Young Journalists Discover Biathlon

In the weeks before the Vancouver Olympic Games, NBC's Olympic Insider, Alan Abrahamson, took some time out to work with a class of young jounalists at the Chadwick School in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California.  Biathlon was their assignment.  Their work is shown below.  Technical issues delayed the posting of these columns.  Congratulations to this next generation of sports journalists!

By Julia Balough
Chadwick School
 
As an English final project, my teacher, Pat Jones, asked our English class to open our minds to sports journalism. With this request she brought in sports writer, Alan Abrahamson, who confidently gave us the challenge to write a 400-to 600-word column on the biathlon.
 
Alan acted as if this should be a fairly simple task. However, I found my eyebrows furrowed because: first, Alan is kind of intimidating with his jean and sweatshirt elegance and his long list of experience; and second, I knew absolutely nothing about biathlon.
 
My first step was Google. And what did I learn? Biathlon was skiing and shooting at targets. How could this sport have possibly been in the Olympics and I have never heard of it. Also why would anyone want to ski and shoot guns at the same time? I feel like that’s a hazard to other skiers.
 
 My next step, read more carefully. The biathletes ski cross-country to targets, STOP, aim and shoot. Okay, a little less dangerous.
 
Equipped with a recording of a press conference with the biathletes and the Internet, I set out to find information for an informative and interesting column. After viewing many articles and listening to about two minutes of the recording, it became quite clear that the United States has never won a medal in biathlon.
 
I got my answer to the question of ‘how’ when I listened to the press conference. Jay Hakkinen, 32 of Kasilof, Alaska, stated the team had a rough time gaining support after the team’s disaster in 1998. Max Cobb, director of the US biathlon team, also expressed the difficulty in the beginning to acquire a sufficient amount of money to provide the training the team needed to be successful.
 
This season the US brought on new coaching addition of Armin Auchentaller, previously the coach for the Italian World Cup team. Now at this point in my research, I learned that Europeans dominate biathlon. So the gradual addition of European coaches has brought the US biathlon team closer and closer to medal.
 
With the success of previous events, like the historic 3rd place win in Vancouver, professional European coaches and the North American home court advantage, the United States has a good chance of medaling this year.
 
The overall feel of the team at the press conference in Colorado was a shy confidence. Tim Burke, 28 of Paul Smiths, N.Y., confidently stated that he thrives on being the underdog.
 
The title ‘underdog’, the United States biathlon team has earned, but the confidence shown in the press conference is reassuring and it seems that success and a medal at 2010 Olympic games is within reach.
 
I cannot give any predictions on the outcome of this year’s biathletes because I have neither the qualifications nor knowledge to make such assumptions. However, the advice I can give to the US biathletes is ski fast and shoot straight.

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By: Airiss Finley

Chadwick

Gold, Bronze, Silver; Any Medal Will Do

Superman has kryptonite. The United States has the biathlon.

 

The biathlon has been part of the Winter Olympics since 1960. It is currently 2010, and the United States has won an outstanding amount of zero medals for this sport.

 

Let’s just say that the U.S biathlons trophy case has been a bit lonely for the past 50 years.

But that’s all going to change this year. The United States biathlon team looks like gold.

Maybe they will be able to come back with at least a bronze medal this time around.

 

When asked how the team was able to still be motivated to win, even though the U.S has never won a biathlon, the team answered the question with a sound of hope and determination lingering in their voices.

 

They replied back saying, that the U.S not being able to win any medals in this sport is a motivation to win in itself.

 

They are determined to reverse the curse that has been placed upon the United States biathlon team, and try to start a new tradition of winning.

 

While gaining outstanding athletes, the U.S biathlon team and organization has also received a new makeover.

 

Tim Burke, 28, from Paul Smiths, N.Y., said, “We have a completely new board of directors, a completely new coaching staff, [and] new team managers. On every level we have professional talented people and I feel I’m surrounded by the best coaches in the world.”

 

This year’s training has been like no other.  They have some of the top biathlon coaches in the world preparing them, and they also have practiced on the Vancouver course, which allows them a home court advantage come time for the Winter Olympics.

 

They are prepared to give those Europeans a run, or should I say ski, for their money this time around. Finally, the U.S biathlon organization got the hint that what they were doing the previous year’s wasn’t working, and it was time for change.

 

Why it took them 50 years to realize this? No one will ever know.

 

We just have to be glad that the U.S biathlon team looks like they can win this year.  On February 12 we will see if they will be able to end the losing streak and come home with a medal.

 

In the history of the United States’ biathlon teams, this is America’s golden team, and they will come home with at least a bronze.

__________________

By: Haley Bush

Chadwick School

One More Shot

     Why hasn’t the U.S. medaled in an Olympic biathlon competition?  Such a simple question has a complicated answer. 

     The word “biathlon” is derived from the Greek meaning “two tests.”  Biathlon is a sport that combines cross- country skiing and shooting.  Historically, the sport originated in Norway as a substitute for military training.  Since then the sport has evolved into one of the most popular winter events in Europe.  While the biathlon is one of the most televised sports in Europe, few Americans have even heard of the sport.

     The United States has a wealth of talented athletes, and there is no reason for never placing in a biathlon contest for the winter Olympics.  The sport was introduced to the Olympics in 1960, which has given the United States a total of 50 years to win a medal.  Just one medal, in 50 years isn’t too much to ask for, is it?  I mean if Michael Phelps won eight Olympic medals within a matter of weeks, surly the biathlon team can win one medal this year.  If the United States can win World War I and World War II, then the United States can win one medal in biathlon. 

     The problem seems the United States’ inability to master the meaning biathlon-- “two tests.”  The key to mastering biathlon is the successful transition between the physically demanding sprints and the mental focus necessary to shoot at targets.  The shift between skiing and shooting has been described by a member of the 2010 Olympic Men’s Biathlon team, Wynn Roberts, 21, of Battle Lake, Minnesota as “if you were to drink a pot of coffee and then try to thread a needle, that’s how it is when you come in to shoot and that’s without the mental stress.”  Not an easy task for anyone to complete, but somehow the Europeans seem to have the magic touch.  Maybe it’s because Europeans have the ability to master “two tests” in multiple aspects of their lives.  For example, the majority of Europeans are bi-lingual, while the percentage of Americans with this talent is much smaller.  Is the gap between these two separated by more than just pure talent?  This is the only explanation that suffices. 

     But there is hope for Team USA in the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.  Twenty-eight year old Tim Burke, of Paul Smith’s, New York, will lead the United States.  Burke has recently emerged as a contender for an Olympic finish in the 2008-09 World Cup Season.  Burke completed the season with a total of three podium finishes. Burke will pilot Team USA along with Jay Hakkinen, 33, of Kasilof, Alaska, Jeremy Teela, 34, of Park City, Utah, Lowell Bailey, 29, of Lake Placid, New York, and Wynn Roberts, 21, of Battle Lake, Minnesota. 

     Even though Burke will not be entering the Olympics wearing the yellow bib, he previously held it in his possession earlier in the World Cup competition when he was the overall points leader.  This has been a boost of confidence for the rest of Team USA.  Teela said, “It feels a lot different going to the stadium knowing that your teammate’s wearing the yellow bib.  That definitely brings some confidence.” 

     Hopefully, the combination of experienced Olympians on the team and the certainty Burke bringsfrom having had the yellow bib at one time will result in a long overdue medal for the United States.   

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By Jonathan Curry
 Chadwick School

    1998, Nagano, Japan.
    2002, Salt Lake City, Utah.
    2006, Torino, Italy.
    Hey, wait a minute. Salt Lake? I thought there weren't many good venues in the United States, let alone Olympic-worthy ones.
    The lack of venues, along with other issues (like being able to fund team transportation to get to the best venues), has been an obstacle in the United States biathlon team's path to the gold medal.
    So what else has been keeping America's team from excelling?
    Until the past four years leading up to Vancouver, funding was a huge issue. It's pretty expensive to fund a worthwhile Olympic program. Acccording to Max Cobb of Westford, Vt., who was the U.S. biathlon federation's program director in 1998, the funding levels were quite limited. Their budget was about $250,000. That's not nearly enough to fund an Olympic training program, let alone send athletes to the games.
    To make things worse, the team had no major sponsors and only had access to self-pay training camps.
    "I think one of the keys is biathlon is very, very coaching intensive," Cobb said at a news conference. Although the team had trainers from the military, which was definitely beneficial, they still lacked the world-class training necessary for Olympic success.
    Speaking of world-class, biathlon is traditionally a European-dominated sport. All of the best venues can be found in Europe, along with the top-notch athletes and trainers.
    But the team's past struggles don't end with financial burdens.
    Jay Hakkinen, 32, of Kasilof, Alaska, will be making his fourth Olympic appearance in Vancouver. "In 1998 we had a complete disaster ... we were a young team and we had some problems," Hakkinen said.
    The lack of experience on the team, the absence of sufficient funding, and the inability to access the best coaches and venues all factored into the team's past failures.
    As you can see, the team hasn't exactly been in great Olympic shape.
    But during the past four years leading up to Vancouver, the U.S. biathlon team has made a huge turnaround.
    Recall that the budget in 1998 was about a fourth of a million dollars. Basically, Olympic pocket change.
    Now multiply that number by eight.
    That's right. This season's budget is a two with six lovely zeroes behind it. Two million dollars is definitely enough to fund an excellent Olympic program.
    Just ask the athletes.
    "These past four years there's been more money and support for the athletes and the program, and we've done everything we possibly can to get this medal, and we're very motivated to get it," Hakkinen said.
    The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) has also been backing the team a great deal, something it didn't really do in the past. About $1 million of the team's funding comes from the committee, and a little over $100,000 is being used directly for athlete support.
    So what does an Olympic team do with all of this cash laying around?
    One word sums it up: training.
    Remember those inaccessible world-class coaches and venues?
    With the funding that the team has been provided, the revamped biathlon program is able to send its athletes out of the country to take on the best training venues and work alongside the best-of-the-best coaches.
    Tim Burke, 28, of Paulsmiths, N.Y., is feeling pretty confident about the team.
    When asked about how a team burdened with a tradition of little to no success takes on the Olympics, Burke said, "I really thrive on being the underdog. It's been incredibly motivating for me."
    So will our American underdogs be able to back up their bark with some strong bite? I'd say it's almost assured.
    Dogs see black and white.
    Underdogs see gold.

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By Ryan Halvorsen

Chadwick School

 

The world is filled with many great, yet unique combos like bacon and chocolate or ice cream and root beer or biathlon, a winter Olympic sport that brings together cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

Now you might be saying to yourself, “How does chocolate covered bacon have any type of correlation to biathlon?”            

Am I right?

Of course, I am.

So, here’s the answer to your question.

The comparison between those delicious consumables to the sport of biathlon demonstrates how this world is filled with many oddities that most people find strangely unorthodox.

But for Team USA, the sport is an opportunity to obtain greatness and be hallowed as American champions for their lifetimes and beyond. Since the 1960 induction of biathlon to official Winter Olympic games, the United States has never taken the gold…ever.

Which is why the next target in range for Team USA is the 2010 Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver, Canada, which start February 12^th and end February 28^th, where both the men and the women’s biathlon teams are closer than ever to achieving their goal of getting the gold.

 Both teams are compiled of some of the country’s best biathletes who are determined to return some dignity to this great nation like Michael Phelps who brought back 8 Olympic gold medals from the Beijing Summer Games.

 The women’s biathlon team includes Sara Studebaker, of Boise, ID; Haley Johnson, of Lake Placid, NY; Lanny Barnes, 28, of Durango, CO; and Laura Spector, of Lenox, MA.

 “I think it’s a honor to make the Olympic team and be able to represent family, friends, and of course, biathlon and Team USA,” Barnes said.

Ready for the uphill battle she faces, Barnes is read to tackle the challenge of getting the gold come February when the biathlon events begin.

Everyone is doing their part in the preparation of the games. The team has come from humble beginnings where they even had to bring in the military and National Guard to help with the coaching of the biathletes.

Now with a little over $2 million for the sport’s budget, the team can attest that they are in one of the best positions since the start.

Tim Burke, 28, of Paul Smith’s, NY, said, “We have a completely new coaching staff, new team managers, and complete change throughout the organization. And I feel I am surrounded by the best coaches in the world, which has made the biggest difference.”

Head Coach, Per Nilsson, along with the rest of coaching staff has strengthened the team and prepared them for the competition they face ahead at the Winter Games.

Johnson said, “One of the best ways to capitalize [on our abilities at Vancouver is from] that high level training.”

            The team has been able to train side by side the very best athletes in the world at the best training venues in Europe. Hopefully, this will give the team a leg up on the competition.

            Jay Hakkinen, 32, of Kasilof, AK, said, “I plan to focus on the relay and beat up on other nations that aren’t as experienced as us.”

They men’s biathlon team is composed of 5 members: Jeremy Teela, Park City, UT; Lowell Bailey, Lake Placid, NY; and Wynn Roberts, Battle Lake, MN; as well as Hakkinen and Burke, mentioned earlier.

The team has been able to focus on its shooting techniques, one of its main weaknesses as a team. They have gained accuracy, speed, and confidence in their abilities.

 Let’s hope these coaching adjustments prove to be enough when the team finally hits the course.

Although biathlon has never gotten the gold, they have come a long ways in their technique and determination to do well at the games.

As Burke said, “I thrive on being the underdog.”

 

Team USA has been the underdog for 50 years; so let’s hope there is a gold medal in their future.

___________

By: Corinne Hemmersbach

Chadwick School

 

Tim Burke, 27, Paul Smiths, N.Y., said, “Being the underdog, an American in biathlon, really motivates me.” 

 

Traditionally an Olympic sport of European dominance, biathlon is a combination of cross country skiing and rifle shooting.  Germany and Norway hold the records for the most medals in the Olympic Winter Games in this sport.  This was seen in the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino, Italy when only seven nations in total took home medals, Germany winning the most.

 

The United States has never won an Olympic Title in the history of biathlon. Tim Burke might change that this year in Vancouver.

 

The 2010 Olympic biathlon will be held at the Whistler Olympic Park.  This will be Burke’s second trip to the Olympic Games.

 

Burke has already had a successful season this year in which he triumphed the World Cup, and now is the first American ever to wear the yellow bib as the overall World Cup points leader.

 

In a press conference, Burke indicated that the 2010 U.S. biathlon team may be the most talented team the U.S. has ever sent to the Olympic Winter Games.  He feels, as a team, they have a lot of experience.  Hopefully enough to finally hold onto a medal in Europe’s most popular winter sport.

 

Racing alongside of Burke, who has been the top U.S. biathlete since the 2006 Winter Olympics, will be Lowell Bailey, 28, Lake Placid, New York who will be making his second trip to the Games; Jeremy Teela, 33, Heber City, Utah, making his third trip to the Olympic Games; Wynn Roberts, 21, Battle Lake, Minnesota, experiencing his first Winter Olympic Games; and Jay Hakkinen, 32, Kasilof, Alaska, making his fourth trip to the Olympics.

 

In a press conference, all the teammates indicated that participating in these games with Burke brings them confidence, knowing that their teammate is wearing the yellow bib.  The U.S. team feels that this year a medal is a realistic goal.

 

Max Cobb, Team U.S.A.’s executive director from Westford, Vermont indicated that there was not enough funding for the team in the years leading up to Torino.  There were no real sites for the athletes to train.  But in the past years, these levels of funding have been raised.  With this money, the team has been able to hire a higher level coaching staff.  Jay Hakkinen indicated in the press conference that the new coaching staff has brought in useful tactics that will hopefully result in a medal for the team this year in Vancouver.  Burke said, “The entire staff is really profession and has given me everything I need to compete with the best in the world.”

 

The U.S.A. women’s team will be sending four biathletes to the games including Haley Johnson from Lake Placid, New York, Sara Studebaker from Boise, Idaho, Lanny Barns from Durango, Colorado, and Laura Spector from Lenox, Massachusetts.  However, expectations for the American women are not as high in Vancouver.    

 

 

All team members are completely focused on reaching for the gold.  With the U.S. sending this experienced men’s team, the chance of medaling seems to be realistic.  Hopefully the team is experienced enough to make U.S. history this year.  The 2010 Olympic Games will take place February 12- 28^th.  The first event for the men, the 10km Sprint, is scheduled for Sunday, February 14, at 11:15 am.

________________

 

By Chudi Iregbulem

 

Chadwick School

 

The rivalry between Russia and the USA dates back to the mid 1900s, nearing the end of World War II.

 

The Soviet Union and the United States were the last two major global powers left and tempers flared between the two countries leading into the Cold War of 1945.

 

The Cold War was a nuclear arms race of the spread of communism.

 

Although the Cold War ended in 1991 the international rivalry has raged on to present-day American sports.

 

As time pressed on, this global bout transferred itself into the Olympic sports realm as another means of settling the rivalry.

 

In Lake Placid, New York, and 1980 the battled continued on in what would go on to be recognized as the “Miracle on Ice” greatest American sports event ever played.

 

However the on-going Cold War raised the stakes of this Olympic hockey game involving the USA and the Soviet Union.

 

Not to mention that the winner of this game would also be given a great shot at winning the gold medal.

 

So really there wasn’t too much pressure on this game.

 

Russia came into the game known as the best hockey team in the world and the shorthanded US team was forced to compete with amateur and collegiate players only.

 

In a David versus Goliath-like performance, the US defeated the Soviets.

 

In the 2010 Winter Olympics the US is highly anticipated to challenge the biathlon competition because the great Tim Burke, 27, of Paul Smiths, N.Y. was born.

 

It may be irony or possibly destiny that Burke was born in New York just two years after this legendary match.

 

Burke is just young man but he has already accomplished a feat no one in US Olympic history has done.

 

According to Team USA, Burke took the World Cup lead a few weeks ago.

           

In shock Burke said, “I just saw yellow. I completely stopped thinking and with all my team members cheering at the track I just flew over the course”

 

In a Colorado press conference Burke said, “I think it’s hard to say because it has never been done before, but I think a medal in biathlon would help expose our sport to the whole country.”

 

Following Burke’s statement, Jay Haakinen, 32, of Kasilof, AK said, “For us I think biathlon is one of two sports that have not won a medal at the Olympics, so this is really a historical result and that’s why it makes us all dependent to win it.”

 

The goals for Burke and Haakinen extend far beyond just winning a medal, but also to expose the sport to mainstream US media.

 

Burke may as well be known as the ambassador or even the face of American biathlons.

 

 

Burke looks to settle the rivalry with Russia once and for all in an epic performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

__________________

By Lisha Kim

Chadwick School

 

U.S. Biathlon Team Shoots, and Skis, for Gold

 

When asked what gives him faith through the lack of success and role models in the sport of biathlon in the past, Tim Burke, 28, of Paul Smiths, New York, at a press conference on January 12 said, “Personally, I really thrive on being the underdog… every time I hear that it’s not possible for an American to take an Olympic medal in biathlon, that’s incredibly motivating for me.” No other American has reached this level, so the team wants to keep working to go even farther.

 

As students at Chadwick School prepare for the end of finals exams and their annual trip to Mammoth Mountain, they are preparing for a whole different type of skiing than the U.S. Olympic biathlon team. For one thing, they will not be shooting a gun at the end of their run. Biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, has not been a strength for the U.S. in the winter games, shown by their large lack of medals. The U.S. has never medaled in biathlon. However, due to recent changes in the U.S. biathlon program, this year might prove to be different than all the rest.

 

A number of factors are contributing to the U.S.’s potential success in the upcoming Olympic games. While the funding of the U.S. Olympic biathlon program has helped it to innovate its approach and staff, the real force behind it all is the will of the athletes. The team itself, both men and women’s, is better than ever this year. The athletes have been training for years in biathlon and skiing training camps and programs. Two of the U.S. biathlon Olympians hail from Lake Placid, New York, the location of a successful biathlete training program and one of the major biathlon competition venues in the world. Others have attended or are currently attending Dartmouth, the first college to have its own biathlon team.

 

The location of the games this year should also put the U.S. a step above the competition. Vancouver, being close to home, has given the athletes the opportunity to become familiar with the course and conditions before other competitors and better strategize for their event.

 

As well as the athletes have physically prepared themselves for these Olympics, a large amount of credit is due to the new coaching staff. Over the last four years, the U.S. Olympic team has surrounded itself with a much more professional atmosphere with the introduction of new staff members. These recent additions include a new board of directors, coaching staff, and team managers.

 

Notably, the U.S. has enlisted the help of more experienced international coaches, including Swedish coaches Per Nilsson and Mikael Lofgren and, most recently, Italian coach Armin Auchentaller. With the renowned European dominance of the biathlon circuit, this new international presence will hopefully further advance the U.S.’s chances at a medal.

 

Also a driving force behind the Olympic team is the executive director of U.S. biathlon Max Cobb. Cobb has been one of the main contributors in improving the biathlon program in the U.S. and without him, this new staff would not exist, nor would any shred of credibility that the U.S. program currently holds. He takes care of hiring the staff, finances, insurance, marketing, fundraising and the contact to the US Olympic Committee.

 

The powerful sense of motivation and the light but confident tone of the athletes at the recent press conference gives us a strong sense of assurance that the U.S. will go further than ever and shoot, hopefully on target, for the gold.

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By Michael Kogan, Chadwick School

 

For decades of years now the U.S. biathlon team has been bad, very bad.

Let’s just say since the inclusion of the sport in the 1960 Olympics there have been no biathletes from the U.S. who have even medaled.

However, like many others, I believe in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics things are looking up for our biathletes.

 This year’s team has a good mixture of experience combined with the youth and energy that some bring to the table.

“We are a team that for sure has a fair amount of experience” Tim Burke, 28, of Paul Smiths, NY, said. You know what, he is completely right. Just look at the line up of Jeremy Teela, 33, of Anchorage, AL, Olympian in 2002 and 2006, Jay Hakkinen, 32, of Kasilof, AL, Olympian in 1998, 2002, and 2006, Lowell Bailey, 28, of Lake Placid, NY, 2006 Olympian, and Tim Burke, 28, of Paul Smiths, NY, 2006 Olympian and current World Cup points leader.

It looks like they have just the right amount of experience and ability (one can only hope).

But without ability what good is experience?

Thankfully Tim Burke has ability by the truck load, which is why he is currently atop the leader board in the World Cup points total.

“He represents the Americans' best hope for their first podium finish at the Olympics” The Associated Press said of Burke. Burke has the ability to medal in the 20k individual race, the 15k pursuit as well as the mass start, all of which he had top three finishes in the World Cup this past year.

I think the fact he is the World Cup points leader says it all. He has truly emerged as one of the elite biathletes of the world. Just to top it all off, he is the first American to ever wear the yellow bib which is an honor not only for him but for the entire country.

But Burke has also been humbled by his experiences. “He's the best biathlete of all time, so to be next to him is something special" Burke said of reaching the podium in Oberhof with five- time Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjorndalen.

While having Olympic experience, the team also has a lot of experience on the track for the Vancouver Olympics. They have spent more time training there than any other team besides the Canadians.

But who can even imagine the pressure the team must be under?

Even with all of these factors the U.S. biathlon team are still looked at as major underdogs, but “I take pride in being the underdog” Burke said.

______________

By: Emily Lapham

Chadwick School

 

            Traditionally, Americans have been a dominant force in the Olympics.  However, there are two sports in which they have never won a medal.  One of these is Nordic combined, and the other is biathlon.

 

            Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and shooting, has been dominated by traditional powers such as Norway and Russia since its beginning in the 1960 Olympics.  Every four years, the American team fails to grab a medal in this sport, but this year’s team will hopefully redefine biathlon in the U.S.

 

This year, many people are confident that the losing will stop.

 

The confidence that people have in this team is due to two reasons: experience and preparation.   

 

            Leading the Olympic team, which will be competing in Vancouver, Canada this winter, is Tim Burke, 27, of Paul Smiths, New York.  This past winter, Burke made history by becoming the first ever U.S. biathlete to lead the Biathlon World Cup. 

 

His incredible ability alone is already changing the reputation of biathlon in the U.S.    

 

            Adding on to the experience of the team, Jay Hakkinen, 32, of Kasilof, Alaska, will be making his fourth appearance in the Olympics.  Hakkinen has witnessed the transformation of the biathlon program in the U.S., from its struggle in 1998 to the success in this year’s World Cup. 

 

            Competing alongside Burke and Hakkinen will be Lowell Bailey, 28, of Lake Placid, New York, Jeremy Teela, 33, of Heber City, Utah, and Wynn Roberts, 21, of Battle Lake, Minnesota.  Experience is the main strength of this team, with Bailey and Teela making their second and third trips respectively to the games.

 

 “We’re a very experienced team and we can beat up on the other nations who aren’t as experienced as us,” said Hakkinen at one press conference. 

 

              Burke, as well as his teammates, will be competing with confidence this year due to the abundance of skill and knowledge the team has.  “We have a lot of experience that I think is pretty unique to this team… something you haven’t seen in past biathlon teams,” said Burke, who says he is personally motivated by the “underdog” expectation that the world has for American biathletes.   

 

The program itself has also been making changes over the past decade by restructuring and reorganizing.  As Executive Director of the U.S. Biathlon Association, Max Cobb, of Westford, Vermont, has been leading the program in a new direction. 

 

He blames the lack of success at previous Olympics on the shortfall of preparation.  The triumph of biathletes, he believes, depends greatly on the ability of the coaches, and the program has now brought in some of the very best for this team.   

 

Of course, this was made possible by the extreme incline of funding that this team has been blessed with.  Due to the lack of success in the sport after the 1998 Olympics, the program had virtually no support and zero major sponsors.  This limited the amount of training the athletes could do, hindering their success. 

 

The $2 million budget this year helped with preparation.  “We were able to send the A team to Europe for a 7 week camp in August and September where they were able to get really world class training at some of the best training venues in the world,” said Cobb.

 

In order to fix other past mistakes, the team has also put much more effort into preparing for the unique course that Vancouver offers.  “We’ve spent more time training at that venue than I think any other team… I think we all feel really comfortable there with the venue and the trails,” said Cobb.       

       

The entire team is determined to break through the European dominance and make history in biathlon.  Most people believe that Americans cannot be successful in this sport, and you can’t really blame them.  A good portion of the U.S. has never even heard of biathlon since there have been very few victories for the athletes that compete in it.   

 

This is the exact reason why winning a medal at these Olympic games in Vancouver is so important to Burke and his teammates.  Biathlon has been becoming more recognized over the past few years, but there is still very little respect for the sport.  

 

Let’s see if that changes.
_____________

 

By: Brian Shaw

Chadwick School

Biathlon Fail

We have the most medals in Olympic Games History.

We have the third most medals in Winter Olympic history.

But we have not one single medal in the sport of biathlon.

Along with the sport of Nordic combined, biathlon has produced zero podium standers, making it one of two blemishes in the United State’s outstanding Olympic performances.

But is this poor performance justified?

The Associated Press said, “The United States is simply behind the curve in a sport long dominated by the Norwegians, French, Germans and Russians. You need strength and endurance, you have to be Lance Armstrong and Babe Ruth, and so far the Americans haven't found that combination for a biathlon breakthrough.”

And maybe this lack of a “super biathlete” lies in the fact that many Americans are clueless as to what biathlon even is.

Kevin Maney from USA Today notes, “In the USA, biathlon's popularity ranks somewhere behind badminton, team saber dueling, and those world's-strongest-woman competitions on ESPN2, which are usually won by somebody named Helga.”

In other words, Americans genuinely aren’t very interested in this European dominated sport.

When I asked one of my friends the other day what they thought biathlon was, they shrugged and answered, “Like a triathlon, with only two events?”

In actuality, biathlon is a sport that combines cross-country skiing with precision shooting.  You basically ski around and shoot targets faster than your counterparts can ski around and shoot targets.

But all of this doesn’t mean we can’t win a medal.

In fact Vancouver is our best opportunity yet to fulfill our biathlon medal ambitions.

Why?

Simple: Tim Burke

Born in 1982 near the legendary Lake Placid (that place where those American college boys beat the Soviets in one of the most legendary hockey matches of all time), Burke comes from an already Olympic frenzy area of the U.S.

And he’s coming off his best World Cup, or the international biathlon league, season yet, becoming the first American to ever lead the World Cup standings.

Combine that with a new Swedish coach, Per Nillson, who Teresa Sullivan from Voice of America News says,” Has had a significant impact on his(Burke’s) improved performance,” and nearly 10 years of biathlon competition experience and you’ve got yourself pretty darn good biathlete.

And if he can’t win an individual medal, Burke can help the already experienced U.S. biathlon team win a relay event.

Teammate Jay Hakkinen, 32, of Kasilof, AK, said in a press conference, “The past four years we’ve focused on the relay and kind of perfected who should go where…we’re a very experienced team and we can beat up on the other nations who aren’t as experienced as us.”

The U.S. is returning almost the same 2006 Torino Olympic games Men’s biathlon team to Vancouver.  Veteran experience is crucial to the United States formula for success.

And what’s more?

The United States has a huge home court advantage in this year’s games.

Vancouver is located in Canada, America’s northern neighbor.

Due to its snowy conditions and winter atmosphere, Vancouver provides a natural training ground for the U.S. team.

Burke,28, of Paul Smiths, N.Y., said, “we’ve spent more time training at that venue than I think any other team, maybe besides the Canadians.  We all feel really comfortable there with the venues and the trails.”

Even U.S.A. women’s team Tracy Barnes, 27, of Durango, CO said, “Great that the games are in North America, I think it’s a huge advantage for our team”

So lets recap:

We have home court advantage in Vancouver

We have experience from our veteran biathlon team

And we have Tim Burke, one of the elite Biathletes around the world

 

So with all the tools in our utility belt, let’s get that medal America.

 

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By: Kevin Wang

 

Who in the United States knows what biathlon is? I sure as hell didn’t. Not that it matters anyways, seeing as how we haven’t made the podium since the event began in the Olympics. Tim Burke, 28, of Paul Smith’s, N.Y., though, could change all that.

 

In a few months at least.

 

The origins of this sport began as an exercise regime for Norwegian soldiers. It was used as an alternate training regime for military soldiers. It consists of cross country skiing and shooting. Though its origins is in Europe, biathlon should be a sport we Americans should at least be able to place somewhere in the top 3 after all these years.

 

This year in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Burke can change that. One of the most watched sports in Europe, the biathlon has numerous events in Europe. Collectively, these are known as the World Cup. Burke held the top position and the yellow bib just last month. A second place finish in the men’s mass start race in Oberhof, Germany, allowed him to take the lead. Having already placed on the podium 3 times this season, Burke is our greatest hope.

 

In the last Olympics, the fifth biathlon event was added. This mass start race should benefit Burke a great deal after he finished second in Oberhof. It should also benefit Jay Hakkinen of Kasilof, Alaska, who at the last Olympic, had a solid run. Although he failed to reach the podium, Hakkinen climbed as high as sixth before finally finishing 13^th. After his solid performance in Torino, Hakkinen should feel confident going into Vancouver.

 

These pre-Olympic races have allowed the team to gain confidence in their abilities. Along with Burke are three Olympic team members with prior Olympic experience. Hakkinen, Jeremy Teela of Heber City, Utah, and Lowell Bailey of Lake Placcid, New York, each is in their 4^th, 3^rd, and 2^nd Olympics, respectively.

 

This amount of experience should be able to drive the team ahead of some other countries. "We're a team that for sure has a fair amount of experience," Burke told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Oberhof, “and these guys have been pretty successful. They haven't taken a medal at the Olympics but they both have top-15 finishes.”

 

Historically and in recent years, the Norwegians, Russians, and Germans have held the top spots in biathlon. Burke is threatening this. After his successful finishes in the World Cup, Burke has had much of a confidence boost as Vancouver approaches. Becoming the first American to wear the yellow bib as the World Cup point’s leader only helped. Burke said, “I feel I can carry that momentum over into Vancouver." With America watching him, or at least some of us, there are high expectations this year.

 

Referring to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Jeremy Teela said, “After that performance I think I came away with a lot of confidence leading into this year, I learned a lot, what preparation I need to do before the games and also the things I need to work on that I have been working on over the last year.” It is obvious that leading into the Vancouver Games, the team is riding on more confidence.

 

Having spent three years living in Vancouver, Teela should almost have that “hometown” advantage. Burke even mentioned how the team has spent the most time on these Canadian venues, besides the Canadian team, than any European team.

 

Bailey is making his sophomore trip to the upcoming Olympics. One of the younger members of the team, Bailey said the team had, “really quality athletes on U.S. biathlon.” Although essentially all talk, we believe that this year’s team can be successful.

 

Preparations for this year’s Games have been more challenging. Having been through 3 trials starting from 2002, Bailey said, “I’ve been through 3 different trials situations now, starting with the 2002 trials. [This year’s] was by far the strongest and most challenging trials that I’ve been through”

 

All of this preparation and training should significantly help the Americans achieve what they have been lacking, a medal, this year. Not that it would cause more of an uproar, really, seeing as how most of the country doesn’t even know what biathlon is.

 

But they soon will.

 

 

Because of Burke.

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