Updates and Info

Happy Holidays to you!

So, we have folks in Anchorage for the US Y & Jr World Championship Team Trials, others headed that way, many working with their high school teams this week, and others doing their own thing. With that wide spread of training advice needs, I think I am done with the “Hypothetical 500 hr per year” weekly training plans —for the time being…ski a lot, shorter and harder when you are approaching an important race series, and keep your hands on that rifle!! The majority of your fitness training is over now for the year—but you can still gain by adding some frosting to the cakes—both skiing and shooting—and definitely in the combination of the two!!

If anyone wants a plan..let me know! 

I will likely continue to send out a weekly epistle, but sans the weekly plan. 

In Anchorage, Dec 26th is Unofficial training, 27th is Official Training where the course and range are set up like for the first race, and Wed the 28th is the first race—a Sprint with 10km for all Men and 7.5km for all Women. If they use the normal winter Biathlon courses, the courses have more vertical climbs than Mt Itasca. They are not quite so technical [hard corners, difficult transitions], as I recall. 

The Sprint will be followed on Thursday the 29th by a 10 km Pursuit format for both genders, then another Official Training Day, and finally another Sprint—this one 7.5km for Men and 6.0 km for Women.

The Trials are scored on a % back basis based on the average time of the top 3 athletes in each race. Then each athlete is ranked by their best two races.

The US Team announcements should be made soon after the last race.

Then in mid Jan we have two opportunities; a Regional Race weekend at Blackhawk near Madison WI and also an Invitation to a race at Camp Ripley on Sunday the 15th—please see the attached, and let me know if you plan to attend either event. The following two weekends in Jan will each see an event at Elk River on Sundays—a MN Cup first then a one day Regional race on the last weekend. 

So, a lot of opportunities coming up shortly, but in the meantime—follow along with our MN Biathlon team in Anchorage. Results should be available on Zone4.ca , the USBA webpage, or the Biathlon Club of Anchorage webpage. 

Enjoy the snow, it will warm up soon [just a little, I hope] and be sure to get out on skis with your rifle!! And  Dryfiring really works!! As Nike used to say, “Just Do It”

Happy New Year’s—Enjoy the Journey!
Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

IBU Cup and YJWCH Trials Info

Dear Coaches and Clubs, 

We are sending info on both the IBU Cup Trials in Craftsbury, VT, Dec. 15-18, 2022, and the Youth/Junior World Championships Trials in Anchorage, AK, Dec. 27-31, 2022. Please find invitations for both events attached. Note that coaches are required to register for both events.

NOTE: YJWCH Trials registration fee increases on Dec. 1, 2022! Please have athletes register ASAP to avoid late fees. Register here: https://zone4.ca/register.asp?id=29840

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sara Studebaker-Hall (she/her/hers)
Director of Operations
U.S. Biathlon
208-340-5489

USBA Jr. Criteria Update & World U. Games Info

Good News!! 

In addition to the Y & Jr World Championships, USBA will be selecting some athletes from Anchorage Trials to go to the Open European Jr Championships and the Jr IBU cup races. This is a great opportunity for those who are near the top of the local races, as we have historically placed many MN athletes on the YJr World team!! This will go below that to give more athletes the possibility of participating in International Biathlon Competition!!

Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

Results from Saturday, Aug 6, 2022 Sprint at Summer Nationals in VT

https://www.eabiathlon.org/race-results

The ‘open class’ is both Seniors and Juniors combined together. Then the Juniors are also on a separate class result. I think both age classes carried rifles on the entire course while the Youth and younger did a shorter course plus some ‘rifle loops’.  

There are a number of Canadian biathletes competing also—and they often come down with really fast roller skis..almost rollerblade fast.

Mass Start and Pursuits tomorrow!! The link to the start times is posted on the main sheet of the same webpage. 

Bill Meyer, Coach

USBA and ORDA Announce US Biathlon National Championships

US Biathlon and the Olympic Regional Development Authority are pleased to invite you to the US Biathlon National Championships in Lake Placid, NY March 23-27, 2022.

Please find the invitation attached, as well as a link below to find more information. Please reach out to ORDA with any questions.

https://www.teamusa.org/US-Biathlon/Events/2022/March/23/National-Championships