(Note: this is first in a series of interviews with the coaches and staff of the U.S. biathlon team.) When Per Nilsson took over head coaching duties for the U.S. biathlon team after the 2006 Olympic Games, the U.S. men had already begun a slow ascent in the nations cup standings, climbing from 20th place in 2003 to 15th after Torino. With Nilsson’s help, the rise has continued: the men have now finished either 10th...
Scattered across the United States are a handful of skiers belonging to an exclusive club—one that includes Kris Freeman, Colin Rodgers, and Morgan Smyth. Earlier this month, biathlete Tim Burke became the club’s newest member, but not by choice. Instead, he joined the other three when he lay down on an operating table in Lake Placid and went under the knife, to relieve the symptoms of compartment syndrome. Quietly, Burke had endured the condition since...
I will be making some changes to my site over the next few weeks so things may look a little weird during this time. I home now recovering from compartment surgery so I will finally have some time to make … Continue reading →
I will be making some changes to my site over the next few weeks so things may look a little weird during this time. I home now recovering from compartment surgery so I will finally have some time to make … Continue reading →
I will be making some changes to my site over the next few weeks so things may look a little weird during this time. I home now recovering from compartment surgery so I will finally have some time to make … Continue reading →
Despite coming off of a successful World Championships in which they led the count with eight medals (including two relay golds), the Norwegian team was unable to keep their hot streak going when the World Cup landed on home turf in Oslo. At Holmenkollen Stadium on Thursday, the best the team could muster was a second-place finish by Tora Berger in the women’s 7.5 k sprint. She finished over 30 seconds behind Magdalena Neuner of...
I arrived in Oslo on Monday morning for the last World Cup stop of the season. After two weeks in Russia, Norwegian food has never tasted so good! It’s also great to be back in more normal temperatures after some … Continue reading →
I arrived in Oslo on Monday morning for the last World Cup stop of the season. After two weeks in Russia, Norwegian food has never tasted so good! It’s also great to be back in more normal temperatures after some … Continue reading →
I arrived in Oslo on Monday morning for the last World Cup stop of the season. After two weeks in Russia, Norwegian food has never tasted so good! It’s also great to be back in more normal temperatures after some … Continue reading →
Was U.S. biathlon head coach Per Nilsson enthusiastic about his team’s relay finish at World Championships on today? “BEST EVER!” he wrote in an e-mail on Friday evening. “[It’s] fun to show that we have a team that can fight on the highest level in the world.” While the entire team had a strong performance in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, on Friday – leadoff skier Lowell Bailey tagged off in fifth place – Leif Nordgren was again...
In biathlon, the individual format is often described as a shooter’s race. With a minute of added time penalizing each missed shot, the consequences for a single mistake while shooting are even higher than in any other format. There are many great biathletes – World Cup winners and even World Champions – who have never won an individual race. In Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, on Tuesday, young Norwegian Tarjei Bø proved that while the individual is a...
I am back in Italy now after a really tough tour at home. I had hoped for big results in the US World Cups but it was not to be. In the end, I had to be happy that I … Continue reading →
I am back in Italy now after a really tough tour at home. I had hoped for big results in the US World Cups but it was not to be. In the end, I had to be happy that I … Continue reading →
I am back in Italy now after a really tough tour at home. I had hoped for big results in the US World Cups but it was not to be. In the end, I had to be happy that I … Continue reading →
After some strong results in last weekend’s races in Presque Isle, Lowell Bailey appeared to be on his way to another solid finish in Fort Kent. Through two of four shooting stages in Saturday’s 12.5 k pursuit, the American had just one penalty, and had moved up substantially from his starting bib of 31. As he skied into the range for the third time, he unslung his rifle, and looked down for his next clip....
Fort Kent is only 50 miles from Presque Isle, but competitors in the biathlon World Cups were greeted with an entirely different environment when the circuit picked up and moved northward on Monday. Swirling winds and grinding courses were the challenges in Presque Isle; frigid temperatures and one massive hill welcomed athletes in Fort Kent. On the Canadian and American teams, members hail from locations across the entire continent—from Lake Placid and Quebec to Alberta...
I am extremely disappointed to report that I won’t be starting the races here in Presque Isle. I have been sick with the flu and an upper respiratory infection for the last 10 days and I am just now starting … Continue reading →
I am extremely disappointed to report that I won’t be starting the races here in Presque Isle. I have been sick with the flu and an upper respiratory infection for the last 10 days and I am just now starting … Continue reading →
I apologize for the lack of updates lately. To be honest, I could not find any motivation to write about more sub-par performances on the World Cup. It has been hard enough for me to deal with on my own … Continue reading →
It’s not as if the U.S. men’s biathlon team hasn’t shown its potential this year: Lowell Bailey led the beginning of the last relay before missing too many shots to maintain his position, and Bailey has had a number of top-20 finishes in individual races, while Tim Burke has two top-20’s and Leif Nordgren shot clean to finish 35th in the very first World Cup race of the season. But still, the biathlon world was...