Levins and Schommer Secure World Championship Spots After Solid Performances at Open European Championships
by Sara Donatello
The 2025 IBU Open European Championships wrapped up this past weekend in Martell-Val Martello, ITA, where the team saw season best results, top ski times, and solid shooting performances over the five-day event.
Opening day featured both the women’s and men’s individuals, highlighted by Chloe Levins (Williston, VT/Unaffiliated) and Paul Schommer (Appleton, WI/Team Birkie/Ariens Nordic Center) both racing to 24th, Levins missing just two targets on the day and Schommer missing just three.
Following Levins’ range performance, it was a solid day on the range for the U.S. women with three of four women racing missed just two targets: Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, WA/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) crossed the line in 37th, Jackie Garso (Lake Clear, NY/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) finished in 52nd, and Lexie Madigan (Truckee, CA/Auburn Ski Club) in 70th. Cheresa Bouley (Zimmerman, MN/Minnesota Biathlon) struggled on the range, missing six targets, to finish 81st. Michaela Keller-Miller (Plymouth, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) did not start the women’s individual. The men’s team saw similar results as Vaclav Cervenka (Grand Rapids, MN/Army World Class Athlete Program) finished 36th, Bjorn Westervelt (Stowe, VT/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) in 60th, Luke Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) in 94th, and Nikolas Burkhart (Olympic Valley, CA/Team Crosscut) in 99th.
After a day off from racing, the athletes were back on the start line for the women’s and men’s sprints. Levins once again led the U.S. women in 46th, qualifying her for the pursuit. Garso, Dickinson, Bouley, Keller-Miller, and Madigan all landed outside the top 60 in 67th, 74th, 76th, 91st, and 100th, respectively. On the men’s side, Schommer and Westervelt joined Levins in pursuit qualification, landing in 51st and 56th. Brown, Burkhart, and Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT/Team Crosscut) fell out of contention in 72nd, 94th, and 103rd. Cervenka did not start the men’s sprint.
Pursuit day saw all three U.S. athletes move up in the field. Starting in bib 46, Levins raced to 34th, moving up 12 positions despite missing four targets on the day. Amongst the field of 60 athletes, Levins was the 12th biggest mover in the field. Schommer, the second biggest mover in the men's field of 60, jumped from bib 51 to finish 29th, and Westervelt, the seventh biggest mover in the men’s pursuit, moved up 17 positions from his starting position of 56th to finish 39th.
The final day of racing in Martell saw the U.S. men’s relay team of Schommer, Westervelt, Burkhart, and Brown land 15th overall. The quad was one of just five teams to avoid the penalty loop, using a total of nine spares in prone and nine in standing.
Coming out of the weekend, both Levins and Schommer qualified for the final women’s and men’s positions on the U.S. team for the upcoming 2025 World Championships. Prior to the start of World Championships, this upcoming weekend, Levins, Dickinson, Garso, Bouley, Schommer, Westervelt, Brown, and Cervenka will race IBU Cup 6 in Ridnaun-Val Ridanna, ITA. Racing will begin on Wednesday, February 5, concluding on Saturday, February 8, with live updates available on the IBU App.