After coming back from a devastating combination of injuries from a 2015 crash, former U.S. national team member Casey Smith realized that he was treating biathlon like a job, not like fun. He'll re-enroll at Montana State University this fall and say goodbye to elite skiing.
The second set of trials for US Biathlon's World Cup team takes place this weekend in Jericho, Vt., with sprints both Saturday and Sunday. Three women are in the mix for two openings for IBU World Cups 1, 2 and 3, and several men are competing for one remaining men's spot.
Russell Currier, Kelsey Dickinson, and Brian Halligan admit that they didn't have great results this season - so they understand why they weren't re-named to U.S. Biathlon Association training groups. But along with Casey Smith, who was also cut from the 'B' team, they have few options to improve their results and get back now that Maine Winter Sports Center is defunding travel and competition for senior athletes.
Earlier this month came the news that Will Sweetser was parting ways with the Maine Winter Sports Center and leaving his post as competitive sports director. Meanwhile, the MWSC is restructuring its Olympic Development Team, which means less money for top-tier athletes and more toward the junior and postgrad programs.
When Casey Smith went flying off the race course in Canmore, Alberta, he was knocked unconscious; he later found he had broken many ribs, a shoulder blade, and bones in his back, as well as puncturing a lung. The U.S. biathlete is recovering at home, a process which will be long but which he's approaching optimistically.
Last year, Casey Smith transitioned away from school at Montana State University and into full-time training at the Maine Winter Sports Center. His first season as a senior biathlete reaped big rewards: an appearance at Olympic Trials, podiums at the Czech Cup, and a top-30 finish at Open European Championships. As recognition, Smith earned a "B" team nomination.
Audrey Vaillancourt has spent a lot of time bouncing around different European race circuits this season. Today, she eked out a 2-second victory in the 15 k individual at Open European Championships thanks to the best shooting in the field, and among the fastest range times. It's the first time a Canadian has ever won a race at the Championships.
With nearly two dozen athletes, the MWSC in northeastern Maine is shaping up to be a national powerhouse in both cross-country and biathlon. "From my perspective as director, this group is more of a team than we've ever had," says director Will Sweetser. "There is no doubt that our program will have one of the best men's distance teams in U.S. XC."
Casey Smith capped off his four career appearances at World Youth and Junior Championships with a 37th-place showing in the individual in Obertilliach Austria. While he's hoping to make the cut for U26 Championships, Jake Dalberg, who placed 52nd despite rifle problems, is headed next to Italian Military Championships.
Christian Gow and Stuart Harden continued solid Championships racing that was nonetheless not quite what they were hoping for, finishing 16th and 18th in the junior and youth pursuits. For America, Casey Smith turned in one of the more impressive pursuit performances of the day, missing a single shot and climbing 20 places to 23rd.
Note: This is the last piece in a three-part series following several groups of biathletes as they negotiate the college question. part two looked at USBA’s 2007-2010 Development Team. In November, 2011, Casey Smith was named Junior Biathlete of the Year for 2011 by the United States Biathlon Association (USBA). In a European country, that might mean a pat on the back from a coach at practice, perhaps an honorary celebration thrown by an athlete’s...
Three top young biathletes spent a ten days as part of a team in Sweden, training, going to school, and racing alongside their hosts. “American kids have to sacrifice more if they want to go into full-time racing,” said Tara Geraghty-Moats.
The biathlon season may have ended in North America a few weeks ago, but that hasn’t stopped a group of U.S. juniors from racing their way from to the top. Sean Doherty (Saratoga Biathlon), Tara Geraghty-Moats (Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club/Ethan Allen Biathlon Club), and Casey Smith (Methow Valley Biathlon) flew to Solefteå, Sweden as part of an exchange organized by U.S. Head Coach Per Nilsson. While the main focus on the stay was more to...
Conditions for the first race of Swedish Biathlon National Championships weren’t exactly wonderful in Solefteå, Sweden on Friday. “The weather has been really bad with warm temps and wind,” U.S. National Team Head Coach Per Nilsson told FasterSkier. “It was on the edge to hold the races… today was deep slush, gusty wind and challenging conditions for everybody.” It showed: in the senior division, Helena Ekholm and Carl Johan Bergman took the sprint titles with...
With Canada’s Kurtis Wenzel winning gold in the junior men’s 15 k individual, it was easy to overlook the other North American performances at biathlon World Junior Championships on Tuesday. But there were several other notable finishes in Kontiolahti, Finland, including top-20’s from Wenzel’s teammates Aaron Gillmor and Audrey Vaillancourt. Biathlon Canada, it appears, is on its way up. “It was certainly a welcome surprise to hear that Kurtis was in the lead after his...
Thursday night, the Slovakian town of Osrblie kicked off the 2012 Open European Championships of biathlon with an elaborate ceremony featuring athletes from 32 different countries. On Friday, racers flooded past on the trails and hundreds of shots were fired on the range, by the best field the venue has hosted since its last World Cup in 2005. What are the Open European Championships? The event, which lasts a week, actually serves several purposes. It’s...
The format and selection procedures at World Youth/Junior Biathlon Championships Team Trials were explained in Wednesday’s Full results (Excel spreadsheet)
After a World Junior Championships where it has already proven dominant in the medal counts, Russia sealed the deal by winning both the youth men’s and women’s relays in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic on Friday. And it wasn’t even close: both teams won by more than a minute, the men over Italy and the women over Ukraine. Elena Badanina, the leadoff skier for the Russian women’s team, doesn’t see herself as becoming a star, despite...
When the World Youth and Junior Biathlon Championships kick off in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic on Saturday, both the U.S. and Canadian teams will have high hopes. How high? In 2010 in Torsby, Sweden, Canadian Rose-Marie Cote won a bronze medal in the youth 10 k individual. In 2009 in Canmore, Canada, American Grace Boutot won silver in the same event, and Canadian Yolaine Oddou was one spot behind her. That was a banner year...