In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at this week’s International Biathlon Union (IBU) 2018 Youth and Junior World Championships in Otepää, Estonia, we asked those qualifying athletes several questions about themselves — actually, we had them fill in the blanks. Here we have 20-year-old Angus Tweedie of British Columbia, who is representing Canada at his first Junior World Championships after several IBU Junior Cup and Junior Open European Championships trips.
This week in Otepää, Tweedie placed 17th in the junior men’s 4 x 7.5 k relay, 67th in the 15 k individual, and 69th in the 10 k sprint.
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“My full name is Angus Tweedie but you can call me Curtis.
I was born and raised in Smithers, BC, and I learned to ski at the Bulkley Valley Nordic Center.
I spent the time between World Youth/Junior trials and Worlds racing the last two Junior Cup races and training in France.
The most memorable workout I did in the last training year to prepare for this was roller skiing in an inch and a half of snow while it was raining with my teammates in the Whistler Nordic Development Center.
One thing I’m working on this season to improve my biathlon is spending less time in the circle of shame.
This is my first time in Estonia and second time racing internationally, and so far, it’s been brutally hot inside and incredibly cold outside.
One difference I’ve noticed between Estonia and the Canada is the buildings are way older here.
One of the things I’m most excited about for World Youth/Junior Championships in Otepää is racing at a completely new venue.
One race I’m especially targeting there is individual.
Watching the Olympics in the leadup to my own races was highly disappointing. One of my least favorite moments of the Games was losing to Germany in hockey and to USA in both hockey and curling (we lost the stereotypically Canadian sports). I want to be like Mark McMorris, because his recovery was nothing short of spectacular.
At Worlds, I really hope I can chat/make friends with someone from Brazil and ask them “How do you get started in biathlon where winter isn’t really a thing?”
My favorite thing at the breakfast where we are staying is the fine selection of Yeti meats.
Before this trip, if you said “Estonia”, the first thing I’d think of would have been a mental picture of where it is on a map.
Now that I’m here, I’m pretty sure something I’ll always remember will be how similar it is to home (minus the lack of mountains of course)
If I had a totally free day here and didn’t have to worry about race fitness or training, I’d spend it wandering around with camera in hand.
The best way to follow me on social media is on Instagram @angomcmango.”
