To Europe

Tomorrow I am embarking on a two week trip to Europe. I will be racing in the Alpen Cup Finals in Pokljuka, Slovenia and the Austrian National Championships in Rosenau, Austria. These races will provide me with an invaluable opportunity to progress as a biathlete. Nearly as important, this tour will provide me with an opportunity to redeem myself in the shadow of disappointing results in December and January.

My goal for this tour is to focus on executing quality races and staying fundamentally sound.  

I have sent out the following message to my extended family and supporters. I have included it here to make it easier to share and with the hope of attracting more exposure.

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

I hope all of you have had the opportunity to take advantage of the winter season with friends and loved ones.

In the coming weeks I will be competing in Slovenia and Austria, at an Alpen Cup and Austrian National Championships respectively. These races are important because they will allow me to test myself against some of the top biathletes in Europe. During this Olympic year there are few, highly competitive biathlon races to be found in North America and for me to advance in this sport I will need this opportunity to test myself against some of the world's best. With an eye to South Korea in four years, these races will mark the beginning of my renewed quest to achieve success in this sport and earn the honor to represent my country as a US biathlete. 

The unexpected nature of this trip will not allow me or my sponsors to financially prepare for this venture. My main supporters, The Maine Winter Sports Center, will help get me there but, upon the completion of the tour more funds will be needed.  I would greatly appreciate any support you would be kind enough to offer to help me cover the cost of this vital race experience.

Tax deductible, monetary contributions can be sent to the Maine Winter Sports Center at:

552 Main Street

Caribou, ME

04736

Any donations made through the Maine Winter Sports Center are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501 (c) nonprofit.

I will be documenting my experiences abroad and throughout the remainder of my racing season on my Blog: raleighbiathlon.blogspot.com.

Thank you for your support,

Raleigh Goessling

Check back for updates on my trip overseas.