IBU Cup Trials

The IBU Cup Trials was the focal point of my season. These competitions offered a chance to race in Europe and qualify for the 2018 US Olympic Team. The IBU Cup Trials always take place in Coleraine, Minnesota. Coleraine is one of the venues I have raced at the most in my life. I have raced at this venue every December (with a 2-year hiatus for college) since I was 13 years old (13 years ago!)

The series consisted of 4 races, (3 Sprint races and 1 Mass Start) over the course of 5 days. After 3 weeks of quality training in Canmore and a nice rest at home I was optimistic about my potential for success. My goal for the series was to be one of the top 2 athletes overall and move on to the final phase of Olympic selection in Europe.

The first race was a sprint, with 2 shooting stages of 5 shots each in a 10-kilometer race. I skied well, but missed 3 targets. This performance left me about 1min behind the winner in 6^th place. This was my best performance of the year, and left me with renewed confidence and optimism for improvement in the coming 3 races.

The second race was the same format as the first, and my performance was incrementally better. I missed 2 targets, and maintained good ski form. Again, I was 6^th, about 1 minute behind, and just outside the level of the best athletes.

The 3^rd day of racing was a Mass Start race. The whole field raced head to head over 15km with 4 shooting stages. I picked the wrong skis, rushed my shooting, and let my emotions get the best of me. I had hoped to make my bid for the team in this competition, but I finished well behind in 10^th place.

After an off day, I was eager to put together a race which showed my true quality. The final sprint race was my best biathlon performance in years. I missed 2 targets on a very windy day and fought off some serious fatigue to post a respectable ski time. I finished in second place. As my former coach Vladimir put it, “Good race, Raleigh, a little too late thought.”

Shooting with some of my favorite Minnesota biathlon friends. Right before it all went wrong in the Mass Start 

I finished the series in 5^th or 6^th place, depending on which selection criteria you used. In one set of selection guidelines, US Biathlon declared that the best 2 of the 4 races would be used in the final ranking. In a second set of selection criteria, 3 of 4 races where to be used. Thankfully, the top two positions where not effected by this oversight, and the top ranked athletes where selected.

I had hoped to gain perspective on what my path forward should be from the results of these Trials. Resounding success or crushing defeat would have left me with a clear path forward, instead I am left tantalizingly close to excellence, with a podium to prove I have the potential to be among the best. 

Pushing for the Podium! 

My final ranking left me in 10^th or 11^th in the US, after all the trials races. Far from a top 5 Olympic-Team ranking, but in the mix with the athletes tipped to be the next National A Team stars.

In the coming weeks there are more selection races which could qualify for to race at the European Championships and on the IBU Cup. Attending the trials races and funding a potential European race trip present financial hurdles I could have to overcome, but neither are out of the realm of possibility.

For now, I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my family for the Holidays and entering 2018 as happy and healthy as possible.       

This is the face you make when you podium, but don't know what to do next. 

Photos by Karen Brown and Gregory Haugen