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.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team), Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project), and Max Durtschi (US Biathlon X Team) racing
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) before the start.
Léo Grandbois (Biathlon Estrie) leading the youth field to the range at the Canmore NorAm mass start in December 2014. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
Brian Halligan (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team).
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).
The men’s field approaches the range for the first time.
Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Patrick Johnson (Far West Elite Team/Auburn Ski Club) warming up.
The youth men’s field ready to start.
Teo Sanchez (Chelsea Nordic) leads Jason Lawton (Biathlon Ontario) and others into the range in the youth men’s race.
Jacob Dalberg (National Guard Biathlon).
Sarah Poisson-Grégoire of ACBQ leaves the range in the youth women’s race.
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).
Arthur Roots (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Women’s field.
Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers) leads the junior men’s field.
Tobias Quinn (Biathlon Ontario).
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team).
Jarod Algra (West Coast Nordics) leads the youth men’s field into the range for prone.
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon, bib 3) and the rest of the youth men’s field about to start.
Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project/US Biathlon X Team) takes a big lead to the finish line of the women’s race.
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)
Erin Yungblut (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Kristin Chicoine (Foothills Nordic) had the best race suit, by far.
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) and Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) in the penalty loop.
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) is the first to leave the range in the youth men’s race.
Youth women on the shooting mats.
Casey Smith (Maine Winter Sports Center) still on the shooting mat after most of the men’s field has left.
The youth men heading into the range.
Katrina Howe (Maine Winter Sports Center) bringing it in for second place in the women’s race.
The junior men’s field before the start.
Ethan Dreissigacker (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team).
Kelsey Dickinson (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team) heading for the finish.
Siena Ellingson (Loppet Nordic Racing) leaving the range.
Jordan McElroy (National Guard Biathlon).
Emily Dickson (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Getting ready for customers.
Junior men’s field.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center) and Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) off the line in the junior women’s race.
Sasha Eccleston (Camrose Vikings).
Heading down hill.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) bringing it home for the win in the men’s race.
Patrick Johnson (Far West Elite Team/Auburn Ski Club) in the men’s race.
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).
Léo Grandbois (Biathlon Estrie) racing at the Canmore NorAm mass start in December 2014. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Grant Novak (Rocky Mountain Racers).
15352732513_c2f1d90342_k
Start of the youth men’s race.
Charles Pépin of La Poursuite leaves the range during the youth men’s race. Photo: Jake Ellingson
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) leads Casey Smith (US Biathlon “B” Team/Maine Winter Sports Center) and Vincent Blais (ACBQ) onto the course.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team).
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).
Kesey Dickinson (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team).
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team) zeroing before competition.
Sean Doherty (USBA “X” Team) smiling after winning a NorAm mass start in Canmore, Alberta, earlier this season. Photo: Jake Ellingson.
Melanie Schultz (Canmore Nordic).
Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project/US Biathlon X Team).
Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) en route to winning the youth men’s race.
Tadhg Nakada (National Guard Biathlon).
Vincent Blais (ACBQ) in the men’s race.
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).
Ethan Dreissigacker (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) leads the men’s field into the range for the first prone.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center) leads Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) and the rest of the junior women’s field.
Matt Neumann (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Youth men’s field.
Junior men’s field.
Youth men’s field on the range.
Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
Jacob Dalberg (National Guard Biathlon) and Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
