The skis were flying and bullets were finding the mark for swift Canadian women at the International Biathlon Union Cup as Canada placed in the top six in every individual race.
Red Deer’s Zina Kocher placed fourth in the 7.5 kilometre sprint on Friday (March 6) and B.C.’s Sarah Beaudry claimed sixth spot in the 15-km individual biathlon on March 4. A week prior, B.C. native Emma Lunder and Kocher won a pair of silvers to claim the only medals Canada earned at the IBU at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
A gusty morning was the difference in keeping Kocher from earning an elusive second IBU medal as she took aim down range through her .22 rifle sights. Kocher missed bronze by 15 seconds, shooting 8/10 in a time of 20:49. Each missed target carries a one-minute penalty.
“It was really windy so I was lucky that the wind died down, (but) for my last shot it picked up and I took too long and I ended up missing,” the 32-year-old said after the race. “It’s frustrating because it would have landed me on the podium. But I’m happy with what I was able to do.”
Russia’s Anna Nikulina missed one target and won the race in 20:09, edging Germany’s Karolin Horchler, who shot clean (20:19.2). Marine Bolliet of France was third (20:34).
The wave of spring weather in the valley made for slushy conditions under the biathletes’ skis this past weekend and windy gusts made shooting tricky for the women’s field. Kocher’s fourth place was a bounce back performance from a 19th-place finish in the individuals.
“I was frustrated with my performance in the individual. I wasn’t focused and clear in the shooting as I was on (March 1). That was my focus for today and breaking it down into intervals again,” Kocher said.
Vernon, B.C.’s Lunder shot 7/10 and finished 16th (22:12), followed by Claude Godbout of Valcartier, Que., who was 19th (22:28).
Prince George’s Beaudry was the top Canuck, placing sixth in the individual on March 4. The 20-year-old is considered one of Canada’s top biathlon prospects and said it was “easy to be relaxed” racing at home.
“It’s definitely one of my best races this year,” Beaudry said. “It’s just awesome to be at home, do well, hit some targets and have some fun in the mountains in the nice sun. I had some rough races at world juniors. I wanted to put out a solid race and remember what it was like.”
The race was the first time Beaudry cracked the top 10 at Canmore’s IBU Cup and she did so in 46:57.7, shooting 19/20.
Germany’s Karolin Horchler only missed one target and sped through the tough course in 44:34.4 to claim gold. Kaia Woeien Nicolaisen of Norway finished second and France’s Marine Bolliet was third.
Lunder and Godbout were the other Canadians to crack the top 20 in the Individuals, placing 16th and 20th.
Lunder, 24, was very pleased with her performances and how the Canadian women did overall, saying it just “shows the depth” the team has.
