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 nordic baby boom continues with US Biathlon veteran Lowell Bailey, who welcomed his first child on June 15. On top of being a father, Bailey is also continuing his career as a biathlete with his sights on the 2017 World Championships and 2018 Olympics, as well as recently joining the Bridger Biathlon Club Board of Directors.
After making the US Biathlon team and later coaching in Bozeman, Mont., Corrine Malcolm has broken out as a trail runner. While earning her master's degree, she won USATF's 50-mile trail running championship in May and earned a trip to 2016 Trail World Championships.
The US Biathlon Association is seeking a coaching intern to work with its national team athletes on a daily basis and live at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y., where meals and lodging are provided at no cost. The internship begins in early June and continues through October.
Looking back on 2015/2016, there were a long list of biathlon results for the U.S. and Canada to be excited about. Here are a few of the best, three of which included medals.
Doherty became the winningest youth and junior biathlete of all time, from any country, after picking up one last gold at Junior World Champs -- and also tallied three World Cup top 20s. Ogden secured her place on the U.S. cross-country scene by winning a SuperTour and notching third- and fourth-place finishes in the senior division at U.S. nationals.
US Biathlon is looking for "talented endurance athletes who are interested in becoming world-class competitors" to attend its third-annual talent identification camp June 19-23 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
After mulling it for over a year, Annelies Cook knew a few weeks ago: it was time to retire. She was able to go out on top after winning the mass start at NorAm Championships on Saturday. "It has been a really amazing adventure," she said. "I don’t think there’s a sport like it that makes you feel so much."
Germany's Simon Schempp felt the power in his legs to get the job done on the final loop of the men's 12.5 k pursuit on Saturday, while Tim Burke of the U.S. reached the flower ceremony for the second-straight day in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. "These are my two best results of the season so I can't be too disappointed," Burke explained.
Vermonter Hannah Dreissigacker finished 27th in the final race of her international biathlon career, the 12.5 k mass start at World Championships. “I love biathlon,” Dreissigacker mused. “I have to say, it’s a really really amazing sport."
Americans Lowell Bailey, Tim Burke and Leif Nordgren all qualified for Sunday's World Championships mass start, while Canada's Scott Gow tallied a career-best while placing 18th in the 20 k individual on Thursday.
Martin Fourcade versus Simon Schempp: Two perennial rivals duking it out on the final loop of Thursday's mixed relay. It was a fitting end to the first race of the 2016 IBU World Championships in Oslo, Norway. While Fourcade anchored France to gold and Germany took second, the U.S. placed 10th and Canada 11th.
With darkness quickly setting in on Presque Isle's World Cup trails early Saturday evening, the Czech Republic won the women's relay by 25 seconds over Ukraine and Germany, respectively, while the U.S. women combined for their best result of the season in 10th.
The third and fourth legs in the IBU World Cup men's relay on Saturday, the Bø brothers led Norway to a 30-second win over France, while Germany picked off three places on the last leg to notch third. The U.S. came close to an unprecedented fourth, finishing fifth behind Russia in a photo finish.
Friday was all about focus for Susan Dunklee. Coming off a historic second-place finish in the IBU World Cup sprint the day before, the U.S. biathlete was looking for more success in the pursuit, starting 18 seconds behind the race leader. On a challenging and cold afternoon, she finished fifth for her best result in a pursuit, while the U.S. women had a banner day with three in the top 25.
The third starter, Martin Fourcade overcame a 29-second deficit and two penalties on a tricky shooting day to win the IBU World Cup pursuit in Presque Isle for his 44th World Cup win. Tim Burke tied his season best in seventh, and Germany's Arnd Peiffer crashed into a tree on his final loop and suffered a severe concussion.
Susan Dunklee had been looking forward to racing at a home World Cup for the better part of the last five years, and then some. She found her "happy" place on Thursday to achieve a historic career-best: second place in the women's IBU World Cup sprint. "In order to have my best performances in biathlon or anything in life … I really have to find what I love about it,” she said.
Considering anything better than sixth would have been a first-ever for either the U.S. or Canada in Sunday's IBU World Cup mixed relay, that put Lowell Bailey in a bit of a position heading into the final loop. He ended up catching Canada's anchor, Brendan Green for fourth and came within 1.7 seconds of third.
France stacked its single mixed relay on Sunday in Canmore, putting Marie Dorin Habert and Martin Fourcade in the team-sprint-like event, and the two got what they set out for: first by 45 seconds over Austria and 55 seconds over Norway in third.
If you’re wondering who will be on the start line for the U.S. and Canadian teams at this week’s IBU World Cup in Canmore, Alberta, we’ve got answers: For Canada, the host, it’s a lineup of