Presque Isle, Maine, February 7. The 2005 Jr. World Championship was named this past weekend with many veteran names and a few new ones to fill in the spots of last season’s graduates. Athletes competed in three competitions hosted by the Maine Winter Sports Center in Presque Isle, Maine. The Presque Isle venue known for its windy conditions provided athletes with plenty of good skiing and some of those tricky shooting conditions. Sunshine and warm weather graced the racers each day and provided for some fast snow conditions. The World Championships will take place March 14-20 in Kontiolahti, Finland.
Named to this year’s World Championship Team:
Jr. Men:
Kevin Patzoldt – Grand Rapids, MN
Ben Byrne – Grand Rapids, MN
Kurt Farchmin – Duluth, MN
Bjorn Bakken – Duluth, MN
Jr. Women:
Annelies Cook – Saranac Lake, NY
Sonne Nordgren – Marine on St. Croix, MN
Youth Men:
Newt Rogers – Ft. Kent, ME
Russel Currier – Stockholm, ME
Mark Johnson – Grand Rapids, MN
Aaron Nistler – Bemidji, MN
Youth Women:
Brynden Manbeck – Grand Rapids, MN
Brit Salmela – Duluth, MN
Laura Spector – Waitsfield, VT
Ali Demarchis – Burlington, VT
Head Coach – Vladimir Cervenka – Grand Rapids, MN
Assistant Coach – Gary Colliander – Duluth, MN
Assistant Coach – Jon Arne Enevoldson – Burlington, VT
Assistant Coach – James Upham – Ft. Kent, ME
Team Leader – Mark Miner – Grand Rapids, MN
Wax Technician – Andreas Emslander – Munich, Germany
The 2005 Team welcomes back a lot of veteran experience and adds a few fresh faces who looked poised and ready for the challenges ahead. Kevin Patzoldt continued to dominate in the Jr. Men’s field sweeping all three events. Patzoldt had a 3rd place finish earlier this year at the Senior World Team Trials and turned in some strong performances at European Cups this past January. Patzoldt’s training partner Ben Byrne (4th place at 2004 Youth World Championships) along with Kurt Farchmin and Bjorn Bakken will round out a strong veteran Junior Men’s team.
Patzoldt’s sister Brynden Manbeck won the overall Youth Women’s category. Winning the final two competitions Manbeck returns for her 3rd Youth World Championships. Also returning is Brit Salmela who won the first day of competition; Salmela competed earlier this year at the Sr. Team Trials and Eurpean Cups in Germany and Italy as a Junior giving her some valued experience going into this year’s World Championships. Joining Manbeck and Salmela will be Laura Spector and Ali Demarchis. Spector qualified for the Nordic Jr. World Championships this year and posted some impressive results at the U.S. Cross Country Nationals. Demarchis’ inherited the torch from her older sister Emilia who competed twice previously at the Jr. World Championships in Ridnaun, Italy and Haute Mauriane, France. Demarchis also qualified for the U.S. Cross Country J1 trip to Norway.
The Jr. Women’s team will only consist of two veteran members this year. Both Annelies Cook and Sonne Nordgren return with a wealth of experience. Cook posted an impressive 6th place earlier this year at the Mittenwald, Germany European Cup. Russel Currier and Mark Johnson are the only two returning Youth Men. Both are making their second consecutive team; Currier posted two second place finishes and one win at these past trials. Fellow Maine Winter Sports teammate Newt Rogers was one of the fresh surprises to qualify for the team. Rogers turned in two very impressive performances winning both of the Sprint Competitions. The final member Aaron Nistler started the trials off with a strong 3rd place finish, but struggled with his shooting in the final two races but had the needed ski speed to propel him into the final spot.
The US Biathlon Team is sponsored by Banknorth and competes under the auspices of the United States Biathlon Association, the National Governing Body for the Olympic Sport of Biathlon. Lapua, adidas, and Exel Ski Poles also sponsor the US Biathlon Team.