March 18, 2005 – Canada’s Jaime Robb and Marc-André Bédard climbed their way into the top-10 at the junior and youth world championships in Kontiolahti, Finland on Friday.

Edmonton’s Robb executed an explosive performance, speeding his way along the five loop course in the junior men’s 12.5-kilometre pursuit to cross the finish line in ninth place, three minutes 07.5 seconds off the leading pace. The 20-year-old battled fierce wind gusts to hit 14 of his 20 targets.

“I had an exceptionally good race today, my best international race ever,” said Robb, who is competing in his last year as a junior athlete. “It was really nice to end my season as a junior with a bang. Today I was just trying to concentrate on the race at hand, thinking about what I had to do to have a good race and this had a major impact on my performance.”

Simon Fourcade of France set the time to beat on Friday, crossing the finish line in the lead for the gold medal at 39:12.2 with four shooting errors. Norway’s Emil Svendson finished the pursuit at +29.9 for the silver medal with eight errors, while teammate Stian Navik rounded out third at +1:18.6 and seven shooting errors.

Jean-Philippe LeGuellec, Valcartier Que., who has led the Canadian team at the junior world championships this week, ended the day in 13th place after crossing the finish line +3:33.0 behind Fourcade. Patrick Côté, Grand Falls, N.B. followed in 41st at +7:11.0 and 10 shooting errors, while Nathan Smith, Calgary, finished in 49th at +8:18.6 and nine errors. There were 58 competitors in the junior men’s category.

Marc-André Bédard, Shannon, Que., who has been achieving top-15 results throughout the world championships in the men’s youth category, finished the day in 10th place at +3:00.5 with five shooting errors.

“It was really, really windy so it was very difficult to shoot,” said Bédard. “I went for a fast start then just slowed down completely at the shooting range and took my time. I knew if I shot well I could move up in the standings.”

Norway swept the podium in the youth men’s 10-kilometre pursuit, loaded with 57 of the world’s best 17 and 18-year-old biathletes. Anders Bratli, who started the race in the lead, crossed the finish line first at 32:49.8 and four shooting errors. Teammate Martin Eng finished the day +1:00.7 seconds behind Bratli for the silver medal after hitting 16 of 20 targets, while Arild Askestad grabbed the bronze medal at +1:05.5 and three errors.

Three other Canadians competed in the youth sprint event. Maxime Leboeuf, Val Bélair, Que., ended the day in 24th place at +4:35.7 and seven shooting errors, while Edmonton’s Yannick Letailler slipped into 40th spot with a time of +6:17.9 and seven errors. Brendan Green of Hay River, N.W.T. was the final Canuck to compete, crossing the finish line at +6:27.4, hitting nine of 20 targets.

The Canadian women also made an impact on the international stage in both the youth and junior categories.

Audrey Attali, Gatineau, Que., was the fastest biathlete to ski with the maple leaf in the youth women’s 7.5-kilometre pursuit. Attali finished the race in 29th place with a time of +5:46.8, hitting 17 of 20 targets. Rounding out the Canadian assault was Cynthia Clark, Canmore, Alta., who finished in 30th spot with a time of +6:04.6 and three shooting errors, while Megan Imrie, Falcon Lake, Man., did not finish.

Darya Damrachova of Belarus took the top spot on the podium when she grabbed the gold medal with a time of 26:36.6 and six shooting errors. Russia’s Svetlana Sleptsova slipped into second for the silver medal at +1:21.0, while Volha Alifiravets of Belarus took home the bronze medal with a time of +1:44.0. Both Sleptsova and Alifiravets had five shooting errors.

Joanie Haché, of Stoke, Que., rounded out the top Canadian results in the pursuit race on Friday. The 19-year-old ended the day in the junior women’s 10-kilometre pursuit in 30th place at +8:05.0, with three shooting errors.

While Haché posted the fastest Canadian time, it was Russia’s Anna Bulygina who claimed the gold medal, taking the lead with a time of 37:08.2 and seven shooting errors. Germany’s Magdalena Neuner came in second place at +1:02.6 with nine errors, while Russia’s Maria Kossinova was third (+1:23.7), and five errors.

Other Canadian results in the junior women’s 10-kilometre pursuit included: Nicole Pacas, Canmore, Alta., in 37th place at +10:16.3 and six errors; Lindsey Bolivar, Yellowknife, N.W.T., in 42nd spot at +11:12.8 with seven errors; and Sonya Erasmus, Vanderhoof, B.C., in 47th at +12:27.9 with nine errors.