Green Racing Project: Biathlon Midwinter Update
While in Lenzerheide, Switzerland for the IBU World Championships, GRP Biathlete Margie Freed checks in with her teammates and shares three highlights from each. The varied summaries display both the human and performance side of life as an elite biathlete.
GRP Biathlete Margie Freed races in the IBU Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria in December 2024. Photo courtesy Margie Freed.
Luke Brown:
Building race fitness and confidence through 5 weeks in Germany, Austria, and Italy
8th fastest shooting time in the Ridnauan sprint and hitting 5 of 6 spares in the Martell relay to avoid the penalty loop (using spares is a lot of pressure!)
Stretching his hip flexors a lot
Kelsey Dickinson:
Trying to get back on her feet after a bout of illness, which is always tricky
Has a new role as the Team USA Athletes Commission Representative for biathlon
Working on knitting baby sweaters for friends
Bjorn Westervelt:
Fitness took shape for December trials after a turbulent summer and fall of training
Just returned home from racing in four different countries in four weeks
Enjoyed the gorgeous weather in the Italian alps of SudTirol
Jackie Garso:
Enjoying many wonderful European desserts
Always swearching to pet the roaming barn cats
Looking forward to spending time with her dogs at home for a couple weeks
Michaela Keller-Miller:
Continues to learn more about biathlon
Looking forward to heading back to Vermont for some Craftsbury time to get in some good training and keep improving
Has started watching the show Severance
Margie Freed:
Balancing learning, fun, and being on the road all winter long
Looking forward to World Championships in beautiful Switzerland (although missing the lovely Craftsbury :) )
Been enjoying GRP Snow team book club
Tim Cunningham:
Spending time in the West visiting other biathlon clubs in Bozeman, Montana and Soldier Hollow, Utah
Finding the importance of a change in scenery
Learning to approach sport in a different way can sometimes turn a job back into a passion
Jake Brown:
Might become a pro cribbage player
Battled two illnesses in January but happy with good races at the Antholz World Cup at the end of the month
Filled with glee while sprinting next to Campbell Wright on his way to a silver medal in Lenzerheide, Switzerland at World Champs
Grace Castonguay:
Made her first pursuit race in Le Grand Bornand with teammate Margie
Got sick over the holiday break but is working back into racing
Loves being surrounded by many motivated and successful athletes
