Irwin 10th to Close Out Nove Mesto World Cup
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by Sara Donatello
In the final race of trimester two, Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program) emptied the tank to secure her second top-10 result of the season, finishing 10th in the women’s 12.5km mass start under the lights in Nove Mesto, CZE.
Irwin delivered a near-perfect performance on the range, shooting 19 for 20, to cross the line +1:17.4 behind France’s Julia Simon. Simon was joined on the podium by teammate Oceane Michelon in second and Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi in third.
The result capped an impressive weekend for Irwin, coming on the heels of a 13th place finish in the short individual and a standout mixed relay performance, where she set the tone as the lead leg in the U.S. team’s fourth place result.
The 2026 Nove Mesto World Cup proved to be a powerful momentum builder for the U.S. Biathlon Team heading into the Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games. From Irwin’s consistency, to Campbell Wright’s mass start silver medal, to tying the best-ever mixed relay result and a World Cup personal best from Margie Freed, Team USA is bringing the heat.
The team now turns its focus to a brief period of rest and preparation, with Olympic competition set to begin in just two weeks on February 8 in Antholz-Anterselva, ITA.
