14-20 Weeklong shooting Camp at Mt Itasca, MN, Camping and Breakfast/lunch included
25-27 Shooting and Ski Camp at Blackhawk, Camping available at Blackhawk
26 Safety Certification Class at Blackhawk
Sun 27 Daycamp Elk River Max 20
Sun 27 Rollerski biathlon race- Elk River
July
Sat 17 Day Camp at Wolfpack Biathlon, MN
Thurs 22 Rollerski biathlon race- Elk River
August
2-8 National camp and Summer Championships at Jericho VT or Craftsbury Tentative!!
Sun 15 Day camp Duluth Snowflake Ski Club
Thurs 19 Rollerski biathlon race- Elk River
September
12 Day camp Mt Itasca, MN
11/12 Two Day Camp and Race, Blackhawk Ski Club, Youth and Masters
October
16/17 Day camp Elk River, MN, Fall Festival with Roller Ski Biathlon Race
November
Sun 14 Daycamp Elk River
21-28 Thanksgiving camp- West Yellowstone incl biathlon race
December
4/5 On snow- Mt Itasca
Sun 5 race on snow Mt Itasca MN Cup #1
Sun 12 race on snow Mt Itasca MN Cup #2
26-31 Youth and Junior National Team Trials- Soldier Hollow. Race dates to be determined.
March 2022
23-27 US National Championships, Lake Placid,NY
Note: Dates and events subject to change based on weather, availability and condition of venues and Covid restrictions. Full winter race schedule for MN and WI will be added at a later date.
Here is the membership form for MN Biathlon for the coming training year which will start on 12th of April, and runs from April to April. A USBA membership is also required to use the ranges and participate in events (membership runs from Oct to Oct). USBA provides our range insurance.
Also coming up are rifles leases for those leasing MN Biathlon rifles for the coming year. We are still working on the final distribution list, and we will contact those affected within the next couple of weeks. Rifle lease prices will remain the same as last year –$200 for a bolt action or Izhmach, and $225 for an Anschutz Fortner action. If you want a club rifle but haven’t returned the questionnaire to me yet, I need that before we will re-issue any rifle.
Training plans for the upcoming season are also being developed according to the information I have. If you want a plan, but have not indicated to me you would like a plan, please do so. I will need the number of hours you trained last year, and reserve the right to just refer you to our pretty much weekly email. I am waiting on USBA to get their Trials schedule out. The IBU Youth and Junior World Championships will be held at Soldier Hollow in the US in late February this upcoming season!
Currently we have 10 athletes from the Midwest headed for West Yellowstone for US Biathlon Nationals. Some are there, some are on their way, and some leave in the am. Good Luck to all!! 140+biathletes from around the lower 48 snowbelt plus AK are registered!! Should be a lot of fun!! The Covid testing requirements are strict!!
Meanwhile, please take a minute to fill out the attached form, and return it to me as indicated. Any checks should be made out to MN Biathlon.
Thanks—lets get this done asap! Bill Meyer, Coach MNBiathlon
Good Morning Everyone! Just a followup to earlier emails!
We are making plans for the trip to Nationals at West Yellowstone. We have 9 from the Midwest signed up, with 2 or 3 more on the fence yet. Jeff Bosek is the trip leader. Jeff, Mark Torresani and I are planning on coaching. If you plan to attend, please look over the Covid protocol above and the Nationals Invitation. Fill them out and note they must be submitted online no later than the afternoon of Sunday 21st of March for registration. There is no onsite registration!!! And please let Jeff and me know if you are coming and haven’t already contacted us; or if you need to confirm. When you are registering and if you will be shooting on Tues or Wed prior to Official Training, try to get the 10:00-12:00 slot for range time. Jeff will be available on the range to coach those days. Some of us are staying at the Day’s Inn. We suggest a direct call vs online to save a few $$.
All MN Biathlon rifles leased for the year are due to be turned in at the end of the month. A questionnaire has been sent to all those who have rifles, or have expressed interest in leasing next year. If you misplaced that, or didn’t get one and would like to lease next year, that form is also attached. If you want a rifle next year, you need to fill that out and return it to me—either by email or by mail to the below address by Monday the 15th of March.
If you are not attending Nationals, please thoroughly clean and then turn in the rifle asap or after the Sunday race. If you have had good participation and would like to lease again, please put a piece of masking tape on the stock with your name on it. After the coaches go through the rifles and clean them, check them over, and replace any missing/damaged parts, we will be re-issuing. Who gets a rifle, who gets an upgrade, or who will need to buy their own to continue will be determined based mostly on the questionnaire answers and the coach’s discretion thereto. If you are going to Nationals, we can look the rifles over at West and re-issue for next year. Please contact me if you have any questions!!
The distances are not correct—but all in each class raced the same course for that class. Conditions yesterday were tough at 35F with a lot of sloppy new snow. Today was much improved with 28F and just a touch of snow coming down.. Great grooming and really good race organization!!
Below please find the Invitation to the first Midwest Regional Race to be held at the Blackhawk Ski Area near Madison WI on the 16th and 17th of Jan, 2021. Signup information is below and please note: You must sign up online!
I really hope we can get a good turnout from MN. The results from these races will be sent in to USBA for consideration along with other results from Dec and Jan as to selection for the US Team to the Youth and Junior World Championships. Hope you can make it!! Bill Meyer, Coach
On Saturday and Sunday, January 16th & 17th, Blackhawk Ski Club will host the second set of WI Biathlon races of the 2020/2021 season! These will be USBA Midwest Regional Open Biathlon races for USBA safety certified athletes.
Note that you must register for these races online prior to Noon on Friday, January 15th. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and other practical issues, there will be no same-day registration. All Open race participants are required to supply their own rifle and ammunition unless you make prior arrangements with one of the race organizers.
No fees will be collected online during the registration process so we have no concerns if you register for the race but are unable to attend the race for whatever reason. Please register online immediately if you have even the slightest thought of racing!
Note four important points:
No same day registrations will be offered on Saturday or Sunday. Register online at Webscorer before Friday, January 15th or do not race.
Arrive with your USBA membership current (see below) or do not race.
Read and understand the COVID-19 adaptations in the Webscorer event announcements below. If these are unacceptable to you in some way, do not race.
Do not attend the race if you have, or recently have had, flu symptoms and/or a fever.
Important: For the OPEN races, athletes 15 and over (calculated on 31 Dec 2020) must select the 10K “Distance” (7.5K for females entering the Saturday Sprint race) of the race when registering online with Webscorer and athletes 14 and under must select the 2.5K (Saturday) and/or 4K (Sunday) “Distance”.
For Open racers, the USBA membership number entry is optional in Webscorer, please enter your membership number if you are a Competitor level USBA member. If you are not a USBA member, arrange your USBA Member-for-a-Day purchase in advance of race day. Annual USBA memberships expire in October every year so be sure to renew your membership for this season, if necessary.
Biathlon liability insurance is provided by the USBA for race participants so USBA membership is mandatory on race day.
The links to USBA membership options are on the Webscorer registration page.
When you complete your online Webscorer registration, it is important to email the registration to yourself as proof that you are registered properly in case of last minute IT issues with the Webscorer web site.
Important: After registering on Webscorer, scroll down the Webscorer page to verify that your registration was accepted by Webscorer (and to access the “email to self” option).
Bib exchange and race fee payment will take place at the Biathlon Range Shelter according to the times posted in Webscorer. Here are the materials that are required for the bib exchange on race day:
Online registration printout (email to yourself by scrolling down after “Submitting” your online registration)
Exact cash or check payment (to “Blackhawk Ski Club”, see fee schedule on Webscorer registration page)
USBA Red Book (received at your USBA safety training class) (Open Racers Only)
USBA Membership Card (if you are a Competitor member of USBA) OR Online USBA receipt confirmation (online at USBA web site)
Volunteers are needed to facilitate the running and scoring of the race.
I look forward to seeing you at Blackhawk! Best regards, Mike Larsen WI Biathlon
Proposed weekend schedule from Mark Torresani
After receiving comments the below race format and schedule is proposed. I will work with Mike Larsen to get the sign up for races live on Webscorer. All races will be in a time trial fashion due to Covd restrictions with approximately 30 seconds between racers at the start.
Saturday January 16th 10:00 AM Set up and Registration [payment!] See note above!! Must sign up online! 11:00 Sight in U15, U19, U22 12:00: Sprint U19 and U22, 7.5K Women, 10K Men, PS 1:00, Sprint U15, 2.5K, 75M penalty lap PP (first prone shooting on standing target) 1:30 Masters, Seniors: site in/zero 2:15: Masters, Seniors, 10K PS 4:00 4K 4 person “fun” relay, PPSS (two skiers shoot prone, two skiers shoot standing, with 3 extra rounds for misses for all racers) 30 second penalty for missed targets. Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Rifle?
Sunday January 17th 8:00 AM Set up and Registration 9:00 Sight in U15, U19 ,U22 10:00 U19 & U22, 10 K PPSS 11:00 U15, 4K PPPP, 75M penalty (two prone on standing targets and two prone on prone targets) 12:00, Seniors, Masters Site in/zero 12:45 Seniors, Masters 10K PPSS 2:00 Awards
