Good Morning!

European competition is tough!!
In the Men’s 10 km sprint race in Poland, Paul Schommer was the top US finisher shooting 1+2 and 2:14 behind the winner for 58th place. Alex Howe was next with 1+1, 2:15 back in 59th. Both will qualify for the pursuit tomorrow. Jakob Ellingson, Hopkins, shot 0+1 and finished 2:24 back, but missed the 60th place cutoff for the pursuit finishing in 64th place. Russell Currier was 75th shooting 2+2; Max Durtschi was 88th, shooting 1+2; and Mike Gibson 103rd shooting 1+1.

Keep in mind in the Relay races the athletes need to use up to 3 extra rounds at each shooting if they don’t have all their targets down. Women ski 6 km total [3 x 2 km Red laps] while the Men ski 7.5 km total [3 x 2.5 km Green laps]

In the Mixed Relay in Pokljuka, Slovenia, for the USA Amanda Kautzer, Plymouth, started in the scramble position in bib #9. This meant she started in mass with the other 1st leggers but lined up behind them. She came into the range for prone in 9th, used 1 extra round, and left in 9th, 45 sec back. On the next lap she came in for standing, used 2 extra rounds and left in 11th, 2:05 behind. At the exchange to Siena, she was 2:33 back.

Siena Ellingson, Hopkins, Twin Cities and Mt Itasca Biathlon and LNR, came into the range in 9th, used 2 extras in prone, and left in 10th, 3:13 back. In standing she stayed in 10th using 2 extras, 4:17 back. She tagged off to Vasek in 10th, 5:11 back.

Vasek Cervenka, Mt Itasca, had the best leg for the US, moving up to 8th after using 1 extra in prone and leaving 5:26 back of leader Russia. He came into the range for standing in 8th, cleaned and was out in 8th, now 5:59 back. He tagged off to Cam in 8th, 6:37 back.

Cam Christiansen, Nisswa, NNW came into the range for prone in 8th and left in 8th missing his first shot and catching it with 1 extra round now 7:17 back. In standing he stayed in 8th, used 1 extra and left 8:30 behind Russia.

At the finish it was: 1st Russia 1:18:08 with no penalty loops and using 6 extra rounds
2nd France + 3:31 with no penalties using 5 extras
3rd Ukraine +5:09 with 2 penalties using 10 extra rounds
8th USA +9:05 with no penalty loops using 10 extra rounds.

The next race for the Juniors will be Sprint races both tomorrow and Sunday.

So a very respectable finish for the US, especially considering the 7 hour time change and their first competition in Europe this year for all except Siena.

More tomorrow
Bill Meyer