Top World Cup Result Qualifies Bonacci for Pursuit

“I am happy to have had a World Cup where I didn’t really feel stressed to race, and was just happy to have some sun and mountain air to go for a fun race in,” said Bonacci. “It’s super cool to be in the top 60 with Jake and Sean as well and I am excited for the race tomorrow.”

Bonacci’s time was +2.30 behind the sprint victor, Benedikt Doll of Germany, who shot a perfect 10/10. Doll was joined on the podium by Johannes Thingnes Boe of Norway and German teammate Philipp Nawrath.

This season has been one of notable improvements for Bonacci. Today’s 49th place was a 17-spot jump from his previous World Cup personal best 66th in last season’s sprint at the World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. Two weekends ago, at the IBU Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland, Bonacci also jumped 16 spots to claim 6th place in the individual and a spot in the flower ceremony.

Team USA teammates Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH/National Guard Biathlon) and Jake Brown (Saint Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) also qualified for the pursuit. Doherty finished in 27th place with one miss standing, and Brown finished only one second ahead of Bonacci in 48th, with two misses in standing. Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/U.S. Biathlon) crossed the line in 72nd with one miss in both prone and standing.

Doherty, Brown, Bonacci and Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) will race in tomorrow’s pursuits. Irwin will kick the day off wearing bib eight in the women’s 10km pursuit set to begin at 6:45 ET/12:45 CET, followed by the men’s pursuit at 8:40 ET/2:40 CET. Live stream can be found at eurovisionsports.tv/ibu/.

As the Olympic sports organization centered around the sport of biathlon, the United States Biathlon Association, known as U.S. Biathlon, is recognized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the national federation for biathlon in the United States. Founded in 1980, U.S. Biathlon exists to support and encourage the development of biathlon in the United States, to work with biathlon clubs and regional centers around the country to organize training and competition from the grassroots to elite level, and to prepare athletes for international competition. U.S. Biathlon staffs and finances the U.S. Biathlon national and junior national teams and is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org.

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