June Camp Sees Over 30 Athletes and Staff in Lake Placid

U.S. Biathlon’s June training camp is its largest of the year, bringing together National Team, National Development Group, and X Team athletes and staff at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY.

Over the course of the two-week camp, athletes took part in collaborative and individualized training sessions, both physiological and performance vision testing, annual physicals and health testing with the medical staff, team culture sessions, team activities, and birthday celebrations. A busy, yet productive camp left everyone feeling motivated for the summer training season ahead! 

TRAINING

Lake Placid offers the ideal training environment. With the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center as home base, athletes have access to Mt. Van Hoevenberg’s world-class roller ski loop and biathlon range, Whiteface Mountain for toll road skis and bounding workouts, and a variety of scenic options for road biking, running, and hiking. All of this is complemented by the Training Center’s top-tier facilities and amenities.     

PHYSIOLOGIC TESTING

The first round of biannual testing with Montana State University’s Neuromuscular Biomechanics Lab took place during the June camp. MSU’s testing included VO2 Max, threshold, markerless motion capture, and force analysis. Through physiological testing to determine training zones and efficiency, and biomechanical assessments to pinpoint areas for improvement in ski technique, the MSU team continuously works to find ways to improve athletes' physiology and overall performance.

VISION TESTING

Dr. Zöe Wimshurst traveled from the UK to Lake Placid to conduct performance vision testing on the athletes during the June training camp. She performed three different tests to measure the impact of fatigue on vision relating to athletes’ shooting performance.   

TEAM CULTURE SESSIONS

Building on the work from the 2024 pre-season camp in Vuokatti, Finland, all athletes and staff present in Lake Placid participated in two team culture sessions during the two-week camp. In Vuokatti, the team developed a set of values and a framework for U.S. Biathlon’s team culture. The Lake Placid sessions focused on how to integrate those values into the broader team environment and make them stick, with the ultimate goal of building a lasting culture of sustained excellence. Stay tuned for more information!

TEAM ACTIVITIES AND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

In addition to  training, testing, and meetings, the team still had time for some fun! Activities included a team bowling night, s’mores at the Training Center, homemade pizza night, and to top it all off, a three-in-one birthday party for Paul Schommer, Sean Doherty, and team Athletic Trainer and Medical Coordinator Annika Pasch. Jake Brown and Eli Nielsen showcased their baking skills with three cakes personalized for the three birthday celebrants - one ice cream cake, one pancake cake, and one dirt cake! 

Next up, the National Team heads across the pond for the annual July altitude camp, which begins in Livigno, Italy on June 30. On July 9, the team will transfer to Antholz, Italy, to continue altitude training at Südtirol Arena, the biathlon venue for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games, until July 19.