U.S. National Championships
The Mt Itasca Biathlon Association in Coleraine, Minnesota has been awarded the 2008 North American Biathlon Championships. The North American Biathlon Championship is an IBU Continental Championships, a sanctioned event, which will feature Sprint, Pursuit and Mass Start races.
The race dates are March 20-23, 2008. Athletes from all over the U.S. and Canada will be competing. In addition to the North American Championships, the event will also serve at the U.S. National Championships for Seniors, Juniors, and Masters. The Mt Itasca Winter Sports complex features a 3.3 km man made snow loop and 30 point biathlon range, as well as additional cross-country ski trails, an alpine ski hill, and a ski jumping facility. Mt Itasca has become a regular stop on the USSA XC Super Tour and North American Biathlon Cup circuit thanks to its challenging terrain, a fantastic stadium, and snowmaking capability. It's very compact so the racing is exciting and challenging but not too technical, and it is very “friendly” to spectators. The weather at that time of year can be perfect for spring racing. Many of the U.S. Junior National team athletes train year round at Mt. Itasca under Coach Vladimir Cervneka. Coleraine and nearby Grand Rapids, MN and is located 3.5 hours north west of the Twin Cities and 75 minutes west of Duluth. The race invitation and registration forms will be posted on www.usbiathlon.org and www.minnesotabiathlon.org. Additional
information may also be obtained by contacting Piotr Bednarski, Director of Athlete Development, online mnbiathlon@aol.com or by calling 612/354- 2995 office, 952 237-0765 cell.
