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.
Relive the excitement in the gallery below.
Links:
Thursday report & results
Saturday report & results
Sunday report & results
Sean Doherty (USBA “X” Team) smiling after winning a NorAm mass start in Canmore, Alberta, earlier this season. Photo: Jake Ellingson.
Elise Putnam (National Guard Biathlon).
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).
Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project/US Biathlon X Team) takes a big lead to the finish line of the women’s race.
Junior men’s field.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team).
Siena Ellingson (Loppet Nordic Racing).
Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) en route to winning the youth men’s race.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center) leads Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) and the rest of the junior women’s field.
Siena Ellingson (Loppet Nordic Racing) leaving the range.
Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Teo Sanchez (Chelsea Nordic) leads Jason Lawton (Biathlon Ontario) and others into the range in the youth men’s race.
Patrick Johnson (Far West Elite Team/Auburn Ski Club) warming up.
Melanie Schultz (Canmore Nordic).
Erin Yungblut (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Katrina Howe (Maine Winter Sports Center).
Former US Biathlon development skier Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) racing in December 2014.
Junior men’s field.
Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers) leads the junior men’s field.
Emily Dickson (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Men’s field ready to start.
Kelsey Dickinson (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team) heading for the finish.
Stuart Harden (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Arthur Roots (Biathlon Alberta Training Center).
Vincent Blais (ACBQ) in the men’s race.
The youth men’s field ready to start.
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).
Kelsey Dickinson representing the Maine Winter Sports Center at NorAms in Canmore in December, 2014.
Ethan Dreissigacker (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team).
Heading down hill.
Youth men’s podium: winner Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie, center); 2nd place Teo Sanchez (Chelsea Nordic, right); Adam Runnalls (Canmore Nordic, left).
Jacob Dalberg (National Guard Biathlon).
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Sasha Eccleston (Camrose Vikings).
Léo Grandbois (Biathlon Estrie) racing at the Canmore NorAm mass start in December 2014. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
Jacob Dalberg (National Guard Biathlon) and Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
Jarod Algra (West Coast Nordics) leads the youth men’s field into the range for prone.
The junior men’s field before the start.
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)
Youth women on the shooting mats.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center) and Leilani Tam Von Burg (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) off the line in the junior women’s race.
Brian Halligan (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team).
Start of the youth men’s race.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) before the start.
Matt Neumann (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon, bib 3) and the rest of the youth men’s field about to start.
Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
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).
Jordan McElroy (National Guard Biathlon).
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) and Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) in the penalty loop.
Sarah Poisson-Grégoire of ACBQ leaves the range in the youth women’s race.
Guillaume Bertrand (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Kristin Chicoine (Foothills Nordic) had the best race suit, by far.
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/US Biathlon “B” Team) in the penalty loop.
Youth men’s field.
Paul Everett (Methow Valley Biathlon) is the first to leave the range in the youth men’s race.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team) bringing it home for the win in the men’s race.
The junior men’s field hits the range.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team).
Patrick Johnson (Far West Elite Team/Auburn Ski Club) in the men’s race.
Andrew Chisholm (Biathlon Alberta Training Center) leads Matt Neumann (Caledonia Nordic Ski Club).
The men’s field leaves the start.
Tobias Quinn (Biathlon Ontario).
Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).
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).
Youth men’s field on the range.
Sean Doherty (US Biathlon X Team), Mike Gibson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project), and Max Durtschi (US Biathlon X Team) racing
The men’s field approaches the range for the first time.
Charles Pépin of La Poursuite leaves the range during the youth men’s race. Photo: Jake Ellingson
Grant Novak (Rocky Mountain Racers).
Women’s field.
Getting ready for customers.
The senior men’s field shooting prone for the first time.
Casey Smith (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon “B” Team) leads Guillaume Bertrand (Rocky Mountain Racers).
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).
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 men’s race.
Tadhg Nakada (National Guard Biathlon).
Clare Egan (Craftsbury Green Racing Project/US Biathlon X Team).
Kesey Dickinson (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon Development Team).
Katrina Howe (Maine Winter Sports Center) bringing it in for second place in the women’s race.
Maddie Phaneuf (Maine Winter Sports Center/US Biathlon X Team) zeroing before competition.
Men’s field ready to start.
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.
Ethan Dreissigacker (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) leads the men’s field into the range for the first prone.