After the first round of NorAms being canceled in Canmore, Alberta, two weekends ago due to cold weather, the domestic biathlon season finally got off the ground on Thursday with the first race in a NorAm series which also served as Canada’s selection trials for its team to World Youth and Junior Championships in Minsk, Belarus. The team has not yet been named.
On Sunday, a day of mass start competitions, Loppet Nordic Racing’s Jake Ellingson decided to take a day off in preparation for the next round of NorAms in Mount Itasca, Minnesota, and took the opportunity to shoot the day’s races with a camera instead of a rifle.
While the youth and junior categories remained as competitive as ever, with not only the best Canadians vying for a trip to Minsk but several provinces also using the races as trials for the Canada Games and few Americans scattered in as well, the senior category lost the entries of Canada’s IBU Cup team, which departed for Europe that day. A strong field of Americans and remaining Canadians nonetheless battled it out.
Charles Pépin of La Poursuite leaves the range during the youth men’s race. Photo: Jake Ellingson
The senior men’s field shooting prone for the first time.
Getting ready for customers.
Men’s field ready to start.
Sarah Poisson-Grégoire of ACBQ leaves the range in the youth women’s race.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center) and Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) off the line in the junior women’s race.
Youth women’s podium: winner Bryn Robertson (Foothills Nordic, center); 2nd place Siena Ellingson (Loppet Nordic Racing, left); 3rd place Emily Dickson (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Tobias Quinn (Biathlon Ontario).
Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) en route to winning the youth men’s race.
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) is the first to leave the range in the youth men’s race.
Jordan McElroy (National Guard Biathlon).
The youth men’s field ready to start.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team).
Elise Putnam (National Guard Biathlon).
Heading down hill.
Jacob Dalberg (National Guard Biathlon) and Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
Tadhg Nakada (National Guard Biathlon).
Men’s field ready to start.
Junior men’s podium: winner Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers, center); 2nd place Matt Strum (Biathlon Alberta Training Center, right); and 3rd place Matt Hudec (Biathlon Alberta Training Center, left).
Emily Dickson (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Kristin Chicoine (Foothills Nordic) had the best race suit, by far.
Matt Neumann (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Max Durtschi, who attended last year’s tryout camp, racing in his U.S. biathlon duds at a NorAm competition in Canmore, Alberta, this winter. (Photo: Jakob Ellingson)
Kelsey Dickinson (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team) heading for the finish.
Katrina Howe (Maine Winter Sports Center).
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) before the start.
Junior men’s field.
Brian Halligan (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team).
The men’s field leaves the start.
Katrina Howe (Maine Winter Sports Center) bringing it in for second place in the women’s race.
Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Women’s podium: winner Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project, center); 2nd place Katrina Howe (Maine Winter Sports Center, left); 3rd place Erin Yungblut (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers) leads the junior men’s field.
Kesey Dickinson (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team).
Andrew Chisholm (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) leads Matt Neumann (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
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Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
Teo Sanchez (Chelsea Nordic) leads Jason Lawton (Biathlon Ontario) and others into the range in the youth men’s race.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team).
The men’s field approaches the range for the first time.
Women’s field.
Grant Novak (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Youth men’s field on the range.
Kelsey Dickinson representing the Maine Winter Sports Center at NorAms in Canmore in December, 2014.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center) leads Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) and the rest of the junior women’s field.
Léo Grandbois (Biathlon Estrie) racing at the Canmore NorAm mass start in December 2014. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
The junior men’s field hits the range.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) leads Casey Smith (US Biathlon “B” Team/Maine Winter Sports Center) and Vincent Blais (ACBQ) onto the course.
Casey Smith (Maine Winter Sports Center) still on the shooting mat after most of the men’s field has left.
Arthur Roots (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project/US Biathlon X Team) takes a big lead to the finish line of the women’s race.
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon, bib 3) and the rest of the youth men’s field about to start.
Men’s podium: race winner Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team, center); 2nd place Casey Smith (Maine Winter Sports Center, left); Guillaume Bertrand (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Jacob Dalberg (National Guard Biathlon).
Sean Doherty (USBA “X” Team) smiling after winning a NorAm mass start in Canmore, Alberta, earlier this season. Photo: Jake Ellingson.
Siena Ellingson (Loppet Nordic Racing).
Junior women’s podium: winner Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team, center); 2nd place Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center, right); 3rd place Alexandria Hynds (Chelsea Nordiq, left).
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) and Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) in the penalty loop.
Guillaume Bertrand (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Léo Grandbois (Biathlon Estrie) leading the youth field to the range at the Canmore NorAm mass start in December 2014. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
Start of the youth men’s race.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team), Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project), and Max Durtschi (US Biathlon X Team) racing
Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project/US Biathlon X Team).
Melanie Schultz (Canmore Nordic).
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) bringing it home for the win in the men’s race.
Casey Smith (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon “B” Team) in the penalty loop.
Sasha Eccleston (Camrose Vikings).
Youth women on the shooting mats.
Junior men’s field.
Vincent Blais (ACBQ) in the men’s race.
Siena Ellingson (Loppet Nordic Racing) leaving the range.
Jarod Algra (West Coast Nordics) leads the youth men’s field into the range for prone.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team) zeroing before competition.
