CANMORE – What a difference a year can make for two local biathletes.
Biathlon Canada announced its teams for the first tour of world cup and IBU cup racing last week with Canmore-raised sharpshooters Aidan Millar and Matthew Strum selected. However, both could have been in very different spots right now had their paths gone differently last season.
Struggling to find their place in the Canadian biathlon picture, it seemed the local biathletes were supporting their skiing habit while trying to prove they belonged among the elite.
Although, the two 23 year olds have different stories, they were both in very much "make it or break it" situations during the 2018-19 season.
Racing IBU, Millar couldn’t gain ground on making it onto the national team and for good reason. Four Olympians were above him and the team only has space for that number.
“Last year, I told myself that if I didn't make the national team and get carding, I would struggle both with financially continuing in the sport but also motivationally,” wrote Millar in an email.
He found a back-up plan and applied to and was accepted at Carelton University for civil engineering.
Millar remained a consistent force on the IBU circuit and earned eighth place in a sprint race in Poland. He had impressive three top 20 finishes in four IBU Cup races in 2018-19.
Strum, on the other hand, was in an uphill battle trying to be noticed by the IBU coaches. He was narrowly edged out of last year’s first tour team selection, but with it came a intense spark. Later that month, Strum went out and shot and skied the best he had done in years, scoring back-to-back victories at the NorAm Cup #1 in Canmore. It was a beacon for the Canmore native, proving to himself that he deserved to be there.
“Last year, I had a terrible year for [selection] trials,” Strum said. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to stack up against everyone.”
Everything in the Canadian biathlon world changed immensely last December when the men’s team got a big shakeup following Canadian great Nathan Smith's retirement from the sport. In February, Brendan Green, another national team stable, retired after the world cup races in Canmore.
And like that, opportunity for young talent suddenly presented itself like an inflated target down the barrel of a rifle. First, Strum was called up to the IBU team, where he earned 12th place in Estonia as his top result of the season.
Then Millar got the call up to the world cup circuit, where he scored a career best 20th in the men’s sprint at Solider Hollow, Utah.
“Looking back two seasons, my best result was 60th on the IBU Cup, so to be able in one season to jump up 52 places then get a top 20 on the [wolrd cup] is crazy,” Millar wrote. “The result just ended up being above my expectations and it felt like I belonged and wasn't just there to make up the numbers.
“The reason I do this sport is because I have fun, but also because I believe I can be among the best in the world. If one of those things is no longer there then it's time to reevaluate my place in the sport. Being named to the national team in the spring and making the WC team this fall to me shows that I'm on the right to track.”
The 2018-19 season was just a taste for the biathletes, who worked diligently during the off-season to improve in their respective areas, improving on strength, shooting accuracy and endurance – and to stand out among the rest.
"Having both Pavel and Justin believe in me and my abilities was definitely a confidence boost," wrote Millar. "Just knowing that we were on the same page in terms of what to expect was key."
Millar kicks off his racing season in Sweden on Nov. 30 with world cup team members Scott Gow, Christian Gow and Jules Burnotte.
Strum will be heading to Austria and Italy in December along with IBU cup team members Carsen Campbell, Trevor Kiers and Adam Runnals.
“It’s something I've been working on at this point for five years,” said Strum. “Now that I’m at this level, instead of being happy with that, I want to keep pushing myself and looking forward to the next steps – the world cup and to be a top athlete on IBU.”
On the women’s side, Nadia Moser, Megan Bankes, Emma Lunder and Sarah Beaudry were selected for the Canadian world cup team.
Emily Dickson and Darya Sepandj were selected to the IBU cup team.
