U.S. Posts Best Mixed and Single Mixed Relay Performances in Over a Decade in Lenzerheide

The U.S. Biathlon Team delivered two strong opening day performances at IBU Cup 3 in Lenzerheide, SUI, posting the best mixed and single mixed relay finishes in over a decade with fifth place in the mixed relay and seventh place in the single mixed relay.

Beginning the day, Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Bjorn Westervelt (Stowe, VT/Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Joanne Reid (Grand Junction, CO/Colorado Biathlon Club), and Luci Anderson (Golden Valley, MN/Team Birkie) teamed up for the mixed relay. Brown, using just one spare in prone and three in standing, tagged off to Westervelt in a solid sixth place. Westervelt kept up the pace, cleaning his prone stages and, despite using all three spare rounds in standing, kept the team firmly in contention entering exchange two in fifth. Reid followed with steady shooting and speedy skis, needing just one spare in both prone and standing to hand off for the final time still in fifth. Anderson anchored the team in style, posting the fastest course time of her leg, cleaning prone and using only one spare in standing to secure the fifth place finish, just +54.7 seconds behind France, with Italy second and Germany third.

Later in the day, Brown and Reid teamed up for the single mixed relay. Brown opened with one penalty loop after prone and used all three spares in standing, but Reid’s clean shooting on her first leg powered the duo from 22nd to ninth by the second exchange. Brown bounced back on his second leg, cleaning prone and using just two spares in standing to tag off in eighth. Reid closed out the race with another composed performance, using one spare in both prone and standing, and a strong final lap to secure seventh place.

The team will enjoy a rest day tomorrow before returning to the start line for the men’s and women’s sprints on Friday and men’s and women’s pursuits on Saturday. Racing can be followed live on the IBU App. For more information, visit usbiathlon.org/how-to-watch.