January 29, 2009 (Canmore, AB) – It was a great start for North America’s female biathletes in the women’s youth 10km event on Thursday as the USA’s Grace Boutot claimed second place while Canada’s Yolaine Oddou took third. Yan Zhang of China won the race by over 1 minute in a time of 35:13.7. The 17-year-old Zhang had a substantial lead of two minutes throughout the competition and shot clean in the first three stages. In the final standing stage she faltered briefly missing one shot, but recovered to hit the remaining four targets, according to a US Biathlon release.

In the junior women’s 12.5km event Nicole Wotzel of Germany won with the winning time of 42:15.4, only 5.7 seconds over Anastasia Romanova of Russia in second. Wotzel shot clean until the final stage where she had two misses. In third was Elisabeth Voigt of Germany 24.4 seconds back. Jessican Sedlock of Canada was 20th over six minutes back with six misses. The German women took three of the top four spots. No American women competed.

Complete women’s youth 10km results here.
Complete junior women’s 12.5km results here.

Results (brief)

Youth women
1. Yan Zhang (Chn) 35:13.7
2. Grace Boutot (USA) + 1:03.9
3. Yolaine Oddou (Can) + 1:35.9
4. Iryna Kryuko (Blr) + 1:45.6
5. Olga Galich (Rus) + 1:51.7

9. Audrey Vaillancourt (Can) + 4:16.1
14. Addie Byrne (USA) + 5:06.5
30. Hilary McNamee (USA) + 7:57.3
31. Tatliana Chesham (Can) + 8:02.8
32. Rose-Marie Cote (Can) + 8:11.0

Junior women
1. Nicole Wotzel (Ger) 42:15.4
2. Anastasia Romanova (Rus) + 5.7
3. Elisabeth Voigt (Ger) + 24.4
4. Miriam Gossner (Ger) + 1:05.9
5. Laure Bosc (Fra) + 2:00.2

20. Jessica Sedlock (Can) + 6:30.2
29. Rosanna Crawford (Can) + 8:32.9
42. Megan Tandy (Can) + 12:19.2
49. Angela Salvi (Can) + 16:14.7