For Sale: Rossignol Xium World Cup Classic boots, size 38, barely used

• They are white, unlike any sold in the US.
• Women's Size 38, but probably fits more like a 37.5 or 37
• Used 1/2 dozen times at the beginning of this winter season.
• I'm selling them because they are too small for me and someone should be using them so they don't sit useless in my closet!!!

Please contact me for more information and if you are interested: haleyhjohnson@gmail.com

Paintball Biathlon this weekend @ Van Hoe

What: Adirondack Paintball Biathlon Series 
When: Saturday the 29th
Where: Biathlon Range at Mt. Van Hoevenberg
Time: 12:00pm registration 1:00pm race start
Ages: 8-14
Cost: $5


See you there!

Watch LIVE biathlon Friday morning at 8:30am!

I'm in Antholz/Anterselva, Italy for the 6th World Cup of the 2010-2011 season and you can watch the women's Sprint race LIVE Friday morning at 8:30am on www.biathlonworld.com. 

For start list and US Women start numbers and times click here.

For the weekend's Mass Start and Relay event start times and start lists click here.

For result - check out those same pages!

One of our head coaches, the Italian Armin Auchentaller, did a short video interview for IBU. My internet is too slow to watch it, but I'm sure its good.

On a walk the night before the full moon. We're staying at the Seehaus this year - literally, the "lake house." I've been here before and its nice to be back again. We're minutes away from the stadium, course, and trails all around the lake. 

The lights - that's us. We're up at the top of the Antholz valley and in the evening have the place to ourselves.  Tomorrow's Sprint race begins the final week of the 2nd trimester of World Cups. We have a nice break at home before racing in Maine's World Cup and for my first time, competing in a World Cup in my home country. 

First week back on the World Cup

IN a matter of minutes I will be off to the next stop on the tour - beautiful Antholz/Anterselva Italy in the South Tyrolian region. But before I go, here are a few thoughts from my first week back on the World Cup this year.


In an interview I was asked how yesterday's 10km Pursuit went:  It feels right to be back on the World Cup. I don't take any race for granted and even though I didn't shoot well, I skied well and held on the best I could. I only made one Pursuit race last year, so to do it right off the bat, I was more than happy to be on the startline. 


Biathlon in Ruhpolding, Germany is a bit of biathlon on steriods: the venue can pack up to 30,000 spectators (loud, drunken, braut-eating, horn-blowing, flag-waving, cheering spectators), the course feels like you are skiing on a highway they are so wide, these are the steepest hills we climb that they are aptly referred to as "walls" and "waterfalls" and this year's new downhill felt like you came out of the sky like a falling star.  I started out the week with an Individual Race - 15km, 4 shooting stages, 1-minute penalties per miss, then followed by a Sprint - 7.5km, 2 shootings, penalty loops, and Pursuit - 10km, rapid fire starts, 4 shooting stages, penalty loops. I felt better with each race on the course because I am happy with where my overall fitness is at this point in the year and feel confident in my technique to adapt to world-class level courses. This is the best I've felt racing in January in a long time and with each week I work to build on that momentum. I was inconsistent with shooting, with some great elements and some unfocused shots. I am okay with that for this week. It was good to have some non-Trials races to work back into racing at this level. My shooting speed, process and range times are competitive, so now it is only a matter of hitting a "10" - the center of the target. 


Looking forward, I am really glad about a good set of upcoming races: Antholz World Cup, followed by 2 US WORLD CUPS! This will be the highest level of competition I will have raced on home soil. The season is starting to unfold after a disciplined and solid track from NorAms to IBU Cups to back on the World Cup.


Super psyched to hear about Kikkan Randall's and Pete Frenette's great performances this week! I'll get in some good Eurosport time next week and hope to watch some more. Lake Placid's Supertour went well and there was plenty of snow! The kids I work with at the local elementary school even got watch! 
All together, all is well.
Best,
Haley

2011 Fort Kent and Presque Isle, ME USA Biathlon World Cups

On a weekly basis, people searching for "Fort Kent biathlon," "US biathlon worlds cups," etc.  come across my blog. So, this is for all of You - and all those interested in heading up to the crown of Maine for some spectacular world class biathlon events in February!

Presque Isle, ME WC #7

Feb. 4-6 Sprint, Relay and Pursuit competitions

"Nordie the Lion" mascot for Presque Isle's events

Fort Kent, ME WC #8

Feb. 10-13 Sprint, Pursuit and Mass Start competitions

(Photo from www.10thmtnskiclub.org )

For competition schedules and IBU press releases look under EVENTS on www.biathlonworld.com

For more information about World Cup....

biathlon, 

northern Maine, 

how to get there, 

cultural events, 

entertainment, 

accommodations, 

World Cup athletes attending,

course maps,

Teacher's Resources,

& spectator information

Check out www.discovernorthernmaine.com/2011-biathlon-world-cup/

(Photo from www.10thmtnskiclub.org )

World Cup teams will use the January IBU World Cups in Oberhof, Ruhpolding and Antholz to choose which athletes will attend the two US World Cups. Our team is yet to be finalized, but here is the majority of US and Canadian athletes you'll get to watch in February:

USA

Tim Burke

Lowell Bailey

Leif Nordgren

Jeremy Teela

Laura Spector

Sara Studebaker

myself

Canada

(Canadian Media Guide)

Jean-Phillipe Leguellec

Brendan Green

Zina Kocher

Megan Imrie

In 2004 when Fort Kent hosted its first World Cup it connected with Aroostook County school children to help educate the region about biathlon, the World Cup and a healthy lifestyle that comes from skiing. For every major international event the hosting venue's steering committee in conjuction with the Maine Winter Sports Center produces a Teacher's resource guide. This guide provides not only information about the events, athletes and sport, but is also in line with Maine State Learning Standards and provides approved lessons for Grades 1 to 12 using biathlon, skiing and regional examples in the classroom. It is also the primary resource for setting up Athlete School visits and Fan Clubs for when the World Cup arrives. If you are interested, the whole Guide is available online: Teacher's Guide.

Looking ahead, here's what our 2.5km Sprint course looks like in Fort Kent:

See You There!!

Nove Mesto racing

Today's Sprint is the final IBU Cup race in Nove Mesto and the final of our US World Cup Team Trials.    Here's a quick look at the trails here from my cool down ski after yesterday's Individual race. The last time I raced here we were skiing on ribbons of snow through these forests. 

The trails aren't too tough, but nonetheless create a good biathlon venue. More emphasis is put on the shooting in this case. 

Because weather is a constant topic of discussion, the fog has settled in and made for quite the scene during a walk at dusk the other day:

Thanks for letting me borrow your camera, Annelies!

"The Best Day Ever for the US Women's Team"

"The Best Day Ever for the US Women's Team"
Oberhof, Viktoria Franke, USBA

 "Laura's qualification, Sara ranking within the World Cup points and the great results at today's IBU-Cup make today the best day in the history of the U.S. women's team." - Bernd Eisenbichler, US Team Leader


World Cup Sprint in Oberhof, GER



19SPECTOR LauraUSA0+1125:20.3+1:50.8









40STUDEBAKER SaraUSA0+2226:07.4+2:37.


IBU Cup Individual in Nove Mesto, CZE

13	COOK Annalies	USA	0+0+0+3	3	50:25.1	+3:09.2
14	JOHNSON Haley	USA	1+2+0+0	3	50:29.3	+3:13.4
19	BARNES Tracy	USA	1+1+0+0	2	50:48.1	+3:32.2
48	DUNKLEE Susan	USA	2+1+2+0	5	54:51.9	+7:36.0

FIRST! 2011 Adirondack Youth Paintball Biathlon Cup!

Race #1 kicks off at Mt. Van Hoe this weekend.


When: Saturday at Noon
Where: Mt. Van Hoevenberg Biathlon range
Ages: 8-14
Format: "Sprint" ski-shoot-ski-shoot-ski
Registration: 11-11:45 at Biathlon Timing Building 
Cost: $5


Got questions? Volunteers needed, interested? Contact: rtcostanza@gmail.com or 524-6459

Post-workout snow angel

I haven't made a snow angel in awhile and never on Mt. Van Hoevenberg's biathlon range, so thought I'd give it a try and join Scarlett, who was enjoying Lake Placid with her family.

I admit, it was little hard to leave the great skiing at home, but am now quite glad once in Nove Mesto na Morave. The conditions are good and will probably hold up through some warmer weather this weekend. We completed the first of three races today. The ski conditions were good and the long sustained climbs feel a bit like skiing on the treadmill at home. The range was windy, but a condition that dominates my past memory of racing in Nove Mesto, anyways. It was a good race day for me and I think it will help kick some of the last bits of jet lag before heading into an Individual on Saturday. I forgot my camera, so hopefully I'll get some photos in soon while the internet is good. If you're curious as to what central Czech Republic looks like, check out this website.

USBA press release
World Youth and Junior Championships are here in a few weeks. Here's our team.