Claire Waichler takes aim at the Sovereign Lakes biathlon.
The Methow Valley Biathlon Team was in action over the Thanksgiving holidays at Sovereign Lakes, B.C., for a season warm-up race.
An individual regional race was staged on Nov. 28 with 40 athletes entered. The individual is the longest distance race in biathlon, and for every missed shot extra time is added to the competitor’s total. Four shooting bouts of five shots each are spaced between five ski loops.
Methow Valley’s Claire Waichler was sixth in the women’s 17-and-older category, with 12 hits out of 20 shots. Eli Nielsen won the senior boys’ category, hitting 14 of 20 shots. Both skied 10 kilometers.
The Methow team swept the junior boys’ category with Michael Mott first, hitting eight shots out of 15. Peter Aspholm was second with five-for-15 shooting, and Lazo Gitchos was third, hitting five of 15 shots. They skied 7K and had three shooting bouts of five shots each and four ski loops.
Zane Strome won the 3K juvenile boys’ group with exceptional shooting, hitting all 15 targets.
The next event for the older, more-experienced athletes is a NorAm race in Canmore, Alberta, on Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 12 – 13).
