Oslo Results Generate Momentum Heading into Home World Cup at Soldier Hollow

After an exciting weekend of racing at the historic Holmenkollen venue in Oslo, Norway, it is time for the first BMW IBU World Cup on U.S. soil since 2019 as the world travels to Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. Team USA is carrying great momentum from the races in Oslo as they saw World Cup personal bests and top finishes in both the individual and team disciplines. Soldier Hollow will feature relays, sprints and pursuits, making for a weekend full of excitement as the U.S. looks to produce results in front of a home crowd. 

In Oslo, despite the poor weather conditions, the U.S. team held impressive ski times across the board. The fog and rain that postponed the women’s 15km individual race on Thursday, reappeared Friday morning to cause a 30 minute delay. Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI / Army World Class Athlete Program) led the women in 51st, followed by Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT/ Team Crosscut) in 76th and Margie Freed (Apple Valley, MN / Craftsbury Green Racing Project) in 84th. 

Later that day, all eyes were on Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL / U.S. Biathlon) in the men’s 20km individual. Wright hit a new World Cup personal best for the third time this season, with an outstanding eighth place finish and only one missed shot on the day, marking his first World Cup top-10 result. Jake Brown (Saint Paul, MN / Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT / Team Crosscut) and Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH / National Guard Biathlon), despite trouble on the range, were all able to hold top ski times. Brown crossed the line in 53rd, Bonacci in 60th and Doherty rounding out the men’s team in 72nd.

Wright’s streak of top-20 results has placed him 35th in the World Cup overall. He qualified for his second mass start of the season in Oslo, wearing bib 26. Crossing the line in 18th, Wright extended his streak of top results, finishing just +1.30 back from the victorious Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway.

Sunday’s single mixed relay was an historic race for Irwin, as it was her 100th World Cup start, impressive accomplishment for the veteran athlete. Teaming up with Wright, the pair skied to seventh in the single mixed relay, despite two trips around the penalty loop, and had the third fastest team course time overall. Just an hour later, Irwin started the mixed relay, where she, Levins, Doherty and Brown secured ninth place, marking the best U.S. mixed relay finish since the 2020/21 season in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. 

Team USA has now made it to Midway, Utah for World Cup 7 at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, 2002 Olympic venue for biathlon and Nordic skiing. The team will welcome back Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA / Craftsbury Green Racing Project), who has been recovering from illness, and Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA / National Guard Biathlon), who was brought up from the IBU Cup after placing seventh in the men’s 10km sprint and 11th in the men’s 12.5km pursuit in Obertilliach, Austria. 

“The most fun venues in Europe are the ones that cheer for all the athletes, not just the ones from the home country.” Brown advises, “I’d encourage fans to cheer for athletes from all teams. Let’s make sure the biathlon world leaves Utah saying ‘that was awesome!’"

Soldier Hollow’s spectator-friendly course and the three-day Legacy Winter Festival, with face painting, petting zoo, mechanical bulls, Olympic pin trading, food trucks, live music and more, is sure to make for an unforgettable weekend. For all event information, visit ibuworldcuputah.com. For information on how to watch, visit usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch. Spectator resources can be found at usbiathlon.org/spectator-resources. 

World Cup 9 - Soldier Hollow, Utah

March 8th

Men’s 4x7.5km Relay 2:25 EST / 12:25 MST

Women’s 7.5km Sprint 5:00 EST / 3:00 MST

March 9th

Women’s 4x6km Relay 2:25 EST / 12:25 MST

Men’s 10km Sprint 5:00 EST / 3:00 MST

March 10th

Women’s 10km Pursuit 12:00 EST / 10:00 MST

Men’s 12.5km Pursuit 1:50 EST / 11:50 MST