![](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2017/02/image3.jpeg)
In another 20-something-question, fill-in-the-blanks series, we checked in with the world-class U.S. and Canadian biathletes that will be competing at 2017 International Biathlon Union (IBU) Youth & Junior World Championships Feb. 22-28 in Osrblie (also known as Brezno-Osrblie), Slovakia.
Here’s 18-year-old Vasek Cervenka, of Grand Rapids, Minn., who will be representing the U.S. at his second Youth Worlds. Last year, Cervenka spent the winter of 2015/2016 training in the Czech Republic, and he’s been there since January of this year (with plans to stay until mid-April).
On Wednesday, Cervenka led the U.S. in 16th in the youth men’s 12.5-kilometer individual, the first race of 2017 IBU Youth World Championships.
***
“My full name is Vaclav Cervenka but you can call me Vasek (VAH-SHEK). I was born in Boulder, Colo., and raised in Grand Rapids, Minn. I started cross-country skiing when I was able to walk, parents say 9 months old, and started biathlon when I was 13, thanks to my parents.
I currently train in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, and Grand Rapids, Minn., with the Nove Mesto biathlon team or with Jakob Ellingson and Vladimir Cervenka.
![](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2017/02/image2-3.jpg)
If I’m not skiing, you might find me drinking tea watching ‘Rick and Morty’ or ‘Game of Thrones’.
If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘The Adventures of Captain Underpants’ by Dave Pilkey.
One of the things I’m most excited about for Youth/Junior World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie is meeting pretty foreign girls 🙂 (SC – vashiggy_21)
This will be my second Youth/Junior World Championships, and this year, I’m competing as a youth. One race I’m especially targeting there is the 12.5 k individual.
The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was ‘Don’t give a s**t about anyone else racing, focus on yourself.’
One of the best race memories I have is the 2016 Youth Olympic games 10 k pursuit.
If I could meet one World Cup biathlete, it would be Martin Fourcade.
If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be colonizing Mars (sponsor me Elon Musk).
I’m missing zero days of school to be here, and my teachers/professors are probably thinking, ‘Good call doing online school.’
You can follow me on Instagram @Vashiggy_21.”
![](https://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2020/09/FasterSkier-logo-sq-320x320.png)