Friday 17 10 – 12 Official Training
Saturday 18 Zero / Start 10 / 11 Sprint
Sunday 19 Zero / Start 

9 / 10

 Pursuit
 

Junior / Youth World Trials – December 27 – 30 – Jericho, VT
 

January
Sunday 9 Snowflake Race
Zero / Start 10 / 11 Mass Start 

Novice

 

MN National Guard Central Regional Championships

January 13 – 15 – Camp Ripley
Thursday 13 Official Training
Friday 14 Sprint
Saturday 15 Relay – 3 Person
Sunday 23 Nisswa Race
Zero / Start 10 / 11 Biathlon games 

Novice
 

February
Sunday 20 Duluth Race
Zero / Start 10 / 11 Mass Start 

Novice
 

March
Sunday 6 Elk River Race
Zero / Start 10 / 11 Mass Start 

Novice
 

USBA National Championships – Juniors / Seniors / Masters

March 17 – 20, 2011 – Mt. Itasca
Thursday 17 Sprint
Friday 18 Official Training
Saturday 19 Pursuit
Sunday 20 Mass Start

Known Conflicts

  • Jan 8                  Pre-Loppet
  • Jan 8                  Mesabi Invitational – HS
  • Jan 22 – 23            Super Tour / JOQ – Minneapolis
  • Feb 5 – 6                  City of Lakes Loppet
  • Feb 9                             Section Meets – HS
  • Feb 17                  State HS Meet
  • Feb   13th Mora Vassaloppet
  • Feb   19th Bemidji Finlandia
  • Feb 26 – 27            American Birkebeiner
  • March 7 – 12            Junior Nationals – Minneapolis

2012 
Youth 
Olympic
 Games
 – January 10-24, 2012

Posted on by

2012 Youth Olympic Games
January 10-24, 2012
Innsbruk, Austria

Dear Athletes and Coaches,

The inaugural Youth Winter Olympic Games will be held January 13-22, 2012 in
Innsbruk, Austria. This is a new event, and as the title indicates, it’s a big deal. This
is a REAL OLYMPICS for Youth athletes (age eligibility described below), and will
include virtually all the winter sports that are included in the “regular” Olympic
Games. This event will be fully funded by the US Olympic Committee and the USBA.

The U.S. Biathlon Team will be allowed to bring 2 female and 2 male biathletes.
Athletes must be US Citizens born between January 1, 1994 and Dec 31, 1995.
There will be 4 events for biathlon:

  • 6km/7.5km Sprint
  • 7.5km/10km Pursuit
  • Mixed Relay (2 women and 2 men)
  • Combined Biathlon and XC Relay (2 biathletes, 2 xc skiers)

The qualification process for US biathletes wanting to represent the United States at
the Youth Olympic Games will begin this winter season, 2010-2011. The
International Competition Committee has not yet approved criteria, but they will be
available in the next month. Criteria will be emailed out to coaches and will be
posted on the USBA website as soon as they are available.

Because the names for team selection must be submitted to the International
Olympic Committee by early December 2011, we will most likely need to use results
from major Biathlon races during the 2010-2011 season. Athletes and coaches
need to keep this in mind when planning the winter race schedule. Though our
criteria are not yet complete, this letter is a “heads up” regarding the importance of
racing at the Jr/Youth World Team Trials, Dec 28-30, 2010 in Jericho, Vermont and
the US National Championships, March 17-20, 2011 at Mt Itasca, Minnesota.

The International Competition Committee will work to complete its work on the
Youth Olympic Games qualifying criteria by the middle of November. The inaugural
Youth Summer Olympic Games were held this summer in Singapore. From all
reports it was a resounding success. The host city website is not yet up, but here’s a
link for some more basic information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Winter_Youth_Olympics

Snowflake Biathlon TV Coverage

Posted on by

Click here for the story: http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S1775718.shtml?cat=10348

Snowflake Biathlon

By: Laura Kennedy
lkennedy@wdio.com

With snow still several weeks away, racers left their cross country skis at home and took to their mountain bikes instead.

“I was originally a cross country skiier but then I studied abroad in Europe and biathlon is much bigger over there,” said Corrine Malcolm of Hayward, Wisconsin.

“I haven’t done a mountain bike biathlon before but I’ve done other biathlons, some summer races some winter ones,” said Jake Dalberg of Ely.

This biathlon mountain bike race was the first of its kind held at Snowflake Nordic Ski Center.

“There’s a number of running races the kids have been doing over the year,” said John Gould, coach for Duluth/Esko Biathlon. “We thought before winter starts and they get on skis it would be good to do one on mountain bikes.”

After one lap around the course on the bikes, racers have to slow their heart rates in order to take aim at these biathlon targets.

“You take your gun off, uncover your sights, really slow yourself down, take deep breaths and try to shoot your best,” said Nick Proell from St. Cloud.

Then, they take off for another lap. to complete the race, each biathlete must go through four circuits.

“It’s hard to get your mind on shooting after you’ve been out on the trails racing,” said Erik Rupert from Duluth. “Your head’s just spinning and you’ve got to shoot a target the size of a half dollar piece.”

“You come into the range with heart rates up around 180-190 beats per minute,” Gould said. “They have to be in good shape to do it.”

Many of these biathletes have their sights set on the junior national team or the Olympics. Events like this one help keep them in shape during the summer months.

“I do a lot of endurance sports like biking, running and skiing,” Rupert said. “It’s just a different spin on it.”

“It’s not just skiing, it’s shooting, so you have a better chance if you’re not the best skiier,” Proell said. “It’s really competitive and challenging.”