World Juniors!

After having a good week in Obertilliach. Also having a terrible weekend of races in Eisernez, Austria. Not to mention, getting frostbite on my thumb.
We made our way up Kontiolahti, Finland for the Youth and Junior World Championships. We finally get to Joensuu, after a draining day of traveling. The next day we went up to the range, it was still cold at the range the coldest day we had would have been -14 plus having the wind-chill made it so much colder. We scrapped our skies, and then proceeded to the range. Now I was warned that the range could be windy at times. I get to the range and it’s a wind tunnel, it’s the only place on the course that actually gets wind! But thankfully it was a consistent wind. So training was still ok for shooting. But the wind made it so much colder.

During the week it started to warm up to -4. So now it’s a bit better for training and racing, but the wind was still consistent from the right to the left of the range.
Finally to the first day of racing. The 15km Individual. The wind was more inconsistent. So zeroing was a little more difficult. I ended up zeroed for no wind.
Starting in bib number 25, off I go. I went a bit to hard for the first loop. Coming into the range a little cooked. I settled for my first shoot. Missing 3! I was told I adjusted too far to the right. Now this is a really bad start. I try to push the thought of having 3minutes further behind, past me. I came in for my second shoot feeling good.  All shoots that I hit were solid, but the shots I missed were pulled by the wind. I missed 2. Not happy with that either! So I push myself to try and make some time up. As I was coming in for my third shoot Nick told me I adjusted to far to the right. So as I settled to shoot I move 2 clicks to the left. I hit my first 2 and missed my last 3! Was not impressed one bit! I get out on the course, I found it hard to motivate myself to ski faster since I’ve missed 8 so far and I have still another shoot to come. But I managed to push through it. I came into the range for the last time. I thought to myself I need to shoot clean! I got settled. And I just took the shoots. I only missed 2 for how fast I shot. But I was still not happy with missing 10 out of 20. I was the mad that I pushed as hard as I could. But that didn’t make up any time. I came into the finish in 80th in a time of 1:00:58. This was the worst race of my session. Lets hope I can pull it together for the sprint.

Time for the 10km Sprint. I was really pumped for this race. I wanted to push the limit with my ski speed. Today was very little wind. But still flutters. Zeroed for no wind again. Nick said if it picks up move the sights. So I kept that in mind. I get into the start shoot, with number 14. Off I go like a mad bull! Joel Smith from Great Britain was only 1 minute in front of me. So I wanted to chase him down. At the end of my first loop I caught him. In for the first shoot I set up, the wind had also picked up so I adjusted. I hit my first 3 and missed the last 2, I was just rushing my shot’s. So out I go on the penalty loop. I did my penalties, then made it back out on the course. Pushing a little harder, feeling good. I tried to keep behind some faster guys along the flats. Now in for the last shoot. I get all set up. Missing 2 again! 4 penalties for a sprint are not good! So I start making my way around the penalty loop. As I was on my last penalty loop I see Joel ski past the penalty loop. So now Joel just made 25seconds on me. My goal for the last 3.3km loop was to make those 25seconds up! I went all out. I pushed myself to the limit. I was so close to him on the last hill. Having only 500metres to go. I needed to dig deep. I was pushing as hard as I could, I was in the hurt box. I caught him on the last 200 meters. I didn’t have enough sprint in me to pass him for the last 100metre sprint. I finished in 81th in a time of 31:28. I wasn’t very happy with my shooting but I was happy with how I skied. This was another race to add to the list of worst ever races.

Now that this week is over, its time to fly back to Germany. For the Senior World Championships, in Ruhpolding.

Dyll

The Army

Having a great week in Seefeld with the XC National squad. Its time for me to go to my next destination. Rupholding, Germany. For the British Championships.

Hamish, Nick, Tutty, JC and myself left the Sunday morning for the 7.5km and 10km freestyle event (XC) in Rupholding, Germany. We arrived to Australian conditions, rain.. At least we knew how to wax for this race. Hamish, nick and Tutty were in the junior men 7.5km freestyle. The three boys races before me, they had some good results nick 2^nd Hamish 4^th and Tutty 8^th. Now it was my time to race. As an Aussie I was at the back of the start. So I had a lot of pushing to do. Off we go, I just calmly cruised with the slower skiers, trying not to break anything. Going up the first hill one of the army blokes made an attack up the middle of the pack so I went with him, he wasn’t pushing hard enough so I gave him something to move on, I yelled “ come on 207! Get up there!” he turned around and look at me with the most horrid look, then he got it together and we both pushed through the pack. As I was chasing for the leap pack I found it very odd just skiing through the range and not shooting, this was my first XC race for the year and I found it to be one of the hardest races of the season. I came in to the finish 12^th in a time of 27:45.

Back to the sport I love the 15km junior men individual, I got zeroed and ready to race. Out I go. This course was made for me! 1 big hill and the rest was flat, or small hills. I came in to the range for the first time missing 2. Not a good start. But I pushed to catch those 2minutes up. In for my second shoot, missing just 1. That’s better! Now pushing harder, to try and make up for lost time.  I came in for my third shoot missing 3… was not happy with that! So out on the course working harder to catch all this time up. As I came in for my last shooting I thought to myself I have to shoot clean here, and I did. Out on the track for the last time, trying to catch those 6minutes I lost. I came in 5^th in a time of 57:34.

Sprint day, 10km on a nice flat course only having 1 big hill and the rest flat. During my first loop I pushed pretty hard and I was a bit to relaxed for this race and didn’t warm up enough, it showed on the track. I was not skiing fast one bit. My shins were cramping up so I was unable to push very hard. In for my first shoot, missing 2! What is going wrong? So I did my penalties and off I go back out on the track. Still struggling to push with my shins, I come in for my second shoot. Just missing 1, that’s ok. But 3 misses for a sprint is not good for me! I do my penalty loop and get on the course for the last time and try to push as hard as I can to make some time up, but was unable to push any harder as my shins were still cramping up. I finish up in 5^th again, in a time of 30:37.

10km Mass Start, I’ve never done one of these before so this should be fun. Now a learning curve from the sprint is to warm up better. I was fully prepared for this race. All the boys line up. We get ready to race, BANG! Were off, I had a slow start off the line. I slipped back to about 10^th after the first 200metres. As we made our way around the track, I pushed my way to the leap pack. I sat in a cruised 3^rd for the last half of the loop. Now were into the range. I rushed my shoots, which made me miss 2. So out I go to do my loops while others skied one. Back out on the course I was chasing very hard, I made a lot of ground. Now in the range again sitting in 5^th. I shoot clean! Off I go! Out on the course I have no idea were I was standing? So I just kept hunting. I come into the range for my 3^rd time now, as I’m setting up for standing the commentator says, “here are the leap junior men.” So now I know I’m currently in first! So I think to myself I have to shoot clean to keep this position. But I missed my last shot. I did my penalty and got on the course thinking I dropped back to 2^nd, so I was hunting so hard. In to the range for the last time now, I shoot clean! Off I go, time to hurt! I went mental for the last 2km I had to ski. I came into the finish so buggered, still unsure of my position. And the commentator says, “The first Junior Man has come in.” so now I know that I won the race I was so happy! My time was 31:51.

Now to the final race of the week at the British Championship the 4×7.5km relay. Today I knew we weren’t going to win, so I was just going to have fun with this race. I went first, second was Al, and third was Mack, last but not least Rabbit. All the first runner lined up and we set off on the first loop, I unlucky had to push, duck and weave through people to get up to the front as I had to start at the very back of the pack. As I came into the range I was sitting around 10^th, I shot clean, I also gained some places as I left the range and went past the penalty loop, pushing a bit harder to chase the other boys down, I didn’t end up catching anyone though. In for my last shoot, I missed one, but I had my extra 3 rounds I could use, so I put the first one in and shot the last target down. So off I go! I’m now in third. In the last 300meters I was past by one of the other boys, which brought me back down to 4^th. I got into the tag zone and tagged to Al. I was happy with finishing in 4^th for the first leg. My individual time was 19:23. At the end of the race we finished in 10^th place. I was quiet happy with that. The three-team mates had good skiing times and shooting was also good.

 

Now that I’ve had my fun with the Brits, its time to go home to Obertilliach, for a week for last minute preparation for World Juniors.

 

Dyll

France!

After a pretty good weekend at Forni Avoltri, it’s time to go to the next IBU Cup at Huate Maurienne, France. I got a lift with a couple of guys from Macedonia. It was a 6hr drive, and the 2 guys don’t speak much English so it was time to put my iPod in and tune out. Along the way, we stopped at Venzia, Italy. It is a very beautiful place. After walking around Venzia for a couple of hours we got back on the road. Finally at Huate Maurienne, I got to my accommodation with the Greenland team.

Race day

It wasn’t the most ideal day for racing, the air temperature was -14, it’s not fun racing in this cold, but it’s still ok to race, at least it’s only a 10km sprint and not a 20km individual. So I go out and zero, Michelle from Great Britain let me come up to lane 16 to zero, this will probably be the closest I get to zero, so close to the prone targets. Zeroing all good. Time to get the race going! I strip down to my Lycra and as soon as I did that, I think. Dam! It’s cold!

Still -14 when I started my race. Out on the course the tracks that were closest to the range were faster than the tracks further away from the range, so it was it was a challenge to keep a consistent pace. I came into the range for my first shoot, I miss 2. That’s not so good. I ski my penalties and then get out on the course again. For my second loop I felt really good, I still found it hard to push with the colder snow, but I kept it going the best I could. As I was coming into the range for my stand, I was thinking I need to shoot clean here! I come in onto the lane, I set up, and shoot – Clean.  Oh yeah! I needed that. Ok time to have a crack. Last lap trying to push with everything, but had nothing to push with by now, I was drained from the cold snow. In my last lap I was in the hurt box, pretty bad.

In the finish, I was pretty happy with how I pulled it all together. But my ski speed is just lacking that little bit!

Men 10km Sprint Results:  Time – 32:03          22.6% behind 1^st

P = 2  S = 0            106^th/ 115 starters

I didn’t make the cut for the pursuit. So I just left the day after the sprint for Seefeld, Austria. This week I’m having off racing, just to do some training with the XC National Team. There are a lot of Aussie’s in Seefeld this week, about 15 or so. I think I brought the cold from France to Seefeld because about 2 days after I got there, it started to get cold. Down to about -20 one day. So training became interesting. And being the Youth Winter Olympics this week, it was good for those athlete’s racing.

During the week I decided to get a haircut, from Phil…. (one of my XC mates) Now, was that the smartest decision I’ve ever made?….. NO! In the last couple of days of being in Seefeld, it dumped snow! about 50-60cm in 2 days. After having a week off Biathlon and just doing XC for a week was good. Now its time for me to go to my next destination –  Rupholding, Germany for the British Military Championships.

Make or Break! 1st IBU CUP @ Forni Avoltri, Italy

This weekend is one of the biggest weekends of my European season.

I don’t want to mess this up.

8:30am wake up, 20km Individual this afternoon. There’s no stress at all.. It’s only 20km.. Well no, I was stressing so bad! My first ever 20km Individual, to make things more stressful it was an IBU Cup, one of the highest levels of racing. But as I always say it’s another day in the office. So we get to the range, straight into the wax cabin to wax my race skies. Finally waxed my skies up, ready to race. I got out onto the range, dumped my rifle and went for a warm up loop. By the time I got back, it was time to zero. As I was zeroing, my groups weren’t very good. They were spread and just hitting the prone. I was quiet nervous in the start of my zero, but I skied around the back of the range a few times to get some heart rate and finally my shots came into a nice group. I was now zeroed. After I finished zeroing, I checked my rifle and skies through material control. I got back from my warm up, in the start area, waiting for my time to start. As the time became closer to my start, I was becoming more nervous.

I strip down to my Lycra, put my skies on, throw my rifle on my back and wait for my

time –  13:25.00.

5 4 3 2 1  GO!

I’m off on the biggest adventure. During my first lap I didn’t blow up for the first time in a few years. I only miss 1 for my first prone. What a good start to my race. I get on the course feeling good and start chasing other skiers. I could have stayed on the back of them but I would have blown up. So I started skiing behind other athlete’s that ski the same ability as me, so I didn’t blow up. Now in for my first standing, I shoot clean. So happy with that! On the course for the third time. Feeling even better, I decided to ski faster. That didn’t last long, I started blowing up. So I slowed myself down, sitting on the back of other athlete’s. In for my third shoot, prone for the second and last time. Missing 1.  Alright, I’ve missed only 2 out of 15 so far, I’m happy, so I start pushing it, I’m quiet lactic and fatigued but managed to push through it. I come in for my second and last standing. Missing only 1. So happy I’ve only missed 3 out 20 for this race, time to bring it home!

 Out on that last lap I was shattered.

I struggled to push over the top of hills; I gave it everything I had on the hills. I got half way around my last lap and nearly threw up, as I was tucking down the hills I was losing blood to my head and was starting to pass out. But I pushed through every little bit of pain and finished with everything I had. Finally finished, on the ground sucking in all the air I can into my lungs.

Absolutely shattered!

 

Men 20km Individual Results:

         Time – 1:04:44            19.0% behind 1^st

      P=1  S=0  P=1  S=1       88^th of 122 starters

                      19.0% = WCH QT

 

Day two   10km sprint               

Another day in paradise

 With my 19% results from yesterday’s 20km, all the stress of being able to stay on the IBU Cup circuit has lifted. Also happy that I qualified for World Championships in Rupholding, Germany.  Another late start for the race today, starting at 1300. Arriving at the range early again so I can wax my skies up. Zeroing is now under way. As I was loading up some mags, Ventzy comes up to me and says “I have a great offer for you. There is this very nice and beautiful Bulgarian girl, just for you. Now all I need is 5 bullets and your signature.” So I gave him the 5 bullets and my signature. And he says ”Come find me if you still want this offer.” Then he walks off. Tosh and I look at each other and start laughing. What a good start to my day. So I finish zeroing, back to the wax cabin to go through material control. Got my skies and rifle checked through and put my gear in the start area. As I was leaving the start area to go back to the wax cabin Ventzy comes up to me and asks “Do you still want the offer of this Bulgarian girl?” and I said “Hell yeah!” then Ventzy grabs me by the arm, pretty much dragging me along. He says “We have to be quick, I need to go the start soon” so we finally get to the food room and Ventzy introduces me to Stefani. Then he just runs off to the start and I’m left for dead, now my new wingman bailed on me!!!… It was good to meet her and have quick chat. Now there was only 10minutes before my race so I could only talk for a short time. I say goodbye, and go back to the start area to finish warming up and get ready to race!                                                                           So having a good mindset for my race, Off I go.  Going around my first lap feeling good, but as always I blew up in the first loop.   In for my first shoot,  I shot clean!

Off I go for loop 2.                          Now felling pretty fatigued and lactic,I still kept a good pace.In for my stand, I missed 2.Was not happy about that!I finished my penalties and went out on the course for the last time.Giving it everything!I was finding it hard to get up the hills, because I was so lactic. But I managed to get through it. On the last downhill there was a Greek guy in front of me. And I push so hard to catch him in the last 500m of my race, I did.

 I finished strong and again  –          Absolutely Shattered!

Men 10km Sprint Results:

Time – 32:13       21.3% behind 1^st

 P=0  S=3        107^th of 123 starters

Off With A Bang!

After my Boxing Day disaster we go back to the drawing board. We evaluate what went wrong. Still staying in Bled until New Years Day, it gave me time to get back out on the tracks to do some solid training, and to work on getting my shooting up to scratch again. The 5 days still left of training in Pokljuka, was quiet intense. Doing a lot of long intervals and level 3 (race pace). Since the Boxing Day race I became more determined to step up! To push myself to the next level! After every training session I put in every bit of effort, being coming quiet tired and sore after every session. As the training session’s we’re quiet intense my body wasn’t fast enough to recover for the next session of training. So I’m now becoming shattered. And as they say “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. In the last days of training we decide to do longer a longer session in the morning and then come back down to bled in the early afternoon. Coming back to bled in the early afternoon didn’t mean resting in the afternoon, there was still training to be held. Lucky enough then weren’t intervals; it was a cruise   run around lake Bled. Which actually wasn’t a bad thing. I’m glad I ran around it. Because if it didn’t I would never have seen how beautiful the lake, the town of Bled and the mountains in the background are. So as I was enjoying my run around the lake I got the once in a life to see Father Frost. As I ran past him and his horse and cart he gave me a lolly! I thought it was pretty sick, lollies aren’t for everyone but hey I got to see Father Frost.

Now at our last day of training, New Years Eve. We did our normal routine train longer in the morning and run around the lake in the afternoon. Now as we’re in the last day of 2011, and firework are legal in Europe. Umm… well I can only explain it as WORLD WAR III!! Legit. Its 2 in the afternoon and people are letting fireworks off, like come on its way to early for that. As the sun fell behind the mountains and the darkness dawned upon us it was time to have a good time. As the night became closer to 12:00pm, fireworks were lighting up the sky. Not only did every Slovenian in town have fireworks, so did the Aussie’s! Tosh, David, Hamish, Lachlan, Gabi and myself grouped at Tosh, Lachlan and I’s apartment. We decided to have our own fun and let some fireworks off. Now how much would you pay for fireworks? $20, $30, $50 euro? Well nope, try $105 euro Lachlan and I stocked ourselves with some serious fireworks. Now you can only imagine what a 19, 16 and 15 year old teenage males are going to be like with fireworks, PYRO’S! 

 

At first we decided to let one off at a time, that’s lasted about 2 or 3 rockets. Us boys are thinking stuff the one at a time lets do 3! Now keeping in mind this is going to take less time to go through them all it was worth every minute. So now that our fun is over, I defiantly was not disappointed with spending all that money on fireworks. We cruise back into the apartment and us children start watching a movie just waiting for the time to come closer to 12:00am. 11:30pm comes around, time to wonder down to the lake for some BIG Fireworks! So as we arrive to the lake, it’s a bloody war zone. There are drunk people everywhere. There are fireworks going off every 30 seconds. It was hectic!
12:00am! HAPPY NEW YEAR!! We just left 2011 and now we entered a new year 2012! What a better way to start your New Year resolution the fireworks at 12:05am. Bled not being the biggest town, defiantly out did themselves. They had a sick display of fireworks! I was quiet impressed, as was all the other Aussie’s.

Now that the fireworks are over it’s time to stumble home, after a very enjoyable night. This morning waking up to the New Year it’s time to pack our bags and head on home to Obertilliach, for some more training to lead up to my upcoming IBU Cup at Forni Avoltri, Italy.

 

Written By

Dyllan Harmer, National Biathlon team member

Boxing Day

Normally people are out sobering up or out hunting for the best price in the shops, not me. I’m out ready for a race! In fact it’s the first Boxing Day race I’ve ever done and it’s my first ever Mass start race. So having a bit of change from a sprint or a individual shooting procedure of prone, standing, prone, standing, I really had to remember that my shooting order is prone, prone, standing, standing. So we arrive up the top to clear blue skies with the a few clouds, the tracks looked great! I dumped my gear at the range and went for a warm up ski. The tracks were perfect, super fast. As I was warming up I’ve realized that this isn’t like a serious regional cup race this is just a laid back race, not much was set up, nothing was really organized. I like to know what time I need to zero, what lane I’m zeroing on, what time I start my race. As this information was not as accessible as a regional cup race I was getting a little stressed. But as time went on they became more organized and all the information I needed I had so I was relieved.

While in zero it was taking a little to long for my liking and when it takes to many shots to zero I started getting frustrated, but I had to keep in mind that I lifted my rifle out of the stock for travel, so it was going to take longer to zero. But finally I had finished zeroing 10 minutes before my race start! But that was never a worry, thankfully I did my entire warm up before zero and went to material control during zero. My biggest worry was the start. As I put my skies on and watched all these Slovenian World Cup skiers putting on there skies on I became worried why? Because one, I didn’t want to get steam trained by one of these World Cup skiers, Two because I didn’t want to break a pole at the start. Off we go on a 12.5km adventure! I had a clean start thank god! But unfortunately one of the other juniors broke his pole up one of the first hills. As I was coming down the first hill in the tuck, my skis were running great! I was passing the Slovenian World Cup girls. So I was really happy with my waxing job the night before. On my first lap I felt good trying to keep a good pace behind the other juniors, which I was I wasn’t loosing much time on them as I come into the range my bib number was 13 so I had to go lane 13 for my first shoot.As I proceed on lane 13. I’ve finally settled ready to shoot in prone position, missing 1. That’s ok for now. So I skied around the “criminal circle “ as the Slovenian’s call a penalty loop. Back out on the track for my second loop, trying to catch up my 25second I lost doing my penalty loop, feeling good and skiing well. Coming into my second prone. I shoot; I miss my first target again! With 1 penalty. Now for my third loop, now I’m feeling sore, fatigued and lactic. Oh no! I’ve gone too hard in the first 2 loops, now I’ve realized this is going to be a long last half of this race. As I keep pushing through the course I finally come in for standing.

 

As I settled I felt stable. But I was wrong, I’ve missed 4 targets!! My race is over! I am officially kicking myself about this shoot! But I got on with the race I skied my 4 penalties and proceed on my 4^th loop around the 2.5km course. I’ve finally found a good pace, I was still felling fatigued and lactic but I felt as though I could push over those hills a little better then what I did on my 3^rd loop. So in for my last shoot for the day I come in I get settled. I missed 2! Not so good. So I finished my penalties out on the course for the last time giving it all I could. Trying to keep on the back of other races, trying not to loose them or drop off the back of them. Pushing over those hills like no tomorrow. I finally come into the finish absolutely buggered! I crouch over puffing like crazy, feeling awful, I felt like I was going to throw up! 

 

Result:

Dyllan Harmer 4th  43:14.2   +6:41.9  P-1  P-1  S-4  S-2  18.3% behind the winner.

 

Winner: Lenart Oblak  SLO  36:32.3    P-0  P-1  S-1  S-0

 

 

At the end of the day I wasn’t very happy with my shooting, but my skiing felt great. I’m happy in one aspect, that it was regional cup race and not an IBU Cup, OECH, or at YJWCH. Getting all the bad races out not before my more important races.

 

 

Written By

Dyllan Harmer, National Biathlon team member.

Aplen Cup Race 1

Tosh, Lachlan and myself packed and set off for Bled, Slovenia. On the way we had to make a stop in Klagenfurt, Austria to change our Vehicle’s from our BMW X1 to Reno Scenic. The reason behind this is having such a high priced car there is a possibly that it could get stripped for parts then parts being sold on the black market. Our new car has way more room, compared to the BMW perfect for one coach and two athletes. Back on the road to Bled, we finally arrived to our destination. Getting to the place we were staying at for the weekend, we unpacked our gear and put our ski gear on ready to go for and afternoon training session. As we were leaving Bled driving up to Pokljuka, it was raining… not looking like it would change to snow, but lucky enough just before we arrived to Pokljuka it began snowing. We finally get onto the tracks finding ourselves skiing on sheet ice and puddles of water. It had been raining for two days previous to our arrival. But the heavens opened up with fresh snow just in time.

Sprint race day one. Getting up the range on the Saturday morning, looking very average, we hear that during the night it had been raining up on the course. Which has now made a tough course, and very hard course with ice every couple hundred meter’s. Have been through material control, and zeroing rifles in, time to warm up and prepare for this very dodgy 10km coarse of 4×2.5km (having to ski to loops of the 2.5km loop before my first shooting) I’m about to race my heart out for. I’m waiting in the start shoot ready to go. Off I go! Out of the start shoot and on the course skiing the best of my ability, thinking of skiing this course as technical as I can. Whilst on the course my skies are running great! Skiing very well pushing over those hills, giving it my all. Coming in to the range for my first shoot looking at my HR 193, perfect! I can shoot at the high HR. I get down on the mat and set up for prone. Shooting clean! That’s what I needed. Back on the coarse having my mindset very positive I ski a little faster on my next lap around. I come in again for the second and last time of shooting for standing at a HR of 194, shooting only 1 penalty. So I make my way into the penalty to do my 1 penalty. Now on the course for my last time. Flat nappy!! Skiing the course as fast as I possibly can, giving it every ounce of strength, I come into the finish spent!
Results: Dyllan Harmer 13^th  30:20.5   +3:28.3   P-0  S-1 11.4% behind the average top three.

Winner:  Fabian Horl   AUT  26:52.2  P-0  S-2

Day two of the Alpen Cup races. Another 10km sprint. Today is a perfect day, clear blue skies. The only downside was the cold. Dipping down to a nippy -11 for the race. Today the course is perfect for me. No ice what so ever. This is going to be a good race! Finishing zeroing and going through martial control, back out to prepare and warm up for this race. Out I go! On the course my skies are running perfect. I skied my first 2.5km loop without anyone passing me, keeping in mind that the next guy behind my was only 20seconds behind me. Now coming in for my first shoot having a HR of 192, still being able to shoot well, shooting clean! Out on the course passing all of the other guys ahead of me, them having to do penalty loops. Me skiing faster again on my 3^rd lap, in for shooting for the last time. I set up for standing. I miss 2, not so good but not to worry. As I finish my penalties loops I get out onto the track for the very last time. I ski the hardest I possibly can. Pushing over every hill with all my strength. Coming into the finish stuffed!

Results: Dyllan Harmer  11^th  29:53.7   +3:24.6  P-0  S-2  11.9% behind the average top three.

Winner: Benjamin Plaickner  ITA    26:29.1  P-1  S-0

At the end of this weekend I am very happy with my results. Considering the athlete’s I was racing against are medalists at World Youth and Junior Championships. So some of the best athlete’s from Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland were my competitors throughout the weekend, and to only be 11% behind, I think is a very good gauge of were I’m at in this point of the session.

Written By

Dyllan Harmer, National Biathlon team member.