In a warmup for world junior trials this weekend at the Canmore Nordic Centre, many of Canada’s top young sharpshooters tested themselves in Calforex Cup #1, Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 12-13).
Biathlon Canada will use this weekend’s races to fill its world junior team, which will travel to Romania in the new year.
India McIsaac won the youth women’s 7.5 kilometre mass start division handily on Sunday, shooting 16/20. Racing up a division, McIsaac, 15, is chasing a spot on Canada’s world junior biathlon team. To make the team at such a young age would be a huge accomplishment, but McIsaac is determined.
“It’s going to be quite the challenge,” McIsaac said. “My main focus today is shooting, because there are so many bouts. I was a little slower and focused on shooting. I think I did that well.”
This season she’s focused on improving her ski speed, and growing accustomed to racing with a rifle. She skied by herself for much of the race, and played mental games to keep her moving.
“I envision the fastest person I want to beat is in front of me, and then I try to go faster,” McIsaac said. “My focus is carrying my rifle without feeling so much pain. It’s a heavy rifle.”
Teo Sanchez won the youth men’s 10 km mass start division, shooting 18/20, followed by Jacob Pearson and Jarod Algra.
“It was a bit of a fight off the first two loops, but when I pulled ahead, I managed to keep my lead and it all came together. All’s well that ends well,” Sanchez said.
Born in Boulder, Colo. and living in Wakefield, Que., Sanchez pulled up in the last 500 m to save some energy. He plans to qualify for world juniors in Romania.
The open men’s division attracted a number of Americans, who are using the races for trials. American Ethan Dreissigacker won the men’s 15 km mass start, while ParaNordic superstar Mark Arendz was second, five seconds off the pace. Jasper Mackenzie finished third.
Arendz is jumping into as many able-bodied races as he can this year, as he has a truncated ParaNordic season.
“It was a good race. I had two mistakes in the last bout. If I had gone clean it would have given me a big cushion. But it was a good race. I’m really happy with the start of the year,” Arendz said.
Shooting with the air rifle, Arendz went 18/20 in the range and had good ski speed throughout.
“I’m happy with the skiing. I’m working on some big technique things, especially with the offset. It’s evident here, giving my skiing a boost.”
This is the second able-body biathlon mass start medal of his career.
“It’s quickly becoming my favourite,” Arendz said. “Because I’m using the air rifle, my range times are really quick, so I gain a few seconds every bout. Maybe not carrying (the rifle helps), but that gets countered with the one arm. I really enjoy that atmosphere at the start.”
Arendz battled mightily with the field in the first lap, as the entire field skied together in a tight pack.
“That first lap with all of us was fun. That was one of the most fun races I’ve ever done. It wasn’t too hard, but right on the edge.”
American Kelsey Dickinson won the women’s race, followed by Jessica Patterson of Edmonton and Brittany Hudak.
Quebec’s Felix Berube-Larochelle won the junior men’s mass start, finishing ahead of Charles Pepin and Nate Gerwing in a small field. Caitlin Campbell of PEI won the junior women’s race, followed by Charlotte Hamel and Ashley Runnalls.
On Saturday, a larger junior men’s field squared off, jockeying for position leading into this weekend. Biathlon Alberta Training Centre’s Alexandre Dupuis shot 9/10 to take the win, followed by teammates Aidan Millar and Matt Strum. All three are after tickets to Romania.
Kendall Chong won the junior women’s race handily, shooting 9/10 to defeat Hamel and Campbell.
