Athletes competing in the US Biathlon team trial competitions at Soldier Hollow (SoHo) in Midway, Utah, returned to the venue on Wednesday for a second roller ski sprint race. Trials had kicked off on Tuesday with a men’s and women’s sprint.
On Wednesday, 12 biathletes competed in the senior women’s 7.5-kilometer sprint, with veteran Susan Dunklee once again coming out on top. Dunklee completed the course in a time of 22:23, after missing two shots, one prone and one standing.
The next closest competitor to Dunklee was Johanna Talihärm, who tied Dunklee’s shooting score and finished 55 seconds back from the winning time for second place. Talihärm is originally from Estonia and is currently a senior at Montana State University.
Rounding out the podium was Craftsbury Green Racing Project and former Bates College skier, Hallie Grossman in third. Grossman cleaned her prone stage and missed one standing shot, finishing 1:12 seconds back from Dunklee.
Emily Dreissigacker, who had placed third in yesterday’s sprint, finished in fifth (+1:49) on Wednesday after two missed prone shots and one missed standing. Clare Egan, another top three finisher in Tuesday’s race, placed sixth (+2:01) in Wednesday’s sprint with 2 missed prone shots and 3 missed standing. In fourth (+1:32) on Wednesday was Deedra Irwin of Wisconsin Biathlon.
In the men’s 10 k sprint, Leif Nordgren claimed first in a time of 26:21 after one missed prone shot and one missed standing. Finishing 12 seconds behind Nordgren was Sean Doherty in second. Doherty missed two prone and cleaned standing. Rounding out Wednesday’s top three was Jake Brown, who cleaned standing and missed one prone shot, finishing two seconds out of second place and 14 seconds back from the winner.
A junior men’s and junior women’s sprint was held, with Lexie Madigan (Sugar Bowl Academy) taking the women’s win in a time of 16:46 and Eli Neilsen (MSU/Methow Valley Ski Club) claiming the men’s in a time of 19:25.
Athletes have a rest day on Thursday before returning to the venue on Friday for a mass start.
