Four men and four women will represent Team USA in biathlon. On the men’s team, Paul Schommer and Sean Doherty with Schommer competing in his second Games, Doherty his fourth. Maxime Germain will be heading to his first Games buoyed by rising international performances. Meanwhile, Campbell Wright is competing in his second Games, but first as an American. And it comes on the heels of the two silver medals he won a year ago at the World Championships.

For the women, Deedra Irwin returns for her second Games, after a strong result four years ago in Beijing. After a short break from the international tour, Joanne Reid heads to her third Olympics. And a pair of newcomers to the sport, Luci Anderson and Margie Freed are poised for their Olympic debut.

For Auchentaller, it will be a Games of much pride. As a native of the Antholz valley, he welcomes the opportunity to show off his hometown, where his father was a part of starting biathlon over a half century ago.

And to top it all off for the popular coach, his own daughter, Hannah, will make her Olympic debut with the Italian team.

The action begins Sunday with the mixed relay. You can watch all the action live or on-demand in the USA on NBC’s Peacock.

While he lives today in Bavaria, Fontana hails from the Frassinoro, Italy, in the Modena area. This tiny village has produced more than its share of ski technicians over the years – a source of great pride to the region.

Fontana has served the athletes of U.S. Biathlon for over a decade. He and his team of technicians put the magic into the skis, while also serving as the team’s general manager.

In this episode, we’ll learn how turning out fast skis is a year-round job, from springtime and summer ski selection with the factories, to fine-tuning on snow during the season. Listen in to learn just how many pairs of skis for each athlete are packed into vans as the tour heads from race to race.

And check out Heartbeat’s past episodes with U.S. Biathlon General Manager Fede Fontana. Now let’s join Fede coming to us live from Nove Mesto as the team prepares for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Antholz.

PAST EPISODES

Farewell to Fluorocarbons - Nov. 2023

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nFkFX0cLVPytUHLloyYTl?si=5961825689824051

Fede Fontana: Inside the Wax Cabin - Jan. 2023

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4UP70osdKOxcCp3E889Fn0?si=8984636a13e04eae

Freed, now 28, picked up the new sport while training with Craftsbury Green Racing Project after a successful career at University of Vermont. Going into the 2023 season, she borrowed a biathlon rifle and qualified for the European Championships, eventually having the USA’s best IBU Cup finish that season. Now, she’s a regular on the IBU World Cup.

Meanwhile, Anderson, now 25, skied five seasons for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, with six NCAA wins. Skiing with Team Birkie, she gave biathlon a try in the summer of 2024, qualifying for the IBU Cup at trials that October. She quickly got her chance at the World Cup.

Both are examples of U.S. Biathlon’s transfer initiative, finding experienced cross country ski racers who want to give biathlon a try. And both are products of U.S. Biathlon’s Project X.

With the Olympics in Antholz just around the corner, Anderson and Freed are excited about their opportunity. In this episode of Heartbeat, they talk about their unique pathways, share encouragement to others, and look forward to their dream of becoming Olympians with Team USA.

PAST EPISODES

Luci Anderson: Exhilaration of a New Sport - Jan. 2025

Margie Freed: From XC to Biathlon - Nov. 2023

What motivated her to become an athletic trainer?

“Just being an athlete, kind of identifying as an athlete myself for so long, just seeing the passion and the hard work that those athletes put into what can essentially become their career,” she said. “I just want to do everything I could to let them be successful. And that's a huge part of my job – just keeping that arrow pointed forward for someone to just keep on the track of success.”

So what is health and wellness? And why is it important for athletes – and for all of us?

“Health and wellness is what gets you through every day,” said Pasch. “And if you're not respecting your body and taking care of it 24 over seven, that's lost time. If you look at it as the athletes, it's their job.”

Her background has taken her to basketball, hockey, and track. And one of the keys for her in her new role with U.S. Biathlon is her own background as a cross country skier.

When describing her role to others who might not know what an athletic trainer does, she compares it as a cross between a physical therapist and an EMT. “A lot of the education and focus is on first response and emergency care,” she said. But today, a lot of energy goes into injury and illness prevention.

 “That's where that physical therapy, that rehab, the diagnostic piece comes into it,” she said. “And then layered within all of that in the education is pharmacology, general medicine, sports psychology, nutrition. We kind of get a little sprinkling of everything.”

As a passionate cross country skier herself, she’s now become one of biathlon’s biggest fans. And, yes, she has picked up a biathlon rifle to try shooting. This winter, she will hopscotch around Europe as the U.S. Biathlon Team heads to Antholz for the Olympic Winter Games.

Get to know Annika Pasch and the valuable support services she’s bringing to biathletes in this episode of Heartbeat, the U.S. Biathlon podcast. 

Becker vividly remembers tuning into the Olympics on NBC in 2018. “It was just so cool to watch how things could change in an instant, right? One athlete is leading the race. They come in to shoot. They miss a target. All of a sudden, they're on the penalty loop. Somebody else goes out in the lead. Right? All the way up to the last shoot. 

“You didn't really know what was going to happen. It was just exciting the entire time. Also, as an athlete, you kind of really appreciated the fitness of these individuals and how hard they're working and how fast they're moving. And I've come to appreciate that even more, you know, really getting to know the sport.”

Today, Becker works in kinesiology – the study of human movement. “From a biomechanical perspective, we're looking at what are the forces that generate that movement? What are the forces that are applied to your body during that movement?”

The long and short of it is that Becker and his team study human movement to give athletes optimal tactics to capitalize on every single movement.

Over the past few seasons, his Montana State University biomechanics research team has collected extensive data from video and other tools, analyzed it, and provided feedback to athletes and coaches.

How can it work in practice? Becker discusses how video of athletes on a given course can provide data to offer tactical advice on how to ski that section faster or more efficiently, thereby conserving energy. And, yes, it really works!

From Soldier Hollow to Lake Placid, Vuokatti to Antholz, Becker’s student researchers are making a difference for U.S. biathletes. If you like to geek out a bit on the science of sport, this is your podcast.

Join us for season six, episode three with Dr. Jim Becker to learn more about how the U.S. Biathlon Team is shaving seconds and shooting straighter thanks to innovative data analysis.

Gierhart was enthusiastic about the athlete-staff initiative on team culture. In episode one of Heartbeat this season, we spoke with Kelsey Dickinson and Chloe Levins about the team’s initiative to create a values-based, positive team culture. “I remember talking with Kelsey and Jake (Brown), and a couple of other athletes a year-and-a-half ago or so,” said Gierhart. “They were enthusiastic about trying to get this going.” Now the shared values program, driven by both athletes and staff, is firmly in place heading into the 2025-26 season.

He also highlighted some of the innovative high-performance programs implemented by U.S. Biathlon to support athletes. As an example, High Performance Director Lowell Bailey now works closely with Jim Becker, a masters biathlete himself, at Montana State University on a wide range of initiatives, from physiological biometric testing to 3D motion capture.

“We're really seeing quite an impact on the performance of our athletes,” he said.

Simple as it may seem on the surface, another priority area for U.S. Biathlon has been athlete wellness. “One of the areas we really started to focus on about a year and a half ago was how do we reduce athlete illness?” said Gierhart. “That's been the biggest impact on us!”

He outlined programs in place now through U.S. Biathlon’s partnership with University of Utah Health. Last January, U of U Health Athletic Trainer Annika Pasch joined the team to support overall athlete wellness on the grueling schedule athletes face during the winter season.

“This concept of minor illness prevention is incredibly important to us,” he added. “So we started to talk about how do we do that? How do we keep our athletes on the race course more frequently? And besides being able and having boots on the ground with the athletes that are able to monitor things in real time and react immediately, is really important.”

The atmosphere at the final pre-season dryland camp was exhilarating. There was a lot on the line with team trials. And final preparation before the team reassembles in Obertilliach, Austria for a final on-snow test before the World Cup and IBU Cup openers.

As he reflected back on the last three seasons, his look forward was one of pride. “The work that this team has done over the last three years – we have high goals. Everybody's working really hard. But whatever happens, I'm going to be incredibly proud of this team and our community of what we achieve.”

Listen in to Heartbeat, season six, episode two, for an insightful look into U.S. Biathlon with CEO Jack Gierhart.

In addition to competing on the international biathlon stage, both Dickinson and Levins have taken on leadership roles, serving as athlete representatives to both the U.S. Biathlon Board of Directors and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Quite simply, “Our role is really to represent the athlete voice in any decisions being made by US Biathlon,” said Dickinson.

However, one of their most impactful roles over the last year has been their engagement with both teammates and U.S. Biathlon staff in building a recognizable team culture, including the identification of a set of values that staff and athletes can all rally around.

US Biathlon Values

• Respect
• Grit
• Growth Mindset

“We decided that we could all stand by these,” said Levins. “They represent who we want to be, how we want to show up as Team USA – as the staff wants to show up for the athletes, as the athletes want to show up for the staff, and the greater organization as a whole and their country.

“It was a really special thing to be a part of!”

The values were adopted by athletes and staff together after a series of group sessions that began at the Vuokatti training camp before last season. 

“We’re looking at this from the perspective of emphasizing that we are a values-led organization,” sai Dickinson. “And creating those values that we can come together around and use to have discussions and support each other, and also hold each other accountable.”

Want to hear more? Listen in on the new season six of Heartbeat as Chloe Levins and Kelsey Dickinson dive deep into the value-backed culture created by the U.S. Biathlon Team.

ATHLETE OUTREACH
Athletes, want to reach out to your US Biathlon athlete representatives? Simply send an email to: athletereps(@)usbiathlon.org.

PAST EPISODES WITH CHLOE & KELSEY

Kesley Dickinson: Athlete & Advocate (April 2025)

Chloe Levins: Bouncing Back (Nov. 2022)

Kelsey Dickinson: Nordic Culture of the Methow Valley (Dec. 2021)

Chloe Levins: From Fairway to Biathlon Range (Sept. 2020)

“It always helps to have results because people just stay positive,” said Auchentaller. “There's a good mood. People see that things are possible. But I think, the day after those good results or the season, when the next season training season starts, once you had those good results, I think the best is to come back on the ground and just think of almost like, ‘yeah, how can I get better?’”

In this episode of Heartbeat, Auchentaller speaks to the showcase results of Campbell Wright, winning two silver medals at the World Championships, a career-best for Paul Schommer, and continued development progress by Maxime Germaine, Lucy Anderson and Margie Freed.

One of the keys to that progress has been shooting. “In order to reach good shooting skills, we need to work on the basics a lot, like dividing all the little things, like learning how to trigger, learning how to aim, learning how to breathe, learning how to bolt, learning how to go into position quick, and all of those little things and little things. Then put those things together. Those need to be high quality. It will take a lot of patience. It will take a lot of personal workload in their off times when they are without the team on their own.”

One of the keys to the growing success of development athletes is Olympic shooting champion Matt Emmons, who serves as a coach for U.S. Biathlon. “We try to use his expertise in a way where athletes get access to experience what he had himself and open up a different perspective, under a different light, and give the athletes a lot of theoretical feedback through that and a lot of sharing, experience and a lot of expertise from his shooting career.”

From a 2025 recap to a breakdown of the Bend camp to the vital innovation in the Montana State physiological testing program, Auchentaller covers a lot of ground in this final episode of Heartbeat for the 2025 season.

When Heartbeat last caught up with Dickinson in December, 2021, she talked about growing up in Washington’s Methow Valley as a cross country skier, later finding her passion for biathlon at St. Scholastica College in Duluth, Minn. She also spoke about the role women coaches had made in her career – foreshadowing what she’s been up to these last few seasons.

Dickinson has taken her passion for the sport and become one of its most prominent advocates for change. She serves on the U.S. Biathlon board as an athlete representative and also represents her sport on the USOPC Athletes’ Advisory Council. She’s a gender equity athlete ambassador for the IBU, and served on the USOPC’s DEI Core Team leading up to the 2021 Tokyo Games. She has played a vital role with the USOPC Women’s Health Task Force, focusing on health-related issues affecting female athletes. She even served on a Team USA athlete advisory group that examined emerging digital assets, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

But amidst all of her giving back to her sport, one of the roles she cherishes most is serving as executive director of the Women Ski Coaches Association, the organization started by her college coach at St. Scholastica, Maria Stuber. What started as an initiative within NCAA programs, is now having an impact on a wide range of sports through programs like GearUp and Trail to Gold.

Why does Dickinson devote so much time and energy with such passion? “Early on, I realized that for me to find meaning in sport, I really wanted to make it a place where my teammates or anyone, who wanted to be coaches could have the best experience possible.”

Dickinson has seen the challenges through the eyes of some amazing female mentors, like Stuber, who have influenced her career.

“I've had some experiences when I was younger that made me realize that, wow, like, sport doesn't necessarily put women and men on an equal level,” she said. “And it's not necessarily that anyone is trying to discriminate against women, but it just sort of exists in the fabric of the culture.”

Dickinson has found a welcoming reception from U.S. Biathlon to the IBU to USOPC. “U.S. Biathlon understands that it to be to be a modern innovative sports organization, bringing in women voices and increasing diversity and is only going to benefit the success of the sport,” she said. “The bottom line – I think what U.S. Biathlon is doing is really important and essential for long term success.”

Beyond equality initiatives, she sees her work benefiting other areas, including overall team culture and creating more coaches in the biathlon community, who can then grow their own junior programs.

“I'm really glad that they're investing in this and taking the time to put their put their weight behind this program succeeding.”

Reflecting back on her career as an athlete and an advocate, Dickinson speaks with confidence and satisfaction – as someone who can now see that the work she’s been doing has been fruitful.

“I've always felt this purpose that – my impact on sport. I would rather be remembered for making sport a better place for women than necessarily my results. That’s always been driving me in this space.”

Sport is fortunate to have an advocate like biathlete Kelsey Dickinson, who is a pioneer for change and not afraid to dive in and do the work. Through her eyes and experiences, this episode of Heartbeat showcases the impact athletes can have on their sports. Listen in as Kelsey Dickinson walks us through the myriad ways she’s having a profound impact on sport.

RESOURCES

Explore these links to learn more and to get engaged in programs.

Women Ski Coaches Association

U.S. Biathlon Women’s Coaching Initiative

NNF Trail to Gold Grant Program

“Yeah, that was a pretty cool two weeks,” he said said with a grin!

At the World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Wright took silver in the sprint then backed it up the next day with silver in the pursuit. It was the first double medal for the U.S. men in history.

Wright talked about how he approached the day just like any other. “I never had any expectations going into any race because that just leads to failure and disappointment,” he said. “And bad things every single time. So, no expectations as always. And, yeah, it's a good way to set yourself up for success.”

In the Heartbeat interview, Wright recapped both races – where he found strengths, and where he found challengers. In the sprint, he shot clean, and had only one miss in four shootings in the pursuit.

In the sprint, he ran well before some of the race favorites, so he had to endure a wait in the finish before he knew the outcome – with the top 15 biathletes in the world starting behind him. But one thing he knew from the start – he was happy with his performance.

“It kind of sunk in when Fillon Maillet crossed the line, and he was behind me,” he said. “That's when I was like, ‘oh yeah, okay. Yeah, you've done well here, Campbell!’”

With the pursuit the next day, there was little time for celebration. It was a surreal experience for Wright starting second. He missed one shot in the first shooting, but was clean the rest of the way. Still, it was a battle to the finish to hold onto the silver medal.

Despite having just joined the U.S. Biathlon Team two years ago, the historic moment was not lost on him. Most of all, he spoke of what it meant for him to be on a list with his childhood heroes, Tim Burke and Lowell Bailey. Burke took silver in 2013 at Nové Město, while Bailey won gold at Hochfilzen in 2017.

“I started watching biathlon or getting to become familiar with biathlon when Tim and Lowell were really in their heyday,” said Wright. “I don't think I'm there career-wise, but on the medal tally it says I am. But in real life, I still don't think I can compare my career to those guys.”

Campbell Wright really opens up in this episode of Heartbeat. He showcases his motivations, philosophies as an athlete, and the vital importance of the support he has had from U.S. Biathlon to help him get there.

An impactful advocate for women in officiating, Studebaker-Hall has spent the last few years working her way up the officiating ladder, eventually becoming an IBU referee and passing her technical delegate exam. She made a big step a year ago by serving as a referee at the Hochfilzen IBU World Cup. This past December, she had her first TD assignment at the Junior Cup in Ridnau, Italy.

Serving as technical delegate at the World Championships is clearly a major assignment. Studebaker-Hall had been in Lenzerheide last summer for a workshop, and received the news of her prestigious assignment on her way back to the USA.

She was humbled by the role. “The IBU has a lot of female technical delegates at this point, and many who are more experienced than myself,” she said. “I'm very honored to fill this role.”

Thanks in part to Studebaker-Hall’s advocacy the past few years, there is a growing number of women in officiating in America. But her passion still runs deep. “Without the officials, without the volunteers, you can't do the sport,” she said. “It doesn't work. And so being part of that and making sure that the races go off according to the rules and according to what the athletes are expecting is is really gratifying.”

Studebaker-Hall goes into detail on her role at Lenzerheide, and the steps other can take to follow in her footsteps as a biathlon official. She also dives into the qualifying criteria for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina.

PAST EPISODES WITH SARA STUDEBAKER HALL
Achieving IBU TD Certification - S3 Ep1 - Sept. 2022
Bringing Life Experience to Biathlon - S1 Ep - S1 Ep2 - June 2020

S5 Ep9 - Sara Studebaker-Hall - TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:00] Tom Kelly: Welcome to Heartbeat, everyone. Today we have someone who actually, I think, is the most frequent guest on Heartbeat, Sara Studebaker-Hall. Sara, thank you for joining us once again.

[00:00:13] Sara Studebaker-Hall: Yeah, Tom, it's always a pleasure to be here. I love talking with you.

[00:00:15] Tom Kelly: And we're going to talk about a couple of different things today. We're going to talk about the World Championships. Sara will actually be serving as the technical delegate at the World Championships. World championships in Lenzerheide that start on February 12th. And we're going to also take a few minutes at the end to talk about the Olympic selection criteria. Qualifying criteria, as we are now literally just one year out. Actually just under one year out when this podcast comes out to the start of the games in Milan-Cortina. So, Sara, when are you heading over to Switzerland?

[00:00:51] Sara Studebaker-Hall: Yeah. So I head over on Friday, so the seventh of, of February. So, um, just a few days before the event starts, but trying to be there enough ahead of time to kind of check things out before everybody gets on the ground.

[00:01:05] Tom Kelly: Well, the last time we had you on, actually, no, I have to go back two times. Last time we had you on, it was a preview of the World Cup. And then two years ago, we had you on to talk about, uh, how you have been climbing up through the ranks of biathlon officials worldwide. But you will be the first female in IBU history to be the technical delegate at the World Championships. Congratulations.

[00:01:27] Sara Studebaker-Hall: Thank you. Yeah, it's kind of a funny thing. I didn't quite believe it when. When someone told me that that was the case.You know, I know IBU is they've got a lot of female technical delegates at this point, and many who are more experienced than myself. But, of course, I'm very honored to fill this role and be that person.

[00:01:48] Tom Kelly: If you look back, though, over the last few years, I know that you have been very active in this area, encouraging other women to get into coaching, to get into officiating. So, do you find that there is now a fraternity of sorts of women officials growing up within the international biathlon community.

[00:02:09] Sara Studebaker-Hall: Yeah. For sure. You know, there's the group that I took my technical delegate test with included several women, and we've remained pretty close, and I've been lucky enough to serve with several of them and several of the other women who have more experience, as well as some women who are more new to the technical delegate pool. And in the other events that I've I've been an official for with IBU and it's it's really fun to see and I think it helps a lot. It helps the athletes to see more diverse faces out there officiating. And I think it helps, you know, within our community in the US, women who are wanting to become officials, to see that there are other female officials out there in other countries that are serving as technical delegates and serving as referees all around at different levels at the different venues.

[00:03:00] Tom Kelly: You are qualified as a referee in your sport, and I'm going to turn it over to you to explain that you will be working with other referees over in Lenzerheide, but you will be the technical delegate. So give our listeners a sense of how that process works. What does it mean to be a referee and then what does it mean to be the technical delegate?

[00:03:21] Sara Studebaker-Hall: Yeah for sure. So I think, you know, we gave a general overview of the process and one of the previous podcasts I've been on. But you know, generally you're coming up educated as a basic official within your governing body. So we have a level one and two officials status in the US. And after you've served in, you know, volunteered in as an official domestically for 3 or 4 years, then you can be eligible to take the international referee exam. And that's an exam that's run through the EBU. You have to be nominated by your federation. So by the US Biathlon Association in order to take that. So we have several referees in the United States who have that international referee distinction. And then once you've been in that position for a couple of years, you can be eligible to take the technical delegate test with EBU. And then once you pass that, you can be assigned as a referee. So even though you're a technical delegate, you're assigned as a referee to all the different levels of EBU events. So EBU World Championships, World Cup, IBU Cup, Junior Cup, junior Youth and Youth and Junior World Championships. Um, you know, even the Olympics. So those people are all technical delegates, even though they might be assigned as the referee for the start finish, for example. And all of those people are serving together with and underneath a technical delegate who has the same level of education as as they do, but is serving as the technical delegate for the event. So is technically in charge of those referees.

[00:04:52] Tom Kelly: When you're in Lenzerheide at the World Championships, you will be working with a number...

The event will be the focal point of the season for biathletes from more than two dozen nations. Tens of thousands of spectators will arrive in the valley outside of Chur, while tens of millions will watch live broadcasts around the world.

Switzerland last played host to the Championships in 1985, when the women’s events were held in Egg im Etzel, a small community in the rolling hills of northeastern Switzerland. The concept of biathlon in the Albula Valley dates back to 2006. The vision took hold, and in 2013 a trail network and stadium debuted with a 30-point range – Switzerland’s first permanent biathlon venue!

From there, the sport escalated quickly. By 2017, the venue had its A-license from the IBU. In the 2020 season, the IBU Youth and Junior World Championships were held there. And in November, 2020, Lenzerheidi won the right to the 2025 World Championships. Its first World Cup came in December, 2023.

Capol spoke with Heartbeat on the eve of the Championships. The episode covers plans for the championships, how it is already building a legacy for biathlon, and its steps to produce a sustainable event in a valley that has limited access.

The Chur native is somewhat of a legend in winter sport. For nearly a decade, the 1994 Olympic cross country skier Capol was cross country director for the International Ski Federation. He led during a time of notable change in cross country, popularizing new formats and debuting the concept of the Tour de Ski.

Switzerland has long been a nation aligned with nordic sport. But its success in biathlon has been limited. It’s most notable athletes have been the Gasparin sisters, from over the mountain in Samedan (near St. Moritz). Selina Gasparin won silver in the 15k individual at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi – Switzerland’s only Olympic biathlon medal. 

Lenzerheide 2025 is hoping that the attention from the World Championships will jump start the sport. Already, its Biathlon 4 You program is getting youth started through laser rifles.

It’s a fascinating episode with Jürg Capol as he dives into the depths of organizing the sport’s biggest event. And he reminisces of his past visionary success with programs like the cross country Tour de Ski.

Anderson joined U.S. Biathlon’s Heartbeat podcast from the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Anchorage, where she was among the top U.S. athletes. It was a warmup, of sorts, for her anticipated appearances at the Ruhpolding and Antholtz World Cups.

Growing up in Minnesota, she found cross country skiing through the Minnesota Youth Ski League at Theodore Wirth Park, eventually gravitating to the acclaimed Loppet Nordic Racing program. She earned All State honors in high school, before heading to the University of New Hampshire where she raced five seasons with the Wildcats – earning nine podiums including six wins. 

The summer before her final year competing for UNH, she discovered biathlon at a try-it camp. She tucked the idea in the back of her mind, finished her masters degree in biotech, then dusted off the concept of biathlon after graduation. She was hooked.

Anderson’s story is similar to those of others, like Margie Freed and Grace Castonguay. But her progress curve is quick – qualifying for the IBU Cup at October trials then quickly advancing to the World Cup after two weekends.

Today, Anderson is skiing with Team Birkie and U.S. Biathlon’s Project X. In her conversation with Heartbeat, she conveys a great sense of organization as she maps her plan. At the same time, she exudes confidence in herself. When the phone call came from High Performance Director Lowell Bailey that a World Cup spot was available, she quickly consulted with coaches and took on the opportunity.

This episode of Heartbeat is another refreshing look at the excitement cross country athletes are finding with biathlon. Watch for Luci Anderson on the IBU World Cup tour this month.

Nordgren, who retired in 2022 after competing in three Olympics and nine World Championships, has taken over as coach from longtime leader Travis Boyer. Now a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in the Vermont National Guard, Nordgren makes his home in Vermont working out of the National Guard training base in Jericho.

In the early years of his career, Nordgren had looked at the National Guard program but opted to stick with the national team. But after his second Olympics in 2018, he revisited the opportunity to join the program for his final Olympic cycle. It was a productive program for him, not only as an athlete but in setting him up on a career path in the Guard, including a role with the sport he loves.

Jone and Nordgren dive into insights on the National Guard program with U.S. Biathlon, including the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). They talk about the national team athlete support, but also the opportunities for biathletes nationwide. They also speak to the training center at Jericho, which has long partnered with regional club programs, and some of the upgrades in planned renovations.

It’s an especially deep look into the impact on athletes from Nordgren, who has the benefit of experiencing the national team program, four years of National Guard support, and how his own experience as a coach. 

Nordgren, who appeared as a guest twice previously on Heartbeat, also takes advantage of the opportunity to talk about his new passion for flying Blackhawk helicopters.

An underlying principle both Nordgren and Jones feel deeply in their heart is pride of their country, and of their engagement with the National Guard.

Listen in now as Leif Nordgren and Quenten Jones take us inside the relationship between the National Guard and U.S. Biathlon on Heartbeat.

Past Episodes

Leif Nordgren: A Distinguished Career - May 6, 2022

Leif Nordgren: A Family Affair - Jan. 29, 2021

More Information on National Guard

Our Mission: Biathlon

November in Finland is a fascinating time, with limited daylight, big snowflakes falling from the heavens, and an electric atmosphere as the U.S. Biathlon Team makes final preparations for the season just days away. Heartbeat headed to the team camp in Vuokatti this week to catch up with veteran Jake Brown, a key figure on the U.S. Biathlon men’s team that caught the world’s attention last season.

A Minnesota native, Brown came into biathlon late after a strong career as a runner and cross country skier. Now 32, the 2022 Olympian is the backbone of a young team that burst onto the scene last season with a pair of top-five relay finishes with Brown anchoring.

“The vibe is great here,” said Brown to open the podcast. He was coming from an evening ‘team culture session,’ which brought athletes, coaches, and technicians together. He reflected back to the team four years ago – four guys and a coach. “Now, we have a bigger U.S. Biathlon Nation that we consider as our team.” 

Vuokatti has now become a melting pot for both the IBU World Cup and IBU Cup teams, all working together with an expanded staff.

“It feels like we all get to know each other a little bit better – that’s the general theme and vibe of Vuokatti!”

In an hourlong interview with Heartbeat hosts Tom Kelly and Sara Donatello, Brown covers a wide range of topics from missing World Championships in 2023 because of illness, to the challenges of a pandemic Olympics in Beijing, to the cosmic vibe after anchoring the men’s relay to an unprecedented fifth place finish last February. You’ll want to listen in to learn who broke out their guitar in the wax cabin in celebration!

Jake Brown has long been a fan favorite on the U.S. Biathlon Team. In this episode, he takes us deep into the Vuokatti camp, and shares his philosophies on sport that have served him well. He also reflects back on what advice he would give his younger self, plus outlines three valuable travel essentials for a globetrotting athlete.

Join hosts Tom Kelly and Sara Donatello for this fast-paced conversation with one of U.S. Biathlon’s stars on the eve of the 2024-25 season.

The BMW IBU World Cup opens Saturday, Nov. 30 in Kontiolahti, Finland, with the IBU Cup getting underway Thursday, Nov. 28 at Idre Fjäll, Sweden.

Bailey, a world champion, is now entering his seventh season since retiring in 2018. Since then, he’s led high-performance efforts for the next generation of biathletes. 

“The more time I spend in this role, the more I realize the commonalities between what you do as an athlete and what you do as a sport director,” he said. “As an athlete, you're just trying to figure out ‘how I get better, how I find that half a percent improvement? Where is it going to be? Can I shoot a little bit faster? Can I ski a little bit faster? Can I ski a little bit smarter?’ You're constantly trying to find those little nuggets. My role right now is not that much different.”

It’s always fun to look back at milestone results. Last season’s men’s relay results, career-best finishes for Deedra Irwin and Campbell Wright, and an emergence of new future stars coming onto the scene form the foundation. The preparation period since last April was highlighted by a spring on-snow camp in Bend, Ore., European high-altitude camps at Lenzerheide and Livigno, an increasingly valuable October camp in Soldier Hollow, and now the final tune-up in Vuokatti.

Bailey is also quick to point at partnerships established with the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, USOPC, and a valuable physiological testing program with Montana State University that provides some of the best physical feedback for athletes and coaches ever.

Conditions in Vuokatti have been snowy and dark, with only a few hours of daylight each day. But the culture and training facilities have attracted more teams each year.

“Finland has a great culture and heritage of cross country skiing, so their venues are just top-notch, world-class venues,” said Bailey. “Because of that, you see a lot of the big teams from Central Europe making the trip up here to train.”

Listen in now to episode four of Heartbeat as Lowell Bailey sets the stage for the season ahead. And watch for another Vuokatti update with men’s team star Jake Brown coming soon.

A longtime Olympic athlete, coach, program leader, and high-performance director, in 2022 Farra embraced an opportunity to join the team at U.S. Biathlon as director of sport development. Two years later, aspiring biathletes and local club programs have a wealth of new tools to both help them with an introduction to sport and to perfect their craft.

Farra grew up in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where his family owned a cross country ski center. He competed in the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, became an NCAA All American at Utah then embarked on a career in sport leadership. His career took him to Lake Placid’s National Sports Academy and the Maine Winter Sports Center, a stint as nordic director for the U.S. Ski Association, as well as high-performance roles with U.S. Paralympics and USA Triathlon. Today, Farra has found excitement and satisfaction in a role from his home base near Soldier Hollow, impacting the sport nationwide.

“The common thread for me has always been the athletes,” said Farra. “It really is a fantastic experience for me to find ways to add value, to allow athletes to create the best performance they can create and to be the team behind the team.

After more than a decade working in high performance, Farra has a different role now, which he embraces wholeheartedly – building the sport from the grassroots to ensure participants have a fun and positive experience.

“When you know that you're adding value, you're doing the little things – I think of this job as pieces to the puzzle. I know that the pieces that I'm working with and the pieces that I'm putting into the puzzle are important to the overall foundation for the sport, and that gives me great pleasure.”

One of Farra’s first initiatives two years ago was to learn from clubs and build the base. He logged many miles visiting biathlon programs in every corner of America. Today, U.S. Biathlon has grown to encompass 44 clubs nationwide. Glancing at his yellow legal pad, he counted 14 more communities where he has active conversations.

What was the catalyst? Farra quickly points to U.S. Biathlon’s laser rifle program. One of the biggest supporters has been the International Biathlon Union, which provided 10 laser rifles last year with more anticipated for the future. Farra has set up an easy-to-use program for local clubs and communities to reserve laser rifles and have them shipped from U.S. Biathlon’s Utah headquarters.

The result? Last season, over 2,400 athletes tried biathlon – a jump from 800 the year before!

In addition to local try-it programs, U.S. Biathlon has also coordinated with existing major cross country youth festivals around the country – going to events that already attract skiers and offering them a fun add-on. Youth have responded!

U.S. Biathlon has also focused on growth of its annual coaches conference. This past season, the event was held at U.S. Biathlon’s National Training Center, the Ariens Nordic Center in Wisconsin, attracting the largest number of coaches ever.

Events are where the skis meet the snow. And while winter events are continuing to grow, Farra cites a focus on summer as really starting to make a difference. With plenty of events occupying winter weekend, U.S. Biathlon has started to look more to summer, creating the Summer Biathlon Championship series. This past summer, the new series tallied around 400 starts with more than 200 participating athletes from around the country.

This episode of Heartbeat is full of fascinating discussions on sport development programs that are really starting to make a difference for U.S. Biathlon. Listen in with U.S. Biathlon Director of Sport Development John Farra.

U.S. BIATHLON LAUNCHES ONLINE CENTER

With dozens of clubs and thousands of members scattered across America, the new digital U.S. Biathlon Center is providing a centralized source of valuable sport education information. Launched in 2023, The Center is available online and through a unique mobile application. It offers education content geared towards athletes, coaches, officials, clubs and volunteers. As an example, The Foundations of Biathlon Coaching is an excellent starting point for prospective coaches. The Center also provides easy access to information on upcoming events. It even includes a section for the burgeoning masters biathlon population. Registration is free. Check it out and register at: usbiathlon.org/the-center.

Now a seasoned veteran, she’s coming off a season that saw her score her first top-10 World Cup finish, moving up 20 places in the season rankings.. She also recorded her 100th World Cup start last March in Oslo. And she teamed up with rising star Campbell Wright for a pair of top-seven single mixed relay finishes.

A frequent guest on Heartbeat the past few seasons, Irwin’s smile showcases the joy she is finding in the sport today. In the midst of the final dryland camp before the World Cup season begins in late November at Kontiolahti, Finland, Irwin shared stories of her passion for biathlon, the success she enjoyed last season, and reflected back to her historic seventh-place finish at the Olympics in Beijing. Most of all, she exuded the happiness she is finding in the sport today.

Staff Sergeant Irwin also discussed the value she’s garnered as a soldier athlete in the Vermont National Guard and the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). The program has provided her with strong athletic support and an opportunity to benefit from cross-pollination among athletes from other sports.

Heartbeat also welcomed a new co-host, U.S. Biathlon Communications Manager Sara Donatello, with this episode. 

Our hour with Deedra Irwin was one of the most joyful interviews yet in five seasons of Heartbeat. Settle in to enjoy this Heartbeat episode with one of biathlon’s great stars.

After retiring in 2021 after an illustrious career, Dunklee took on the running program at Craftsbury. Then, last season, she returned to her roots, switching to a new role heading biathlon.

Dunklee is quick to cite balance as a key to her success as an athlete, and it’s something she finds in the program at Craftsbury. “I always needed balance in my life,” she said. “I think it's really easy to get wrapped up in the result sheet and have all your value reflected in what your most recent result says. To avoid that trap, I needed to have other interests and being able to feel connected to place, connected to community, and being able to contribute to the community. And the Craftsbury model of athlete support is, is all about that.”

As an athlete, she admits that coaching had crossed her mind. “I’ve definitely thought about it,” she said. “It's funny because when you spend so much time in one world, sometimes you forget that other options exist. But because I was surrounded by it, I was interested in it. And I had a lot of conversations over the years with (coach) Armin (Auchentaller) what is your coaching philosophy? What advice do you have? How would you deal with this situation? How do you connect with different personality types? So, yeah, I was thinking about it.”

Her Heartbeat interview covers a wide range of topics, including her philosophy on the importance of cross country skiing, the feeling of seeing one of your athletes have success, and how her program at Craftsbury could be a role model for others.

A native of the renowned biathlon venue community of Antholz, Italy, Auchentaller has a strong background with U.S. Biathlon. A former biathlete himself, Auchentaller coached in the USA from 2009-14 before leaving to head the Swiss women’s team. He returned to U.S. Biathlon in 2018 and now leads both the men’s and women’s national team.

“I like to develop things and bring the athletes up to a very high level and succeed in the World Cup,” said Auchentaller. “I really like that journey of having athletes who come from nowhere, almost, and trying to guide them to the top level.”

The 2023-24 season was showcased with notable results by a wide range of athletes. Auchentaller methodically walks through the highlights, both celebrating the success and having an eye on the future.

The season saw Deedra Irwin claim her first top-10 World Cup. Newcomer Campbell Wright did the same, setting a new personal best six times. Campbell and Irwin teamed up for three top-10 finishes in the single mixed relay. Crossover cross country athletes Margie Freed and Grace Castonguay had strong debuts. The entire biathlon nation rose up to cheer on the men’s relay to historic finishes at the World Championships and Soldier Hollow World Cup.

What’s the secret? Auchentaller pointed to closing the gap on skiing, but also a strong focus on shooting. “That’s crucial – the shooting time of a team. Four members – four members – need to be around four minutes and a couple of seconds. Four minutes is a goal for us to accomplish.”

Auchentaller also shared his view on the Olympics coming to his own hometown of Antholz – one of the most legendary venues in biathlon.

The interview with head coach Armin Auchentaller offers more benchmarks of a team on the rise, with a new generation of biathletes making their mark on the sport. Tune in now!

This wraps up season four of Heartbeat. Thanks to U.S. Biathlon fans for listening. We’ve had some great episodes throughout the season. Check them out as you head into summer. And we’ll see you back again this fall on Heartbeat, the U.S. Biathlon podcast.

Some might consider the impressive Soldier Hollow finish as the luck on home snow in a sport where fortunes can rise and fall quickly. But combined with the fifth in World Championships a month earlier – well this is for real now!

Bonacci grew up on the trails of the 2002 Olympic venue of Soldier Hollow. Coming back home for the World Cup meant family and friends lining the track. It was the first event of the three days and he was skiing opening leg.

In his Heartbeat interview, Bonacci dives into his opening relay lap in great detail from the madhouse on the first lap to his strategy for making time on the field with his knowledge of the course and how he paced himself. And laughs as he thinks back to shooting clean in standing while feeling like he was standing on a waterbed!

“I thought, I would love to do well in front of my home crowd. We’ll see how this goes. I just tried to follow my process. I managed to put down all the targets with some lucky flinches there! For me, it wasn’t necessarily a super high-pressure shooting – it wasn’t terribly nerve-wracking.”

Bonacci was featured a year ago in Heartbeat S3 Ep11 on his World Cup debut. Now with two seasons under his belt, you can hear his experience and maturity kicking in as he talks about the year on the tour and his decision to finish up the season on the cross country SuperTour.

His season opened with a sixth at the IBU Cup in Finland. He made his first pursuit at the World Cup in Lenzerheide, then posted a standout finish at the Open European Championships – standing in the flower ceremony.

Listen in to this episode of Heartbeat to learn more about one of the rising stars of U.S. Biathlon: Vincent Bonacci.

“Having a couple of good relays with the team – it's a crazy feeling. It's a little bit American to watch relays and be like winning a relay is less of a personal victory. But you do it and it's like, doing well in a relay is almost like more of a victory because you get to share it with all your friends.” 

The event is organized by the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation (UOLF) along with U.S. Biathlon. Heartbeat gathered in the media center of the brand-new competition building at Soldier Hollow, overlooking the range, to chat with the experts. Calum Clark, the chief operating officer of UOLF, is a veteran of more than two decades organizing winter and summer events at the Olympic and World Championship level, starting with the 2000 Summer Games at Sydney. Sara Studebaker-Hall is a well-known figure in biathlon, a two-time Olympian, now operations director for U.S. Biathlon and the chief of competition.

Studebaker-Hall retired after the 2014 Olympics, finding a pathway for herself working in biathlon. She earned her international referee’s license in 2019, serving as assistant chief of competition for the World Cup, then moved up to oversee Youth and Junior World Championships three years later. She is also now an IBU technical delegate.

The World Cup tour last visited America in 2019 at Soldier Hollow. Then, in 2002, the IBU’s Youth and Junior World Championships came to Utah, a showcase event for upcoming future stars. Looking ahead, Utah also has its eyes on the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, bringing the ultimate sport stage back to the state.

To get the tour to return, UOLF and U.S. Biathlon worked together with Canada to create a two-weekend finale to the season-long tour that began in Sweden last November. Over the next two weekends, final titles will be decided in events at Soldier Hollow and up north at Canmore, Alberta.

Thousands are expected over the weekend, with racing Friday, Saturday, Sunday (March 8-10) at Soldier Hollow.

Listen in to this episode of Heartbeat to learn more, including whether or not the dinosaur will return. And if you can’t get to Soldier Hollow, you can watch it all live at biathlonworld.com.

Soule, now 17, grew up in Anchorage, discovering biathlon around age 10. He was able to grow his skills through both the Alaska Winter Stars and Anchorage Biathlon Club programs, skiing in the shadows of role models like Gus Schumacher, who recently won a FIS Cross Country World Cup in Minneapolis. He competed in 2023 at the IBU Youth World Championships in Kazhakstan and this February at the IBU Junior World Championships in Estonia, as well as the Youth Olympic Games in Korea.

Campbell, who just turned 18, had many sport opportunities growing up in Park City, and she tried them all. She started in alpine skiing before moving to cross country with the Park City Nordic Club. Then she found biathlon and now trains with the program at Soldier Hollow. Like Soule, she made her international debut a year ago in Kazakhstan, this year competing at the Youth Olympic Games and IBU Junior World Championships.

This episode of Heartbeat comes to you on the eve of the IBU Junior World Championships in Estonia as Elias and Emily recap their adventures on the road and look ahead, with each of their careers on a different pathway for the future.

Dunklee came into retirement after the 2022 season with a plan, becoming the running director at Craftsbury. But she longed to stay connected to the snow, recently transitioning into a new role leading biathlon. Already in her first season, she’s making an impact at Craftsbury and with the next generation of the U.S. Biathlon as a guest coach in the IBU Cup tour.

Following her IBU Cup guest coaching debut in January at Martell and Ridnau, Italy, she capsulized her thoughts in an impactful Instagram post that talked about the coaching environment and what she’s learned. “As an athlete, you need to be selfish. As a coach, you must be selfless.”

Whether you’re an athlete, a coach, a club leader or a fan, this episode of Heartbeat will bring you both insights and entertainment. What do you think Susan misses least from not traveling the world as an athlete? And what’s the one thing she really does miss?

This is a fun podcast with one of the sport’s true superstars. Click in now to enjoy a Heartbeat conversation with Susan Dunklee.

“As I admired the sunrise this morning, two hours AFTER starting my workday, I thought back on how many people put in these crazy work hours for me all the years I raced biathlon.”

- Susan Dunklee, Biathlon Coach

Burke, a longtime athlete who won silver at the World Championships in 2013, is part of a strong athletic program at U.S. Biathlon. He works alongside Director of Sport Development John Farra and a longtime biathlete now managing high-performance, Lowell Bailey. The three all have roots growing up in Lake Placid and competing at the highest level. Now Burke is finding gratification in helping nurture the next generation to success.

At Mt. Itasca in late December, 80 athletes showed up to race – a bump of 45% from previous years. Notably, too, the field included a record 31 women - a big focus for U.S. Biathlon.

The trials offered athletes an opportunity to vie for spots on a wide range of international teams, most notably the Youth Olympic Games in South Korea and the IBU’s Youth and Junior World Championships in Estonia.

This episode of Heartbeat takes you into the heart of athlete development, representing the next generation of biathletes who will represent Team USA in the coming years.

Tim, how do you describe your role with U.S. Biathlon?

My title is the director of athlete development. However, we're a very small organization, so titles are one thing, but all of us do a little bit of everything. I work very closely with Lowell in high performance and with John Farra in sport development. But my main role is kind of working in the middle of the U.S. Biathlon pipeline – really focusing on those athletes in the middle of our pipeline who are coming up, ensuring that they have the opportunities and what they need to succeed in this part of their career so they can make a smooth transition into the senior circuit.

How does your role fit into U.S. Biathlon’s strategic plan?

Our plan of sustained competitive excellence. So what does that mean? That means taking us from an organization that has occasionally had some success for sure, that we're all very proud of, but we want to have that more consistently. And to have that more consistently, we need to be more professional. We need more athletes in our pipeline, and ultimately, we need to be able to field teams on the World Cup, at World Championships, at the Olympics, where we can field a full team of athletes who are capable of stepping onto that podium. If we can do that, we will finally win that elusive Olympic medal. But it all starts at the bottom. It all starts with grassroots. It all starts at our clubs. It all starts down there building those numbers so that we have the athletes, enough athletes coming through our pipeline that can rise to the top.

What differences do you see in athlete development today versus a few years ago?

One of the biggest differences right now, as compared to when I came through the pipeline, is we're seeing a lot more of these crossover nordic athletes transitioning into biathlon. And it's not only true for our country, but it's true for others as well. You've seen other countries have a lot of success, like Sweden, like Germany, like Slovenia right now. And we want to be a part of that, and we have been a part of that. If you look at our national team right now, if you look at the World Cup that just happened this morning, many of those athletes racing for us, racing in that US uniform, are athletes that came over from cross country at a pretty late age. A lot of them came after they finished college. You know, they were successful collegiate skiers and they wanted to try something different. And we tried to provide those opportunities for them in biathlon. And that's one thing that we are continuing to really focus on and even double down on. Here at U.S. Biathlon is making sure that we have a really [00:06:00] well-developed pathway for these talented nordic skiers who want to give biathlon a chance.

How important are venues like Mt. Itasca?

Mt. Itasca is definitely an important venue for us. They've hosted a lot of trials events for us in the past, and we've also seen a ton of athletes from Mt. Itasca, from the Minnesota area, come on to our national teams and Olympic teams in the past. I certainly think that's something we're going to continue to see in the future.

You qualified a team of three men, three women to Youth Olympic Games. What do you want to see for them in South Korea?

My goal for those athletes, the biggest takeaway I want them to have from there, is I want them to leave there just incredibly motivated to continue pursuing biathlon at a high level. I'm sure they will have that experience in Korea. You know, to be there at an event that's not only drawing the best athletes your age in the world for your sport, but to be there at an event where you have athletes from all different disciplines from all over the world is incredibly, incredibly motivating for these athletes. I'm super excited for them to have this experience.

Do you remember your first international trip?

Absolutely! I remember my first international trip was to Torsby, Sweden. It was a Scandinavian Cup at the time. I remember being incredibly nervous. But again, getting over there, having a having an amazing time, and coming back motivated and really hungry for more.

You had a record women’s field at Mt. Itasca, which has been an organizational goal, right?

Expanding the number of women in sport is definitely a big goal of ours. At U.S. Biathlon, it was great to see a record number for us in Mount Itasca. We had 31 women competing, and really nice to see some fantastic up-and-coming athletes who I wasn't really familiar with before this trials event – to see them coming up through the system and doing really well. And again, back to the competitiveness of those races, that women's race for those last team spots, for all of the team spots, really, it was tight. It really came down to the last race, and it could have gone to a lot of different women. That was just really, really cool and inspiring for me and everyone at U.S. Biathlon to see.

What gives you the most satisfaction now as an athlete leader?

Oh, that's a great question and a really tough one. It depends on the day, os I think what my answer would be. But since this one is really fresh in mind, since we just finished up with team naming, I'll give you this. It was so fun to call those athletes who qualified for our teams and chat with them and let them know that their hard work paid off and that they would be headed out soon on an international trip. Hearing that excitement in their voices was really, really inspiring for me to hear. And those are the calls, you love to make.

When Castonguay first stepped onto skis during high school in 2019, she passionately embraced the sport. Together with her younger brother Theo, they traveled around the New Hampshire high school circuit. In her senior year, she helped the Kennett High School Eagles – Sean Doherty’s alma mater – win a state title.

The vital step in her storybook tale came when she accompanied Theo to a fall biathlon camp at Utah’s Soldier Hollow in October 2020. There, she caught the attention of coach Zach Hall, who invited her to the biathlon range. Now she was really hooked! 

She progressed quickly. The next March (2021), she raced in her first biathlon event – U.S. Nationals at West Yellowstone. In October 2021, she was the second and third junior in races at the Soldier Hollow Schutzenski trials. While she failed to make the Junior Worlds team out of trials, she doubled down on cross-country, transferring mid-year to ski for St. Michael’s College.

That December (2022), she posted strong results again during trial races at Craftsbury, qualifying for the IBU Cup and eventually the IBU Youth and Junior World Championships in Kazakhstan, where she had the top U.S. women’s results in both sprint and pursuit.

Her success on the college carnival circuit and with biathlon has created a bit of a juggling act for Castonguay, which she is embracing. As the team captain for the Purple Knights, she’s committed to the college schedule in January and February. But she is also looking to take advantage of her biathlon opportunity, going to Europe for the first races of the second trimester before heading back to ski for St. Michael’s. In the back of her mind, she realizes that the NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs overlap with the IBU World Cup in Soldier Hollow in early March.

Needless to say, it will be a busy season. But for a young athlete who only slid on a ski track four years ago, she’s anxious to embrace every single opportunity, be that as a member of the Ethan Allen Biathlon Club, the St. Michael’s Purple Knights, or the U.S. Biathlon Team.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll learn in this episode of Heartbeat. This is a remarkable story of a young athlete’s passion for sport and the emotions that athletic success can bring.

So, Grace, that was a long road trip!

This was my longest span of time in Europe – my longest time away from home forever. It was about a month and a half on the road.

How did you originally get into skiing?

So the punchline of this story is that I actually did not learn to ski, or step foot on skis, until four years ago. So, I am pretty much a baby in this sport. I grew up playing soccer and running cross country. When I was 14, I broke my leg playing soccer, and that kind of switched me fully into the endurance mode or lifestyle. I ran high school cross country and was really into running. I wanted to run Division 1 in college. That was my big goal. And then, because of the lasting, effects of my broken leg – I broke my tibia and fibula, which caused my growth plates to close. – running just really did not suit my body. I broke down a lot. My mom became the high school Nordic coach for our team so my brother could enter races. My indoor track season ended a little early and she was like, ‘Come on. Like, don't you want to join the team? It will look good on college resumes.’ And I figured, hey, why not? I entered my first Nordic ski race about three weeks after I learned to ski. I looked like Bambi on ice skates. 

What clicked for you when Zach Hall invited you to the range in Soldier Hollow?

I had shot a biathlon rifle before because my brother was a biathlete, but I hadn't really caught the biathlon bug at that point. So I figured, okay, why not? I'll go to this practice. I'm here. Something to do. And I went to that practice that day, and things clicked for me. I really started to see why people love this sport. One of the big things was that Zach identified that I am left-eye dominant despite being right-handed. And when I had shot a biathlon rifle before, I was shooting righty and I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. So once we figured out that I was left-eye dominant, that made a huge difference to how I felt about the sport. And I also just really enjoyed the way he explained the process. Zach is a really phenomenal coach in a multitude of ways. He's really great at the mental aspect of sport. I remember going home that day from practice, and I said to myself, ‘I want to be really good at this.’ And I remember watching videos of Dorothy Revier and her extremely fast standing shooting time. And I was like, ‘I want to be this good someday.’ So, from that point, my goal is kind of shifted gears all in towards biathlon. There was no operating biathlon range in Jackson at that point, so my brother and I built a little range in our backyard because we live kind of in a pretty remote place, and I would just shoot.

What was your biggest takeaway from Junior Worlds?

The biggest thing I took away from competing at Junior Worlds was just how amazing the IBU sport family is. It was my first Junior Worlds. It just felt so wonderful to be part of such a rich and large group of really high-level junior athletes. I remember going to the opening ceremony, and it was it was just really cool to be there.

You’re passionate about biathlon. What does it mean for you to dig deep?

There's there's this place that has – it's a really fun place to go, and I don't get it very often. You can only capture it for a couple of races a season, where you're just like, you have this moment and I need to dig deeper than I've ever dug before. You can see it like I was never passing out at the finish line, like laying on the ground after a cross-country running race. But you push yourself so hard in Nordic skiing, and I really enjoyed that.

Did you watch videos?

Oh, yeah! YouTube basically taught me how to ski. YouTube was my best friend. I would just watch technique videos religiously and then try to capture that image in my brain and replicate it on skis the next day.

What was your debut like on Hochfilzen?

Going into the training day, I showed up and I was just, like, star-struck. There are so many cameras. There are so many superstars. And it was really hard to not get distracted on the range – like following in awe of some of the greats like Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold and Lisa Vittozzi. It was really a super cool experience. Then getting to the race day, just the noise. Oh my gosh, the noise is so incredibly loud. The sound just kind of envelops you and it's hard to hear your own thoughts. And also another really surprising thing is how many USA fans there were. I was I remember warming up on the course and just hearing USA, USA and people knew my name and that was really special.

What was your emotion when finishing your first World Cup?

I remember finishing the race and my only goal going into my first World Cup start was I wanted to recapture the feeling of pure joy that I had felt ...

For sure, it’s not THAT easy! But Freed has shown the possibilities. This season she’ll switch back and forth, starting out with FIS Cup races in Muonio, Finland earlier in November, training with the biathlon team in Vuokatti, then off to Östersund for the IBU World Cup biathlon and after that winging her way to Alaska for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard SuperTour presented by National Nordic Foundation. 

Freed grew up in the cultural hotbed of cross country skiing in Minneapolis, following her older sister into the sport. The noted Loppet Nordic program provided her a bridge from high school racing to U.S. Ski & Snowboard and eventually FIS racing. A four-year stint with the Catamounts, where she was an All America selection, led her to three NCAA Championships appearances. But it was her engagement with Craftsbury that sent her career onto a higher level.

Not only did she have the best U.S. Biathlon finish on the IBU Cup last year (19th in early February at Obertilliach, Austria), but she won a cross country national championship medal and her first SuperTour. Two years ago, she was sixth in the American Birkebeiner, just ahead of her mentor, Caitlin Gregg.

A well-spoken professional athlete, in this episode of Heartbeat, Freed talks succinctly about the value of each step of her pathway. She showcases the opportunity that presented itself through Craftsbury Green Racing Project and drills down into the details of what she learned as a first-year biathlete.

Through it all, you can feel the true enjoyment she’s taking from being an athlete competing in both cross country skiing and biathlon.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll learn in this episode of Heartbeat.

Are you nervous for your first World Cup start?

I would say I'm a little more excited than nervous. I am really grateful to have my teammates, a lot of them along with me, so they can kind of show me the ropes. And I'm hoping to not embarrass myself too much on the shooting range compared to some of the really good sharpshooters out there.

What's the learning experience that you'll take away from competing in Östersund?

I think that being thrown in with people who are way better than you at whatever you're doing is a great way to make really strong improvements. I'm hoping to just kind of take it all in there and learn from what they're doing, see what everybody else is doing, and try and mimic that to lead me to success.

What motivated you to get into cross country skiing?

I started cross country skiing when I was about 13 years old. My older sister had joined the high school cross country ski team. I thought she was the coolest person in the world and I wanted to be just like her. So I also joined the cross country ski team. And then I went to Eastview High School and competed there, and my coach was great at introducing me to the junior national circuit, kind of so I could train with people in the greater Minneapolis area. And then I also got connected with Loppet Nordic Racing. From there I worked with Piotr Bednarski and Caitlin Gregg there, and they were great at showing me the ropes of national skiing and going to junior nationals. Then I realized I could ski in college and so I went to the University of Vermont and then to Craftsbury from there.

Once you settled into Craftsbury, it really was a remarkable experience for you, wasn't it?

It was – just seeing how dedicated all the athletes are, how understanding the coaches are, how willing they are to work with everybody's unique schedules and what works for them, and especially all of the data that they do, all the testing and all the opportunities that are offered with Craftsbury. I really appreciate it all.

How did your biathlon experience come about, and what have you learned so far?

I'm really grateful for the support and opportunities that Craftsbury provides, one of those being the opportunity to try biathlon as a cross country skier. There is a biathlon range, there is a biathlon team. And so it was very easy for me to get exposed to that sport. I was able to borrow a rifle for the first trials that I did, and that kind of led me into where I am now. Thankfully, all the coaches kind of worked with me to figure out a plan for shooting and a lot of dry fire when I'm cross country ski training mostly, and then I can add in a bit of dry fire there, so I'm able to work through that because of the support that Craftsbury has given me. Coming from a cross country skier to biathlon, it's pretty interesting to see how the skiing changes a little bit. It's more like doing intervals rather than just a ski race where you're trying to go hard all the time and you feel bad about slowing down here and there. Whereas in biathlon, you have to be very strategic about when you're going fast and then slowing down, kind of calming your body as you go into the range. That's a really interesting change, which I think has helped me as a skier in ski races, doing that transition back from biathlon to ski racing.

What counsel would you give to cross country skiers who are thinking about giving biathlon a try?

It would be sweet to kind of be an ambassador for this transfer. So the Project X Group within the biathlon team is working on switching cross country skiers to biathlon. I encourage people to give it a try because it was kind of something that not a lot of people do. And the stigma around biathlon within the U.S. cross country skiing world is a little like, ‘why would you do biathlon if you can cross country ski?’ Trying to change that mentality and make a name for myself within both worlds and do well in cross country skiing as well as biathlon is one of my goals. I’m trying to show that you can do what you want to do and making that change is something that I'm looking forward to.

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Phaneuf, who was featured in season one of Heartbeat with an episode entitled Finding Her Way Back, has truly found her way back. From introducing the sport to Alaskan children north of the Arctic Circle to teaching kids in Lake Placid how to gently squeeze the trigger, she is finding a meaningful pathway in the sport as a coach.

After losing her Olympic opportunity in PyeongChang due to race-morning strep throat, she battled with depression, stepping away from racing. During her sabbatical she volunteered on a NANANordic/Skiku trip to Noorvik, Alaska – which opened her eyes on what she had to offer as a coach. She came back in 2020-21 for one of her best seasons ever! After that season, she decided to move on. And when a coaching opportunity came her way with New York Ski Education Foundation, she jumped at the opportunity – rising up after a season to become NYSEF’s first head biathlon coach.

In this episode of Heartbeat, Phaneuf covers it all – from the success she enjoyed as an athlete to her mental health challenges after PyeongChang to her experiences working side-by-side with other coaches from around the world.

Going back in time, how did you get into biathlon?

I moved to the Adirondacks when I was eight. My family spent the first chunk of my life down in South Carolina – so the complete opposite of the northeast. I began cross country skiing at a young age and got into biathlon with the Polar Bear Biathlon Club when I was 15. That was my first introduction and I quickly fell in love with the sport and kept getting after it and trying to make Junior Worlds.

Had you considered coaching after your athletic career?

When I would think about my career as an athlete and what I wanted to do with my life – my first thought wasn't coaching. I was ‘oh, I think that's something that I don't want to do’ actually. But my first taste of coaching a little bit was when I would help the Polar Bear Ski Club. And when I was an athlete, I would go down and help with some sessions now and then during the holidays. And then my first real taste of coaching was ... I did a NANANordic program. It's basically a volunteer-based program to go up to rural communities in Alaska and bring a skiing program to them for a week or so. So that was my first real taste, and I loved it. I loved working with those kids. It was so fun and different. And so when I was retiring, or kind of in that in-between limbo of not quite sure what I wanted to do with racing or moving on stage, I was still here in Lake Placid. The former head coach, Shane McDowell, was looking for some extra support with the biathlon program. I wasn't fully training, but I also wasn't working, so I figured I would just help and kind of see if I liked it. Then that just turned into me staying with the club and being their first true head biathlon coach, and I've been loving it ever since.

Mental health is very important to you. What counsel would you give young athletes and their parents?

That's a hard question, because I just remember when I was in high school and maybe it's different now. I feel like when I was in high school the last thing I wanted to do was tell my parents anything about what I was going through. Maybe that was just my own personal relationship, because I have a much better relationship with them now and tell them everything. But I think as a parent, it's mostly important just to keep like an extra eye in a sense of like, you don't need to constantly always ask your child, like, ‘how are you doing?’ But it's important just to notice their patterns. And if something seems a little off, like notice it at first and maybe ask them or at least give them the opportunity to be like, ‘hey, you do know that my door is always open. I'm happy to talk to you about anything. And if I'm not the person you want to talk to, I'm totally happy to help you find someone else that you want to talk to.’ That's the main thing – just not expecting your child to want to necessarily open up to you because they might not feel totally comfortable. But if you notice something, at least give them the resources to know that it's okay to talk to somebody else.

You’ve now made friends with coaches from around the world in the IBU coaches program. What are your takeaways from that experience?

It’s really interesting because coming from a sport like biathlon and a lot of these, these coaches, having been involved in the sport when they were young or even recent years, we all have a similar tie. Obviously we all understand the sport. We all are in it for the same sort of reasons. We love the sport, we're passionate about it. We're obviously coaching because we want to give back to the community and want to continue growing the sport for next generations. And so it's cool because we all kind of have this similar bond and we can kind of connect over that. And the other thing that I find really interesting is learning how coaching in different cultures is so different. Like for instance, I would have never known that in Finland, for instance, this coach was saying that the athletes there are fully expected to kind of ask questions and probe why they're doing a certain thing. But for athletes who are maybe in Ukraine or Moldova, it's very much more like authoritarian type coaching, and they're not really expected to ask why they're doing a thing. They're just expected to follow what the coach informs. 

As a woman coach, you’re blazing new territory. Are you motivated to be a role model for women in coaching?

When I first heard about biathlon, the club at the time was only kids that hunted, and they were all boys. And I remember thinking, ‘okay, so biathlon is for boys and it's for people who like hunting’ – which is so wrong and not accurate at all. As I got older and was competing more, becoming a woman and an adult, looking around the world and really, truly realizing what patriarchy is and like how instilled it is in our society that men have these positions of power where women don't necessarily. In a sport like biathlon, it's very male heavy. So it kind of opened my eyes to not only within biathlon, but just the entire world and how male dominated it is in these roles where people are making decisions like coaching or officiating. I just kind of became more interested in taking up more space and being a woman in those roles. And I really, truly encourage more women to take up more space and push the boundary into coaching or officiating.

Are you still playing music?

Well, I recently picked up a piano off the side of the road this past summer. So I am dabbling back in the piano, which I've played since I was eight, so that's been very nostalgic and fun to get back into.

If you want to hear more about the piano, listen in to this episode of Heartbeat where Maddie Phaneuf talks about ...

Fontana grew up in Frassinoro, Italy, a legendary hotbed of modern ski preparation. In the interview he speaks to the history of fluorocarbons in ski wax, dating back to the 1980s, and the dangers they ultimately presented to both the environment and to technicians working in wax cabins.

Over the past years leading up to the ban, IBU has also worked in concert with the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS), which is implementing its ban this season, as well, across all of its sports. At the first FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in October, the sport also had its first disqualification due to elevated levels of fluorocarbons in a ski.

A popular coach, manager and ski technician, Fontana has a great sense of history and perspective on the future that he shares on Heartbeat. He will also regale listeners with a rather incredible personal goal he achieved this summer.

Listen in to this important episode of Heartbeat, with one of the sport’s legendary figures.

What are fluorocarbons? Why are they bad?

Fluorinated waxes contain chemicals that are part of a group called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), among them are perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate – more commonly referred to as PFOA and PFOS. These man made water repellent compounds were introduced in the 1950s and found their way into household products (think nonstick cookware). The chemicals found their way into ski wax in the 1980s with their water repellent properties equating to increased speed of skis.

Why are they harmful? Most notably, they simply do not break down in the environment … ever. Studies have shown that they impact the ozone layer. In humans, research has linked them to respiratory ailments, cancer and other illnesses. In typical fine powder applications on skis, they are easily inhaled.

IBU Implements Full Fluoro Ban

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) announced that it will implement a full ban of ski preparation products containing fluoro at all its event series from the 2023/2024 season onwards. The IBU committed to banning fluoro products used in ski preparation in 2020 based on the apparent health risks and environmental concerns connected to fluorine waxes. Working with Bruker, a leading manufacturer of high-performance scientific instruments, while maintaining a close collaboration with the International Ski Federation (FIS) through a joint working group, the IBU has developed an effective testing method using the Alpha II device. The device provides reliable testing to ensure fluor-free biathlon competitions. IBU will test to ensure that skis are fluor-free at each IBU event, guaranteeing the integrity of competitions and a level playing field. More …

FIS to fully implement fluor wax ban at start of 2023-24 season

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced that the fluoro wax ban will be fully implemented at the start of the upcoming 2023/2024 winter season. FIS has remained committed to banning fluor products used in ski preparation given the health risks and environmental concerns connected to fluorine waxes. Working with Bruker, a leading manufacturer of high-performance scientific instruments, while maintaining a close collaboration with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) through a joint working group, an effective and accurate testing method was developed. More …

U.S. Biathlon is now well into execution on its strategic plan, which is taking the long view out to 2030 as to how it can develop sustained competitive excellence. While much of that plan focuses on high performance, other elements look at growing the sport through more biathlon club programs across the country, or talent transfer – helping cross country skiers discover biathlon.

On the talent transfer, think about how many cross country skiers across America were motivated to see Jessie Diggins try biathlon at the Soldier Hollow camp?

In this episode of Heartbeat, Bailey recaps last season – which had some impactful high points – and looks to the season ahead, which starts in late November. But he also dives deep into the strategic plan and how U.S. Biathlon is moving down the pathway to sustained competitive excellence.

To start, Lowell, how important is this Soldier Hollow camp?

We've been doing this camp for decades now. It's such a great time of year to be in Utah for our last dryland training camp. The importance of it is that it’s the final training block before we get into the fine tuning section of the season, which leads up to the on snow camp in Scandinavia.  It's the culmination of a ton of hard work by the athletes starting in May and also mixed in as some team qualifications.

And this year you’re also celebrating Utah as the new headquarters of U.S. Biathlon?

It's hugely important for the organization. We're expanding at a pretty rapid pace these days. There are a lot of new clubs coming online. Our organizational priorities or objectives, are really about building our clubs and building our outreach. We've really had a pretty good presence in the northeast for, for a long time, some good venues there. In the West, there are also great venues, great clubs. And so this just adds to all the groundwork that they've laid over the years and puts, you know, USBA puts its presence out here on the West Coast.

That club growth is a key part of your plan. What are you seeing?

Lowell Bailey: [00:02:52] Yeah, I mean, that is our hope that the club participation is increasing. We're seeing that now. We're seeing new clubs [00:03:00] come online. We're seeing growth in participation at existing clubs. And you know, I think a lot of that credit goes to the, you know, the club organizers, volunteers and also with U.S. Biathlon. You know we've put resources and personnel dedicated to that purpose of helping clubs as they continue to grow.

In our last episode ofHeartbeat, we talked to Campbell Wright. What impact can he have on the team as a whole?

Campbell trained with the national team throughout last year and was, by all intents and purposes, a national team member throughout last season and now IS a national team member. We have some young athletes who continue to post some impressive results and they did last season. But what's really exciting is there's a whole group of that generation of athletes that's training together daily, pushing each other daily, and that type of sort of critical mass is so important in raising the bar of the whole team.

Talent transfer is also a key part of your strategic plan. Can you share an example?

In biathlon, since it's a sport that involves cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship, what you see across really the whole international scene is cross country – skiers at an elite level will make that jump. What we saw last year was Margie Freed from the Craftsbury Green Racing project. She chose to kind of stick her neck out and try biathlon. She didn't have a whole lot of experience up to that point, really jumping in with both feet. And she jumped into our trials in December and qualified for our IBU Cup team and then went on to post a 19th place, which was our American top finish on the IBU Cup last year. More importantly, she posted a second fastest course time and did that several times where she had top five course times. And in biathlon, you know right now the international field is really, really competitive. Races are won by half a second and ski speed is just so important. It's my opinion that that shooting can be taken up in a much shorter time than it is to learn how to cross country ski at an elite level. So the ski speed aspect of the sport is just so important.

Tom Kelly: [00:24:29] When you [00:24:30] look at the whole blend of things that you have in this plan, it's really quite detailed. Are the athletes understanding this? Do they? Do they feel that they have a plan that they can sink their teeth into and they can stick with now over the next 6 or 7 years?

As you continue to move down the roadway on the strategic plan, 

We're building that backing and momentum. And this plan didn't just get created in a vacuum. It had a lot of stakeholders that contributed, including athlete representatives and also our board of directors. So it's a group effort. Obviously at the end of the day, it's the athlete that's on the course that's out there racing. But as we all know, there's so much that goes into just getting competitive athletes to the start line at an Olympic Games.

Finally, Lowell, what’s the toughest thing you've done athletically yourself in the last year?

Unfortunately, it's not that impressive. You'll have to ask our team general manager, Federico Fontana because his is more impressive than mine. Watch for that in upcoming episode 4!

There’s plenty more from Lowell Bailey on the future direction of U.S. Biathlon on Heartbeat episode three. <<LINK>> 

It’s official now, Wright’s American passport has been recognized by both the IBU and IOC. And he’ll be flying the stars and stripes when the BMW IBU World Cup begins in November.

In this fun episode of Heartbeat, Wright talks about growing up in New Zealand, skiing with the so-called Refugee Team, finding biathlon and making his pathway as a training partner with the U.S. Biathlon Team and now a member himself. Underlying his career today were a number of key individuals or mentors, and relationships he forged that taught him about sport and life.

Here’s a little sampling …

Tell us about New Zealand!

Well, for anyone who doesn't know, New Zealand is a pretty, pretty sweet place. Like very nice outdoors and mountains and so on and so forth. So it's pretty hard not to be into the outdoors. So I have a family of three brothers, so there's four boys. And of course mum wanted us to be tired at the end of the day. So she would send us out, go tire ourselves out. And whether that was biking or running or playing rugby or all of the other things that I don't know the great outdoors brings. But so always was sporty coming from a sporty family.

What's a typical day at the Soldier Hollow camp for you?

Wake up. Might have a coffee, go train and come back. And we have a lovely, lovely caterer who cooks us an amazing lunch and then generally a nap and then afternoon training and then a little chill out, then dinner, also by the lovely caterer, andrinse and repeat for three weeks.

How did you get into skiing in New Zealand?

The skiing part was just quite by coincidence when we moved down to the South Island. So obviously when you move to a new town, you introduce yourself to the neighbors and they had kids who were our age, and the person who started up the cross-country skiing field in New Zealand started up the Snow Farm. She was actually the one who took me skiing for the first time. She (Mary Lee) took me up to Snow Farm for the first time, and she also took me to my first international race in Australia. Just me and her went over to the Joey Hoppet.

Did you start off right away in biathlon?

No, no, I was, I was pretty, pretty cross country specific. I actually didn't really like biathlon all that much, even when I was like 14, it was just like, I'm a skier, I like skiing, I'm good at skiing. Biathlon didn't come until a bit later, probably till I turned like 15 is probably when I started shooting and actually taking it a bit more seriously.

What’s on your playlist?

What tunes are on my playlist? Yeah, well, my playlist is pretty sad boy oriented at the moment. I don't really know why, but what tunes are on my playlist? Bit of Joji and 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton. That's not really that sad, but I don't know –  Max played it in the van and I liked it, so I had my playlist.

Gierhart took over as interim CEO after longtime leader Max Cobb headed to Salzburg to take over as secretary general of the International Biathlon Union. His first experience at last year’s October camp in Soldier Hollow gave him a very positive introduction to the sport with engaging conversations with athletes, coaches and parents.

Heartbeat dives deep into U.S. Biathlon’s 2030 strategic plan with Gierhart, as well as detailing the recent announcement to expand the organization’s footprint into Utah as Salt Lake City eyes a return of the Winter Games in either 2030 or 2034.

If you enjoy Heartbeat, make it a favorite on your podcast list and leave a short review.

Now let’s dive into the opening episode of season four of Heartbeat with U.S. Biathlon President and CEO Jack Gierhart.

If you’re a skier or passionate outdoor enthusiast, two of the coolest places in the world are Chamonix and Alaska. U.S. Biathlon Team athlete Maxime Germain has roots in both. Germain is coming off a breakthrough season that saw him ski nearly an entire IBU World Cup season plus come home with a medal from the IBU Junior World Championships.

Germain talked to Heartbeat from the Lake Placid Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, taking a break from life at an early summer team camp. “It’s sleep, eat, train, repeat,” he said laughing. “Actually, it’s a bit more than that.” One of the highlights now at the OTC is the eating phase: “Yah, they’ve really stepped up their game – awesome food.”

Born in Juneau, Ak., he moved with his family to Chamonix, France when he was young, spending time in Germany and France while absorbing the culture of mountain life in the Alps. When he was 15, he moved back to Alaska, basing in Anchorage and continuing his biathlon journey.

In the winter sports crazy village of Chamonix he did it all from skiing to speed skating to ski jumping. At 12, his coaches introduced him to biathlon. French Olympic biathlon champion Martin Foucade became an early hero. “He was definitely one of the reasons why I joined biathlon.”

Moving back to Alaska, he was able to continue his pursuit of biathlon with a program in Anchorage. “Not gonna lie … shooting in the dark in winter … it was quite hard to get motivated.”

But he did stay motivated and continued his advancement. In 2020, he was third in the sprint at the Youth World Championships in Switzerland. In 2022, he was 17th in the sprint at the Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow. He also made his World Cup debut in Ruhpolding, Germany. This past season, he started the IBU World Cup tour at Kontiolahti, Finland and stayed on the tour much of the season. But his big memory came at the Junior World Championships in Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan, winning bronze in the 10k sprint with just one miss on the range.

On Heartbeat, Maxime talks about life in Chamonix, life in Alaska, his pride of competing for the U.S. Biathlon Team and his outlook for the future.

How to Follow Maxime

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Just prior to the season, Schommer felt a twinge in his left  knee during a workout. He tried to put it out of his mind, but it was real. But he was able to ski so he headed to the IBU World Cup tour and eventually the World Championships. Having had knee surgery in 2019, he knew what was in store. And it helped that wife Jillian was a budding orthopedic surgeon herself, finishing up her residency in Sioux Falls, S.D.

A Wisconsin native, Schommer grew up loving the outdoors. He’s no stranger to guns and bows, learning skills in a family that hunted. As a part of his rehab he found himself drifting back to his childhood love of archery, even entering a spring competition in nearby Yankton, S.D.

Schommer dives deep into the physical and mental aspects of rehab in this episode of Heartbeat. A veteran athlete, he has great experience to share and a positive outlook for the future. While his early March surgery cut off the last period of the World Cup, his game plan seems sound for a return to full time training later this summer and being able to hit the snow running next November.

Paul Schommer on Archery

“I missed archery. I missed the act of shooting. There's something meditative about it because it's quiet. It's probably similar martial arts or yoga. So I bought this bow and I just started falling in love with it all over again like I did as a kid.”

How to Follow Paul

Fans can follow Paul Schommer’s story on social media. Be sure to check out his YouTube channel: Average Olympian.

Instagram: @paultschommer

YouTube: @paultschommer (Average Olympian)

The Ariens Nordic Center is located adjacent to Round Lake Farms on 200 acres at the outskirts of Brillion. It includes a year-round trail network for recreation, training and competition for cross country skiing, biathlon, roller skiing, running, hiking, and more. The facility, which opened for the 2022-23 season, is open to the public and includes lighting, snowmaking, a paved roller-ski loop for off-season training, a pond for snowmaking and a 20-point biathlon range.

The project was several years in the making under former U.S. Biathlon President Max Cobb, with trail design by John Morton. “I’ve designed 12 of these kinds of venues around the world,” said Morton, Owner, Morton Trails. “But I think this facility is going to have the most significant positive impact on the community and the region of any of the projects I’ve done.”

The new Ariens Nordic Center has really caught the attention of U.S. Biathlon stars Deedra Irwin and Paul Schommer, both of whom grew up just a short distance away and have visited the facility for groundbreakings and grand openings.

“It takes a lot of people to help build a dream like this,” said Irwin. “I hope to show people you can come from a small farm community in the middle of nowhere and you can make it onto the world stage and live your dreams as a professional athlete or whatever those dreams may be. This venue is going to be really amazing for the nordic teams from one hour, two hours, even three hours away. You’ll see the U.S. Biathlon Team here a lot too. I’m excited to show our team where we came from. We’ll show them our beautiful cows.”

“To see the Ariens family producing and creating this type of venue that will not only introduce kids to the sports of biathlon and cross-country skiing but who will also have the opportunity to train here at a very high level, it’s exciting," said Schommer. "I’m hopeful we’re going to see more Olympians coming out of this part of the country.”

Click for more information on the Ariens Nordic Center.

An injury has kept Masters sidelined this season, so she'll be cheering her teammates from afar at the Para Nordic World Cup Finals at the 2002 Paralympic venue of Soldier Hollow March 1-8.

Born in Ukraine amidst the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, life had a rugged start for Masters. A range of birth defects caused her family to put her in an orphanage, where endured horrifying abuse. At age seven, she was adopted by an American woman, eventually undergoing surgery after surgery. Today, she is a well respected athlete and advocate for Para sport.

Her story is a real testament to perseverance. She found rowing to help her build strength following the surgeries, winning a medal in the 2012 London Paralympics. Then she found nordic sport and began her medals collection at Sochi in 2014. Today, her sights are squarely set on the 2026 Paralympics in Milan/Cortina.

The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph is available now wherever books are sold.

The U.S. men’s roster boasts three members of last year’s Olympic Team with Jake Brown (St. Paul, Minn./Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Sean Doherty (Center Conway, N.H./National Guard Biathlon) and Paul Schommer (Appleton, Wis./Crosscut Mountain Sports Center Elite Team) teaming up on the tracks of Oberhof. This will mark Doherty’s seventh world championships, with his best finish coming in 2019 when he placed 17th in the individual.

Brown will be racing in his fourth world championship and Schommer in his third. Brown had a 12th-place finish in the 2021 world championship sprint in Pokljuka, Slovenia.

Rounding out the men’s team and competing in their first world championships are Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA/National Guard Biathlon) and Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, Utah/Crosscut Mountain Sports Center Elite Team).

"Our men's team features a great mix of seasoned veterans in Paul Schommer, Sean Doherty, and Jake Brown; and some talented up-and-comers in Maxime Germain and Vincent Bonacci,” said U.S. Biathlon Director of High Performance Lowell Bailey. “The three veterans have had one of their best years on record so fingers are crossed for personal bests in Oberhof.”

At last month’s Open European Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Germain recorded two top-20 finishes, placing 15th in the sprint and 13th in the pursuit.

“Maxime and Vincent continue to break new records on the IBU Cup and the world cup,” added Bailey. “Maxime is still a junior and, of course, he is focused on top results at the IBU Youth & Junior World Championships. Nevertheless, we have depth on this team, and it will be great to see how they perform not only in the individual format races but also in the relay where they have real potential for top results."

“I’m stoked to be competing in my first world championships,” said Germain. “I think it’s awesome that I get the opportunity to race at this level as a junior. I liked racing here in the summer so I think adding thousands of fans will only add to the atmosphere. It will be electrifying.”

The U.S. women’s roster includes 2022 Olympians Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, Wis./National Guard Biathlon) and Joanne Reid (Grand Junction, Colo.). Reid will be competing in her fifth world championships, her best result coming in 2019 with a 10th-place finish in the mass start. For Irwin, Oberhof will mark her second straight world championships.

“I don't have a lot of experience racing in Oberhof,” Irwin conceded. “I haven't raced there since my first full world cup season two years ago. In the past couple years, I've gained a lot of experience racing on the world cup and after the Olympics last year, I gained more confidence in my process. I'm excited to hopefully get to world championships healthy, ready to race and see what results we can pull together as a team.”

"Deedra has had a great season, posting her career-best ski speed in the most recent January world cups,” noted Bailey. “With the seventh-place Olympic Winter Games finish under her belt, we hope Deedra can build on that success in Oberhof."

Joining Irwin and Reid on the women’s team will be Chloe Levins (Rutland, Vt.), Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, Vt./Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, Wash./Craftsbury Green Racing Project). Levins got her first taste of world championship action last year, while Geraghty-Moats and Dickinson will be competing in their first championship.

Geraghty-Moats earned her position on the team as the team’s point leader for the IBU Cup and Open European Championships. She came to biathlon after competing in ski jumping at the world cup level and winning the first-ever Nordic combined women’s world cup competition in 2020.

“I am really proud to make the objective criteria for the world championships,” said Geraghty-Moats. “I hope I get to start, but even if I don't, I am excited to support my teammates and learn from the experience. I wouldn't have made it this far in two years without incredible support from U.S. Biathlon, the Craftsbury Green Racing Project and my coach, Mike Gibson.” 

Competition at the 2023 IBU World Championships gets underway with the mixed relay on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Live coverage of the IBU World Championships can be found at https://www.eurovisionsports.tv/ibu/. Below is the full event schedule:

Wed., Feb. 8 - Mixed relay (8:45 a.m. EST)
Fri., Feb. 10 - Women's 7.5km sprint (8:30 a.m. EST)
Sat., Feb. 11 - Men's 10km sprint (8:30 a.m. EST)
Sun., Feb. 12 - Women's 10km pursuit (7:25 a.m. EST) & Men's 12.5km pursuit (9:30 a.m. EST)
Tue., Feb. 14 - Men's 20km individual (8:30 a.m. EST)
Wed., Feb. 15 - Women's 15km individual (8:30 a.m. EST)
Thurs., Feb. 16 - Single mixed relay (9:10 a.m. EST)
Sat., Feb. 18 - Men's 4x7.5km relay (5:45 a.m. EST) & Women's 4x6km relay (9:00 a.m. EST)
Sun., Feb. 19 - Men's 15km mass start (6:30 a.m. EST) & Women's 12.5km mass start (9:15 a.m. EST)

Tom Kelly: [00:00:00] And today, Heartbeat is taking you to the heart of Vuokatti. Finland. The training camp for the US biathlon team. Armin Auchentaller, the head coach for the men's and the women's team. Armin, thank you for joining us on Heartbeat.

Armin Auchentaller: [00:00:13] Thank you. Thank you for inviting me.

Tom Kelly: [00:00:16] So tell us about the conditions in Vuokatti. It sounds like training has been going very well.

Armin Auchentaller: [00:00:21] Yeah, well, Vuokatti has provided a lot of manmade snow from last season, from the snow farming. And we had since [00:00:30] we arrived to Finland, nine kilometers, nine K of mammoth snow. And it's it's it was awesome. Made it look like it looks like it was one of the better places in Scandinavia this season. So we were very lucky to choose, actually, this place to go to.

Tom Kelly: [00:00:49] Tell us a little bit about the snow farming for folks who might not understand this. This is actually snow that has been preserved from last season. How does that work?

Armin Auchentaller: [00:00:59] Yeah, [00:01:00] they produced the snow over the over the winter. Of course, when temperatures are are the right ones and deep. So they produce it and they they make a huge snow pile. They cover it with wood, wood chips, wet chips, and basically they cover it also with a special material and preserve it over the summer. And once it's time, usually [00:01:30] here in Vuokaiit in Finland, they put the snow out around the end of October to make sure that people can train and ski early, fairly early on.

Tom Kelly: [00:01:43] Do you have other teams training in Vuokatti right now? I imagine that the whole world is looking for good tracks to to ski on.

Armin Auchentaller: [00:01:50] Yeah, actually, we had the German biathlon World Cup team here, man and woman. So we had actually good training conditions along with them. And [00:02:00] our athletes actually could ski with them and look what they do. And so was the Japanese team was here. Some Ukrainians are here. It's it's a good training environment.

Tom Kelly: [00:02:14] Good and training has been going well for the team.

Armin Auchentaller: [00:02:17] Trains is going really well. So far. We have done good work. Last weeks, ten days and everything is [00:02:30] going in a good direction.

Tom Kelly: [00:02:31] So far. Good. Well, let's talk about your background, Armin. You've recently taken over as both the head men's and women's coach. You've been with the U.S. team a couple of times and we'll get to that. But let's go back to your growing up in Italy. You had the great opportunity to grow up and really the heart of biathlon in Antholz, Italy. Tell us about growing up and how you initially pursued your passion as an athlete in biathlon.

Armin Auchentaller: [00:02:57] Basically, I started skiing for three [00:03:00] years and until we have slopes, the alpine slopes, but close by, But we have also a lot of cross-country, cross-country possibilities. And then around around when I was like eight or nine years old, I started basically with cross-country skiing and with nine, ten years around there. I don't remember actually. Well, it's a long time ago, but that's where I started with biathlon [00:03:30] early on, early on.

Tom Kelly: [00:03:32] Good. And how did you progress as an athlete? What level did you reach?

Armin Auchentaller: [00:03:36] I reached a national team level and I raised my last two years on the European Cup, which is the IBU Cup from from the modern times. So that's where where I ended up and was not a long career, but career with a lot of experiences, good experiences, which [00:04:00] I can use now as a coach.

Tom Kelly: [00:04:03] How did you make it into coaching? I know a lot of athletes choose to go that route. Was this something that you had wanted to do to become a coach and to lead others with the experience that you'd gained in your career?

Armin Auchentaller: [00:04:14] Actually, my former coach wanted to stop coaching and he just when I stopped, he just basically said, Hey, you should you should look into coaching and I want to stop and you should take take over, take over the whole [00:04:30] ski club. Back then it was the ski club for a months and give it a try. He thought I would do well, and I said, I'm not really sure, but we can. We can give it a shot. And here I am still still working on. That was back in 1992. So basically really is 30 years in coaching.

Tom Kelly: [00:04:51] One of your big breaks, I think was when you actually had an opportunity in 2009 to come and be a shooting coach for us. Biathlon. How did that come [00:05:00] to pass and what was your experience in the five years that you coached in with the American team?

Armin Auchentaller: [00:05:06] It was an amazing time. I mean, I got to know awesome people, different, different country to work with and different athletes, different mentality. I learned a lot along the way. It was it was a really, really, really good time.

Tom Kelly: [00:05:28] And then tell us about [00:05:30] your career. There was a gap where you coach to elsewhere. Tell us a little bit about that period from 2014 until you returned to the U.S. in 2018 and 2014.

Armin Auchentaller: [00:05:42] I was asked from the Swiss biathlon team to be the head coach for the women there, and I did that for four years. I led that group to the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, and we had also there were really, really good, [00:06:00] really good times, also some good results. And basically we we built up a team which was not existing before it was there was no official women's team. In 2014. They created that team and I had the chance to, to work with them and yeah, get some get some good results in the end.

Tom Kelly: [00:06:22] And in 2018 you had an opportunity to return to America to coach the women's team. Was that an opportunity that you really [00:06:30] welcomed to come back to America and coach with the U.S. Biathlon Team?

Armin Auchentaller: [00:06:34] Yeah, definitely. There was still a lot of people I knew from before and and it was a pleasure to come back and it was like an honor to be asked again if I would join the team and really appreciate the the offer they made and to come back actually, and I didn't hesitate. I just said, okay, let's do it.

Tom Kelly: [00:06:59] In these past [00:07:00] four years, you really oversaw several generations of U.S. Women's Biathletes Susan Dunklee ultimately retiring from her career, a whole new crew of people coming through. How would you characterize the women's team over the last four years?

Armin Auchentaller: [00:07:21] The last four years we had. A couple of great results, I would say. I mean, with different with different people starting [00:07:30] from Susan Dunklee's medal at the World Championships in Antholz. Luckily, at my home, that was really nice. Really nice side effect to do it at the World...

Salmela has been at the microphone for cross country skiing and biathlon for the network. But his most famous call was his masterful and exuberant commentary as Jessie Diggins battled Stine Nilsson of Sweden to the finish for cross country gold in 2018.

Tune in to NBC and Peacock TV to hear Chad Salmela's commentary of the Olympics in Beijing.

For Dickinson, her joy of shooting came early on an impromptu range. And while she followed her skiing dreams to Sun Valley after high school, she always kept biathlon in the back of her mind. She was recruited by biathlete and coach Chad Salmela to ski at St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn. and quickly discovered another cultural hotbed of the sport in the Midwest.

Biathlon ultimately became her sport direction, moving her way up the ranks from biathlon Junior World Championships to becoming a regular on the IBU Cup. In early January, she'll be one of a select group of U.S. athletes battling for the final Olympic spots for a spot in Beijing.

One of the influencing factors in Dickinson's career has been women coaches, going back to her days in the Methow Valley and continuing on at St. Scholastic with Maria Stuber. She's channeled that passion into an organization, the Women Ski Coaches Association, which works to develop, retain, and advance women in ski coaching leadership.

How important is your camp at Soldier Hollow?

One of the big things is just it's great pre-season with the altitude here. Coming out for three weeks really gives us a nice physiological benefit as we plan on also the Beijing Games being at a similar elevation. The scenery helps keep the focus fresh. And it's like this camp kind of marks the final push of the dryland training season. So it's a nice kind of capstone event. Come out to Utah, better weather typically than the Northeast, you finish off this training Season, you Get to see some new places and let's say, just a great venue to train in.

What was your pathway into biathlon?

I started out getting more involved in cross country skiing. And then a family friend of ours kind of planted the bug in my ear. He connected me with some events or races. And then I did some clinics and some other events. And then I met Art (Stegen), a member of the board, and then he introduced me to Algis Shalna in Jericho. And from there, I started really pursuing it, really training, in high school, but training pretty seriously for it and kind of making it a goal and then was able to qualify for the Junior World Championships team. And then once I saw competition in Europe, I was all in. This is what I wanted to do. This is great stuff. So that's the short version. The road all the way in. 

So, you joined the National Guard?

Yes, right - joined the Army and became a member of the National Guard Biathlon Team, which is a really cool program, a really unique program that allows us to be supported through the military biathlon team, which is actually a pretty common thing in biathlon. We have a World Military Championships at the end of March, right after the World Cup in Oslo. There's a lot of career benefits after biathlon to joining the army and also the ability to to receive a great level of support independent of the national team. It gives you a much stronger sense of job security that is often hard to find as a high level skier so those were a lot of the factors to go into it. It's been great.

Now that your girlfriend Tara Geraghty-Moats is returning to biathlon, do you talk shop?

We talk racing all the time, that's one of the great things we have in common. We both love to compete. We both love to race and to study the game. You know, there's a lot of similarities between competition in many different events, and it's fun. Now that she's coming back to biathlon, we talk a lot of shooting. I really enjoy it because it's great dialogue and just fun to sit around sometimes and discuss the fine details of the struggle of biathlon.

When a biathlete squeezes the trigger, it takes just .15 seconds to strike a two-inch target 50 meters away. The precision is incomprehensible. Matt Emmons, an Olympic shooting gold medalist, has brought a new range of knowledge as U.S. Biathlon Team shooting coach. Emmons tells a story of a challenging sport and how he’s making a difference for his athletes in this episode of Heartbeat: Staying on Target with Matt Emmons.

Now in his fifth season with the team, Emmons has brought skill development to athletes but, most of all, a sense of confidence on the range. And it’s shown!

An accomplished shooter, Emmons picked up cross country skiing while he attended school in Fairbanks, Ak. It was a natural move, in a way, when he came to U.S. Biathlon in 2017. In the interview, Emmons goes into great detail about the integration of cross country skiing with shooting, and the minute elements that can make a difference on the range.

Talking to Emmons you’re quickly struck by his down-to-earth attitude and the wealth of knowledge he is eager to share. Talk to athletes and his name invariably comes up. But what really stood out in his Heartbeat interview was the lesson he’s learned from sport and the philosophy he shares with athletes. It’s simple, really. And core to what sport should mean.

Listen to Staying on Target, the Heartbeat interview with Matt Emmons to learn more.

You’ll also find out how a missed target and a lost gold medal landed Emmons a wonderful Czech family. You’ll chuckle at family stories of hunting with grandpa. You’ll learn how the friendship of a teammate helped him land his Olympic gold medal. And he may even tell you where he keeps his medals hidden!

What are the basics of shooting?

When you get back to the very basics, it’s the very simple things like just be good on the trigger, see the recoil, pay attention to your breathing  - and it's a little bit different for each athlete what that key might be! But when I know the athletes well enough and I know what they're doing and what they've been working on, then I can get them back to that key and it's like ‘go back to this key and just do this one thing.’ Well, that's all you need to worry about and then just basically let them go and do their job. 

Were the Olympics a goal of yours?

I wouldn't say winning the Olympics was the ultimate goal for me. That was kind of a piece of the puzzle. I had a bigger goal, which was to actually be to try to be a legend in the sport, to be someone who set a good example for others and make a mark on the sport to take it a step further. Winning a medal or multiple medals at the Olympics was just part of the process.

How would you characterize biathlon?

Biathlon is difficult because you're combining so many aspects. It's such a technical sport from a ski standpoint when you look at everything that goes into the physical training and just being able to be fast. The shooting part of it is also so technical because you have the rifle itself, the accuracy of the rifle, the ammo testing, the positions. And then, on top of that, you add the mental game. There are so many things that you have to be good at to be a great biathlete.

Athletes come into biathlon via myriad pathways. As a young girl, Cape Elizabeth, Maine native Clare Egan loved to run. She had the physiological engine for it and rose quickly as a cross country runner and later a cross country skier. Biathlon wouldn’t cross her radar for some time to come.

A strong runner and skier in high school, she was also an emerging leader. She weighed her interest in sport as she looked at colleges. And while she was strongly considering an NCAA skiing direction, she ultimately chose Wellesley College where she ran division three cross country. But there was no ski program. So, she started one! Her leadership - as a coach and program manager - set Wellesley on a productive path in the U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association club program.

Her passion for sport grew after college, inspired by friends Susan Dunklee and Hannah Dreissighacker. She moved to Craftsbury in Vermont. At 25 she tried shooting for the first time. A year later she was competing. She narrowly missed the 2014 Olympic Team but became an Olympian in 2018. Today, she’s one of her sport’s most respected athletes and leaders.

Clare Egan’s story is unique. But so is every other biathlon story. At 33, she cherishes each season. She’s proven by her results that she’s among the best in the world. She’s a leader as an athlete representative to the International Biathlon Union - a pro-active spokesperson in a now highly-respected sports federation. And she’s a role model for the next generation of biathletes.

Clare Egan joined Heartbeat host Tom Kelly from her hotel in the eastern Finland city of Joensuu during the opening IBU World Cup Biathlon competition week in Kontiolahti. She speaks openly about her pathway to find training solutions during COVID-19 and her decision-making process that has led her to continue her pursuit of excellence on the road to Beijing 2022.

Listen to the full interview with Clare Egan from the World Cup opener in Kontiolahti. Learn about her late entry into biathlon, how she’s taken on leadership and what motivates her towards the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

Clare, you’re now back to World Cup competition. What has it been like given the pandemic?

Well, in some ways, it's been the most normal thing I've done all year - that's basically how I would sum up my experience on the biathlon course. But, in other ways, it’s definitely different. Sometimes I don't even recognize people I'm seeing for the first time in several months because everyone's masked up. I had a test the morning before my race. So there's definitely a layer of newness and difference. But there's also some things that are exactly the same. And that's refreshing.

Every sports organization is experimenting with protocols to continue competition and keep athletes safe. How has biathlon been managing?

The IBU, the International Biathlon Union, has done a tremendous amount of work and just gone above and beyond to do everything they can to make this event possible. So, basically every event participant, whether that's an athlete, a coach, an official, media personnel, needs to take a COVID test before they arrive and have a negative test within 72 hours of arrival. And then once you arrive on site, you get tested right away again. Once that is negative, then you can have your accreditation for the event and you can move around as normal within the event space. Then you're also on a testing regimen every four or five days. So there's a lot of testing involved. There are also rules in place. For example, mask wearing is required everywhere other than when you're in your own personal hotel room or actively competing or training. So that was really new for a lot of people.

Amidst the pandemic, what were some of the decisions you had to make last spring?

It wasn't only that I didn't know what my training was going to be like, I also didn't know what the 2020-21 season would look like. And, in some ways we still don't. It's a question mark all the time. As a thirty three year old athlete. I certainly do not view this year as a building year or training year. Every year I have left in the sport is really an important competition year for me. And so it was definitely a question of whether or not to continue the spring. Do I want to dedicate another year of my life to training for something that I don't even know will happen? That was the biggest question on my mind in those months.

How did you come to your decision to continue?

I still have work to do here! I was coming off a tough season in terms of my skiing, but I had increased my shooting percentage to a point that I was really pleased. And the previous year I had skied really well. I was looking at those two things and saying, ‘OK, if I can pair the shooting I did this year with the skiing I did last year, I can be one of the top athletes in the world.’ And that's an inspiring thing. I knew that I still have more to give to the sport.

I'm hopeful that when it's time for me to be done, I'll know it's time for me to be done. I wasn't quite at that point last spring. And so I guess that and then paired with the confidence in the International Biathlon Union to make sport possible, I decided to go ahead.

How did your training base work out in Lake Placid?

We had to make some adaptations. But one thing that we are really fortunate to be able to do in biathlon is to train outside and use the great outdoors as our training environment. We can hike in the mountains and ride bikes and run and roller ski and do pretty much all of the things that we need to do outside.

How did you manage coaching and teammates?

We were really able to do all of our summer training, despite the pandemic. It just was different in the fact that I didn't see my coach until later and we didn't have any organized camps until October. I did have a couple of teammates who also live in Lake Placid - Maddie Phaneuf and Chloe Levins both were based in Lake Placid. And we did a lot of training together this summer, but we didn't have any full team camps until October.

You were able to get to Europe for an IBU meeting in the fall. How did you parlay that into a training opportunity, as well?

I had a great experience, just an excellent, really productive camp training with Armin. And also I had some great training partners. I trained with a Finnish athlete, Mari Eder, as well as some Italian, mostly younger junior athletes, and also the Estonian women's national team. They were all in Antholz training while I was there. It just made a big difference to have some of those training partners. As soon as I got to Antholz and I had my coach there in person able to see me shooting and what was going on, I just felt like we made a couple of really important changes and improvements already within the first few days that then I got to put in to really put into place and solidify over...

Building a Venue that Feels Like Home

Olympians Judy Geer and Dick Dreissighacker had a vision when they bought an outdoor sports center in 2008. Today, the Craftsbury Outdoor Center has become one of the most vital sports centers in the country for biathletes and cross country skiers. From her home in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, tucked amidst the maples, aspen and larches, Olympic rower Judy Geer talked about her passion for outdoor sport in an episode of Heartbeat: The U.S. Biathlon Podcast.

HEARTBEAT NOTES

It was a late fall day at Craftsbury. Light snow still blanketed the ground. Most of the leaves had fallen. In typical fashion, Judy was juggling a busy day balancing grandmotherhood with a desire to get in yet another rowing session on the water. 

When COVID-19 gripped our world last spring, Judy and husband Dick joined with athletes to come up with a pact to keep Craftsbury an active and healthy environment. That bond between the athletes and the venue kept it open and alive, with athletes sequestered in a self-imposed bubble - looking out for each other.

Judy Geer is one of those very special individuals for U.S. Biathlon. Listen in to Heartbeat to learn more about her own upbringing, where she gained her passion for sport and how she loves to give back today.

HEARTBEAT PREVIEW

To hear more, listen to Heartbeat: The U.S. Biathlon Podcast, as Judy Geer talks about gaining a passion for outdoor sport as a young girl, evolving into one of the nation’s top rowers while qualifying for three Olympic Teams and the mission she and her family have put in place at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Here’s a preview.

Judy, welcome to Heartbeat. I imagine you’re in that transition season in Vermont?

We had a really gorgeous, vibrant peak foliage season. It seemed a little early. We've been very dry here and we were initially worried it was just going to not be that great because of the dryness, but it ended up being lovely. And then after the oranges and reds of the maples, we moved into the yellows of the birches. And then we have this third season that I really love, which is the larches or tamarack season, where those trees turn just really golden before they drop their needles. It's been really lovely. And then earlier this week, we got eight inches of snow. And so it's you know, it's been a roller coaster

How did you gain this passion for outdoor sport?

When I was a young girl, I got into swimming and I swam winter and summer - summer in salt water and winter in the pool. I grew up at a time when there weren't that many sport options for young girls, to be honest. And you weren't able to do as many things as boys were. But swimming was there and it was very active and it had good coaches. I enjoyed the competition and I think that really gave me an aerobic base that set me up well for my future sport endeavors.

How did you find your way into rowing?

When I got to college, I heard of rowing and it just sounded intriguing. I'd grown up in water. So I was very comfortable with the whole idea of being on water. When I then saw the sport of rowing, I was just immediately intrigued with it. I started college at Smith College. Smith and Wellesley had rowing for ladies. They've had rowing for a long time. It was proper rowing for young ladies. It was very different than the rowing that I ended up doing, but it taught me how to row. And then when I transferred to Dartmouth, they were just starting a women's rowing program. I joined it and I rode the Head of the Charles for the first time that fall. I was totally hooked.

How did your family get into biathlon?

It started with my son Ethan. He was a boy and he was into guns. I was a mom who was not thinking I wanted my son to be into guns. It's sort of that classic situation. But I thought, OK, if we're going to be into guns, let's learn about them. Let's learn about how to use them in great, positive ways. 

How did your acquisition of Craftsbury come about in 2008?

It happened over a number of years, back to 1986. We would go to Craftsbury as guests and sculling coaches. We would bring the kids along - sort of a working family vacation. Later, we knew that Russell Spring, the owner and the founder, was getting older. He was starting to think about what the future was going to be. And so we began talking with him and we spent a couple of years chatting with Russell and about our vision and their vision and did it align. For us, it was the idea that we were in a position to make it a nonprofit.

What is the mission of the nonprofit at Craftsbury?

The mission has three prongs. The first priority is to promote participation and excellence in lifelong sports with a special focus on rowing, skiing, biathlon, running and we've added mountain biking. The second prong  is to use and teach sustainable practices. And the third is to be good stewards of the land in the lake and the trails. So you've got sport, sustainability and stewardship. 

Sustainability is an important part of your mission!

When we took over the place in ‘08, we wanted to get that off of fossil fuels by 2012. We didn't make it by 2012, but we did it by 2013. So that's that's that's too bad. We sort of expanded and renovated the dining hall recently, and that's geothermal. We use the waste heat from our snowmaking generator to help heat the buildings. And we also burn firewood that is sustainably harvested.

When the pandemic hit, how did you approach it to continue to provide support to athletes?

We've been actually quite conservative here in terms of COVID.  The last thing we want to do is be the place that brings COVID to Craftsbury, Vermont.  We've created a bubble that's good for the community and good for the athletes. We have a long code of conduct - a pact, and all of the athletes had to sign onto that.

Craftsbury has played an important role for U.S. biathletes. Did you feel a special pride last February watching her win a second World Championships medal?

Oh, absolutely! I've been watching Susan for quite a few years. My own girls have been on the team with her and Claire Egan was one of our athletes, as well. So it's just terrific to watch all of that. And it does come back to the kids here - the little kids. The whole cross country community now knows the sport of biathlon, they follow it. They're big fans. So when you get a success like that from one of our athletes, it's just it's just so exciting for everybody. 

FUN FACTS YOU’LL LEARN ON HEARTBEAT

• As a young athlete, what motivated her to being named to three Olympic teams?
• When not rowing or skiing, what does Judy like to do?
• How had grandmotherhood changed her.

Take a listen to Heartbeat featuring Judy Geer to learn more about her past and present, along with insights on what has made the Craftsbury Outdoor Center such a ...

It’s a bit mind-numbing to think about the schedule Chloe Levins has led as a golfer, mountain biker, biathlete and student. But spend a few minutes talking to her and you learn quickly that she’s a very organized, focused and fun-loving 22-year-old. Biathlon is complex with myriad pathways into the sport. Chloe started younger than many, introduced to the sport at just 13. Her last nine years have been spent learning. In our podcast interview, Chloe shares her pathway into the sport and lessons she’s learned as a biathlete. Whether you’re a fan of biathlon or just like to hear a great athletic success story, listen to this episode of Heartbeat with Chloe Levins: From Fairway to Biathlon Range.
- Tom Kelly, Heartbeat Host

CHLOE INSIGHTS

Training in Lake Placid with Clare Egan this summer

Clare is definitely a role model for me and I've looked up to her since we began biathlon together seven or eight years ago under Algas Shalna. So just by being in her presence, it's been a great development for my own training.

Goals for the season ahead?

Hopefully I can get myself to the IBU Cups. I've had experience on the IBU Cup in the past years. But this year there will be no Junior World Championships for me since I’m a first year senior. So just getting myself to Europe, competing in IBU Cups and getting myself the opportunity to hopefully qualify for a World Cup this season would be great.

Your first international experience was Junior Worlds in Belarus? What was that like for a 15-year-old?

It was very exhilarating. It was strange at first. Obviously, it was an interesting place to go for my first trip to Europe, not as glamorous, one might say, as Italy or Austria, but nonetheless, there were great crowds at that event and people asking me for my autograph as a 15-year-old girl at her first major biathlon competition. It was pretty funny and motivating, too. But I have great memories from that event. I was really, dare I say, lucky to to clean the sprint in that competition. Just have really great memories of being with my coach (Algis Šalna) in a country where he had trained in when he was an athlete and had so many connections.

What was the feeling like for you at the Youth Olympic Games?

You just felt the energy like the Olympic energy as soon as you stepped foot into the Olympic Village. At the racing venue, it was just so much different, so much fun. There were thousands of spectators there watching us. Just to get the chance to meet other athletes from around the world that were your age and were committed to their sports just as much as you and also attending school and balancing that kind of sport and life and student. The dynamic was really a good experience for me. I cleaned my first four stage race, which was another kind of stepping stone into the thrill of biathlon and in kind of the addiction that I think a lot of elite athletes feel when they get to clean and when everything comes together on a given day.

What’s the secret to biathlon?

Biathlon about managing your variables, whether it's yourself, the weather, the zero that you had, the ski conditions, your start time, all these different things. Who knows what's going on in your life on the day that you're supposed to perform. Balancing all those aspects of sport is a really great challenge that I'm still figuring out. Even though I've been doing biathlon since I was 13, I'm definitely a work in progress and have a lot a lot more to do. But I'm excited for it. And the thrill of hitting five, four, five when you're at your limit is second to none.

What lessons have you learned from biathlon?

The most important lesson, for me, is just to put my blinders on. Use your teammates, collaborate with your teammates, work with your coach, but also just listen to your body and listen to your mind and what it's telling you. And also, even on race day, put your blinders on. You shouldn't know how anyone else is shooting on race day. You should just be so within yourself that the flow comes naturally and everything kind of just, you know, flows out of you.

FUN FACTS YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT CHLOE

• Strangest experience while studying neuroscience? Hint: it was alive!
• Why she loves Antholz? (it’s the food)
• Golf course she’s dreaming about playing? (it’s in Scotland)
• Favorite pandemic Netflix binge? Hint: she’s up to season five

PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Heartbeat Ep 3 - Dan Cnossen

Tom Kelly: [00:00:18] Biathlon is a unique Olympic and Paralympic event. It challenges participants with opposing athletic endeavors in a singular competition. It [00:00:30] combines the heart pumping Arabic aspects of cross-country skiing match with the intense focus of precision marksmanship. Two diametrically opposing forces testing every ounce of physical and mental strength of the athletes. Welcome to Heartbeat. The U.S. biathlon podcast. I'm your host, Tom Kelly, and I'm proud to bring you regular insights into this fascinating sport. Today's guest on Heartbeat is an amazing athlete and a remarkable American. Dan [00:01:00] Cnossen grew up on a farm outside Topeka, Kansas, an unlikely environment for a cross-country skier. In 2009, Lieutenant Commander Dan Cnossen, a leader of Navy SEAL Team One, lost both his legs in Afghanistan when he stepped on a mine. Undaunted, he found a pathway in sport from a hospital bed in Walter Reed Medical Center to the tracks and shooting ranges of Sochi and Pyeongchang. He became one of the most decorated stars of Paralympic sport, [00:01:30] winning six medals in South Korea, including a gold the first ever by a U.S. by athlete. And Dan, it's an honor to have you join us on Heartbeat, the U.S. biathlon podcast.

Dan Cnossen: [00:01:41] Thanks for having me, Tom. I'm looking forward to our talk today.

Tom Kelly: [00:01:45] So where are you coming to us from today, Dan?

Dan Cnossen: [00:01:48] Coming to you from Natick, Massachusetts, a suburb just west of Boston.

Tom Kelly: [00:01:52] A beautiful place. Is that your training base?

Dan Cnossen: [00:01:56] Yes, it is. For most of the year, minus the time that I'm away for [00:02:00] camps on snow or the occasional surf trip. Not happening this time of year. Right now, the coronavirus and everything going on.

Tom Kelly: [00:02:09] I want to get into talking surf a little bit later, but I know all of us are in kind of the same boat right now with Corona virus having dictated our life. And for athletes training and and your goal setting. What have you been doing over the last few months in Natick, Massachusetts?

Dan Cnossen: [00:02:27] Well, you know, we came back from our [00:02:30] world championships, which was prematurely canceled before the first race even began. This was going to be an Östersund Sweden and this was in early March. We came back, I believe, on March 12th. And and then since then, I've been readjusting. I'm thinking that it's not at all really appropriate to be complaining about my situation, cause I'm in a very fortunate situation where I can stay healthy and still get my workout worn outside. And a lot of people are in situations like that. So for the most part, I've been following [00:03:00] my training plan, not really going to the gym because gyms haven't been open yet, but that's OK. And I'm enjoying being outside and doing a lot of reading and maybe doing the occasional talk like we're doing and spending time with family, talking to family who are not co present. And also, I decided to start setting for the GRV again to have another test that I'll take in late September.

Tom Kelly: [00:03:26] Yeah, you know, I think like all of us, you have to improvise [00:03:30] a little bit without access to the gyms, have you improvise things around home, like for lifting weights or other kind of exercise?

Dan Cnossen: [00:03:39] Yes, I have done a little bit of that, but I just had no home gym equipment and it was in high demand. Hard to get a hold of. And I haven't really prioritized getting it. I can do some push ups and things like that and certainly can do core exercises. But really just looking at other ways of getting strength through my [00:04:00] training platforms, through hand cycling, maybe doing hills or through the prone paddleboarding that I do as another form of cross training. And that is certainly a strength intensive activity. So doing sprints and things like that. And it's just been a load for me, honestly, a nice little departure from the norm. And so that's something to be appreciative of.

Tom Kelly: [00:04:22] Well, Dan, before we get into talking about your success in PyeongChang and your motivation for the future, let's introduce the listeners [00:04:30] to your background growing up on a farm in Kansas. And, you know, I look at that and, you know, it's just this unlikely background. But tell us about life growing up in Kansas.

Dan Cnossen: [00:04:41] Well, yes, I am from a family farm in Kansas, just outside of Topeka, still within the city limits. But right at the edge of comes to Kansas as well. And the fact the farm has been in my family for five generations. This was a homestead property. I grew up playing outside a [00:05:00] lot. And I think there is a connection with the rest of my story that unfolds over time, just that I developed the love of being outside in. In nature, and that was one of the things I'm most. Grateful for with my childhood being able to grow up on a large chunk of land and have that space to be able to roam around and play and be outside every day.

Tom Kelly: [00:05:24] What was your sport background as an athlete when you were young?

Dan Cnossen: [00:05:28] I was a very [00:05:30] mediocre athlete in the team sports that I played. I did a little bit of baseball, mostly soccer wasn't really that great at soccer. The one thing I was good at in soccer is running. And I may have maybe should have been a cross-country runner, but I was always a little too focused on soccer and and a little stocky to be a great a great cross-country runner. But when I went to the U.S. Naval Academy after high school, I really wanted to make the triathlon team and was good at cycling and good at running, but [00:06:00] not at all good at swimming. And I eventually did make the triathlon team in college at the Naval Academy, but it was a very mediocre triathlete as well, just because I didn't have that swimming, swimming background that is so important for that sport.

Tom Kelly: [00:06:14] You know, growing up in Kansas, when you were in high school, what was it that motivated you to want to go to the Naval Academy and become a sailor?

Dan Cnossen: [00:06:24] You know, I think it was a variety of things, maybe it was the fact that my father had served in [00:06:30] the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Maybe it was just the fact of what I was naturally drawn to based on what I had been exposed to. Maybe it was just the way I was born. I don't exactly know. But I know that as soon as my freshman and certainly my sophomore y...

TRANSCRIPT
Tom Kelly: Biathlon is a unique Olympic event. It challenges participants with opposing athletic endeavors in a singular competition. It combines the heart pumping aerobic aspects of cross country skiing match with the intense focus of precision marksmanship - two diametrically opposing forces testing every ounce of physical and mental strength of athletes. Welcome to HEARTBEAT, he U.S. Biathlon Podcast. I'm your host, Tom Kelly, and I'm proud to bring you regular insights into this fascinating Olympic sport. We hope you enjoyed our debut podcast with world championship medallist Susan Dunklee. Today, we'll take a look inside the operations of U.S. biathlon and the support it provides to athletes in clubs across the country. Our guest today is a veteran athlete and a two time Olympian. After her retirement in 2014, she expanded her role in the sport as a coach, club leader and an athlete representative. Sara Studebaker-Hall is an Idaho native who spent seven years on the U.S. Biathlon Team competing in both the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games while at Dartmouth College. She was on the 2007 NCAA champion team. She went on to coach at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and Soldier Hollow. She has served on the U.S. biathlon board and as an athlete representative to the USO Pieces Athletes Advisory Council. This past January, she was named director of operations for U.S. biathlon, making her home not far from the Olympic venue in Soldier Hollow with husband Zach Hall and their young son, August. Sara, welcome and thanks for joining us on HEARTBEAT.

Sara Studebaker-Hall: Thanks, Tom, it's great to be here.

Tom Kelly: So what has your pandemic life been like down in Midway, Utah?

Sara Studebaker-Hall: You know, I feel pretty lucky overall, we are in a relatively rural area. We've been able to get outside. My husband and I have both been working from home. And so kind of switching off who's watching August and who's working. So it's definitely has its challenges. I'm currently joining you from a closet. So, you know, we're all just doing what we can. But in general, you know, we we've been healthy. We stay in staying active. And so I can't complain too much.

Tom Kelly: Well, then I won't ask you what the view is like from the closet.

Sara Studebaker-Hall: No.

Tom Kelly: It it it is a pretty amazing place, though, isn't it? Just a great spirit of sport down there and a beautiful mountain setting.

Sara Studebaker-Hall: Oh, absolutely. You know, we when we moved to Heber, our experience there had really been as athletes and and we hadn't had a lot of experiences recently. So, you know, we moved there three years ago and saw the venue really starting to come alive with the planned return of the World Cup in it to Soldier Hollow. And it's been a really exciting time to be there. And the community has been really welcoming. And, you know, we love. I love being back in the Mountain West. So that's definitely exciting for me. And, yeah, it's it's been it's been really great.

Tom Kelly: Now, Sara, I know that when you took on this new role as director of operations from for U.S. Biathlon, you probably had these grand ideas and the things that you were going to do on day one to put things in motion. But the pandemic really changed your role when you started in February, didn't it?

Sara Studebaker-Hall: It really did. Yeah, I think I was at work for about two weeks when things really started to get shut down. And, you know, in some ways I was lucky. I was already working from home. My position is remote. So I'm still based in Heber in Utah, where the headquarters are back in Maine. So it gives us some geographic diversity with an organization, which I think is a really positive, but it's definitely suddenly became a very different situation for all of us within the organization. I mean, you know, right away, when the president made his speech about closing the borders and we were thrown into how do we get the athletes back immediately from Finland? Yeah, things have just been taking everything and every decision day by day, week by week as we move through planning and and all aspects of the U.S. Biathlon.

Tom Kelly: You know, I think most people don't realize how unique this situation is. There is no playbook. There are no guidelines that you started out with on how do I handle a team in a pandemic. So you guys have really been inventing things with good background knowledge as you go along.

Sara Studebaker-Hall: Yeah, absolutely. You know, we have a really great team. I think that the one thing that this has really forced us to do is communicate even better with each other. And so we've been, I think, doing a really good job as a staff of staying connected and making sure that everybody knows what's going on as things continue to change every day. There was a while, where things were changing every hour. I mean, I was sending updates every morning and every evening to the whole staff about what the State Department and the CDC were saying about the situation, both domestic and abroad. And, you know, now it's a little bit it's a little bit easier for us because we are out of season. So, you know, we're planning camps and Tim and law are definitely working with the brunt of that aspect. But even as we plan board meetings and think about the season ahead, there's so many unknowns and and really having to create a number of different plans, depending on what might happen, is definitely a challenge.

Tom Kelly: Sara, let's go back into your background, and one of the things that I always like to explore with biathletes is how did you get started in the sport? This is such a unique activity and everyone has this slightly different pathway. But what was it for you that got you into the sport of biathlon?

Sara Studebaker-Hall: Yeah, you know, I started skiing really young, my family was always really involved in the outdoors and skiing was a big part of our of our family actually started as an alpine ski racer. Thought I would go that direction, but was introduced to the bogus base and Nordic team when I was in sixth grade and started doing cross-country and really loved it. I just started doing that as my main sport. And I had a coach, Eric Reynolds, who had done some biathlon, and he a friend of a friend of mine on the team. And I saw a little blurb in the 98 Olympics about biathlon and just started asking him a ton of questions about the sport. And he ended up actually doing some research and finding and development camp for for her and I. In Lake Placid. An...