HOCHFILZEN – Canada's top biathletes are taking crucial steps forward in world cup competition as the most irregular sports year in history comes to a close.
Locked in sight is 2020's remaining world cup this week in Hochfilzen, Austria, where Biathlon Canada's head coach, Justin Wadsworth says the team is working through kinks.
"Like always, if you learn from your mistakes and apply what you've learned, then you're going to get better and that's our goal and I really believe in this team," said Wadsworth.
"Just still getting better in all of the areas we need to improve on and we know we can put together a good relays over the weekend."
The team has been in Austria for a few weeks competing in the first of two world cups (Dec. 11-13, and Dec. 17-20) rescheduled in Hochfilzen.
In the 7.5-kilometre sprint on Dec. 11, cracking the top 60 were Emma Lunder (36th), Sarah Beaudry (39th), and Megan Bankes (44th). It was a season-best for Biathlon Canada to have three women qualify for Dec.13's 10-km pursuit.
Lunder moved up the ladder in the pursuit, finishing 26th. Beaudry was 50th and Bankes was 58th.
"Made some mistakes, and have some things to work on (like not dropping my poles getting out of prone), but also qualified and didn't get lapped out of the pursuit," said Bankes in a social media post.
The Canadian women, along with Nadia Moser, finished 15th in relay.
On the men's side, Christian Gow and Adam Runnalls qualified for the pursuit after racing into 53rd and 58th during 10-km sprint. Scott Gow (75th) and Aidan Millar (102nd) had to wait for the relay for their next race.
"[A] day to remember so I don't do it again. Looking for that redemption in the relay," said Scott on social media.
In the 12.5-km pursuit, Christian made a big jump in rankings, moving up 18 spots to 35th. Runnalls was 55th.
Christian said he made too many mistakes on the range in sprint (8/10), but made up for it percentage-wise in the pursuit (18/20).
In the relay, the team finished 14th.
Last week sprint results weren't Canada's best, said Wadsworth, but he's encouraged by how Canada responded in pursuit.
"We had some good solid results of athletes moving up in the second day of the pursuit," said Wadsworth.
