FasterSkier was able to catch up with some of the athletes vying for these remaining US Biathlon Olympic spots as they traveled to Europe and begin their final preparation for the trials. Tracy Barnes FS: When did you travel to Europe? TB: I traveled to Europe on Christmas Day. FS: What was your schedule like once you got to Europe? TB: The first stop in Europe was the Schalke Biathlon World Team Challenge which took...
OBERHOF, Germany – Biathlon World Cup racing resumes in Oberhof, Germany Jan. 6-10 following a two week holiday break. It’s been a historic start to the 2009-2010 World Cup season as Tim Burke (Paul Smiths, N.Y.) has collected two medals, silver and bronze, and is the current leader in Overall World Cup standings – the first time ever for a U.S. biathlete. Over 50,000 spectators are expected to attend this week’s competition, which will kick...
Tim Burke is in the New York Times again and Laura Spector in the Boston Globe. Taking dead aim – Larua Spector in the Boston Globe
How does it feel being in yellow? It is a great feeling. I have been working for a long time so this is just great for the whole organization and me. So many people helped me get to this level. Has this been a goal of yours? Wearing the yellow bib is something that every biathlete and cross-country skier dreams about. My goal for this year is to be in the top 15 overall in...
The International Competition Committee of the US Biathlon Association has named the following athletes to the IBU Cup Team for January 2010. The athletes will compete at Altenberg, Germany 7-10 January and Nove Mesto, CZE 13-16 January.
Mt Itasca, Coleraine, MN – Perfect corduroy greeted athletes at Mt Itasca for Day 5 of competition of the World Team Trials. BethAnn Chamberlain (Grand Rapids, MN) came out swinging and posted the only clean shooting of the day. So far, the Trial events had not gone well for Chamberlain and she needed a victory in order to qualify for the IBU Cup team. Though she now calls Presque Isle, ME home, Chamberlain...
Today the International Competition Committee of the US Biathlon Association has named the following athletes to the Youth & Junior World Championship Team. The athletes will compete at Torsby, Sweden from January 26 through February 3, 2010. Junior Women: Competition 19-Dec 20-Dec 22-Dec 2 of 3 Ranking Sprint Pursuit Sprint TOTAL 1 Boutot, Grace 100.99 102.08 106.67 208.75 2 Byrne, Addie 102.63 101.10 95.27 203.73 Youth Women: Competition 19-Dec 20-Dec 22-Dec 2 of 3 Ranking...
This weekend Tim Burke made history by becoming the first American to lead the overall Biathlon World Cup standings. Burke enters the Christmas break with a seven point lead over Simon Fourcade (FRA). Christoph Sumann (AUT) is third, 28 points behind Burke. Burke was also featured in an Associated Press story, separate piece in USA Today. Burke’s photo graced the cover of USA Today (see below).
It was a perfect day at Mt Itasca: 20 degrees at the start, no wind, and news had just come that US Biathlon’s rising star, Tim Burke, had just taken over the Yellow Bib on the Biathlon World Cup. The excitement was tangible in the stadium as the athletes prepared for the start of Day 4 of the Biathlon World Team Trials in Coleraine, MN. Today’s Pursuit format generally favors the best shooters, and the...
Tim Burke made history this morning as the first American to lead the overall IBU World Cup points list. Burke started in 8th place in today’s pursuit ranked second, but skiied with fire to end the race in 6th – enough to bump Christoph Suman (AUT) off the top of the leaders list and take the coveted yellow leaders jersey. Today’s 12.5 km pursuit was the third of three races in Pokluka, Slovenia Burke had three penalties in a...
On Day 3 of the Biathlon World Team Trials, Wynn Roberts, Battle Lake, MN, got his act together on the shooting range cleaning prone and missing 2 on standing. With excellent skiing he finished 25 seconds ahead of Zach Hall of Anchorage, AK. Only .3 seconds separated Walt Shepard, Yarmouth, ME, in third place, and Leif Nordgren, Marine on St Croix, MN in fourth. Nordgen is a last year junior and was trying to claw...
“I guess that’s the best team result I’ve seen so far”, head coach Per Nilsson couldn’t help smiling after today’s sprint competition in Pokljuka, Slovenia. With three US athletes starting in tomorrow’s pursuit there are plenty of things to be happy about – or to even pray for. Burke has Chance on Yellow Bib Tim Burke’s eighth place in the sprint competition would already be amazing without the fact that he has a great chance...
Today’s sprint was the second of a three-race IBU World Cup event in Pokljuka, Slovenia. Russia swept the day in both women’s and men’s events, as Svetlana Sleptsova and Ivan Tcherezov won their respective fields. Tcherezov shot cleanly in both stages and took the win over Domi Landertinger (AUT) by 11 seconds. In third by 42 seconds was Thomas Frei (SUI) with one penalty. Tim Burke of the U.S. had another stellar result, placing 8th with two penalties and finishing...
RAMSAU, Austria (Dec. 18) – The U.S. Ski Team’s Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) battled for the lead in a FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Ramsau, before losing out in a five-skier sprint for third, finishing sixth. His teammate Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) was seventh as France’s Jason Lamy Chappuis picked up the win. Lodwick, who was seventh after the jump, started 22 seconds back in the 10K cross country but quickly moved...
Yet another big weekend of racing is already underway, with a Nordic Combined World Cup this morning. In addition to two more NoCo races, you can take your pick of World Cup XC, World Cup Biathlon, NorAm sprints, and US Biathlon World Team Trials. Add to that a bevy of regional events and if it was on cable, your weekend would be set. Just a quick overview this week… World Cup Cross-Country The cross-country World...
Haley Johnson skied to a career-best World Cup Biathlon finish yesterday in the women’s 15km individual, finishing 21st. Her result also qualified her for the US Olympic Team. Here are several photos of Haley’s great performance, courtesy of US Biathlon and Nordic Focus.
When the result board turned to the next page and showed her final result Haley Johnson could not help crying. To see that historic 21st place on the score board in Pokljuka, Slovenia after the women’s 15km individual today was a relief in many ways. Not only was it the best result for the US women this season, but it also qualified for the US Olympic Team. “I made it,” Johnson screamed, “I made it....
Pokljuka, Slovenia – Tim Burke (USA) continues to be a force on the World Cup Biathlon circuit, turning in his 5th consecutive top-20 finish. Burke skied very well, posting the 3rd fastest ski time of the day, but he was kept off the podium by his shooting. In the 20km individual, biathletes do not ski a penalty loop for misses, but are instead assessed a one minute penalty. Only one skier ahead of Burke had...
Last weekend at the IBU World Cups in Oestersund Tim Burke finished on the podium twice, the best results of his career and a historic weekend for U.S. Biathlon. This weekend in Hochfilzen, Austria, Burke placed 20th in the sprint and pulled himself up to 10th in the pursuit. After several errors in the sprint erased his chance for Friday’s podium, Burke nearly matched the winning performances on Saturday as he blazed the pursuit race. Reflective of his errors, Burke also tries to keep an even...
