January 5, 2005 – After successful races in Beitostølen and Holmenkollen, the U.S. team was anxious and ready for an even better result. That result came in the form of a seventh place for Jay Hakkinen in the sprint competition and fifteenth place for Rachel Steer in the same event.

Would the Alaskans leverage their good finishes for even better ones in the pursuit? Would Liv Grete and Raphael Poirée finally find their form on skis and in the shooting range and claim their first victories of the season?

Both questions were soon answered in the thrilling conclusion to the first series of the World Cup season.

Men’s pursuit

25-year old Stian Eckhoff of Norway started the pursuit first with a ten second lead, chased by his teammate Frode Andresen. The previous day, Eckhoff had won his first World Cup, but with four missed targets in the pursuit, his second victory was not meant to be. Instead, it was Eckhoff’s experienced teammate, Egil Gjelland, who claimed victory in the pursuit after starting eighth. The 31-year old has been a long-time fixture on the Norwegian relay team, but he had never savored victory for himself in a World Cup until Östersund.

Jay Hakkinen of the U.S. started seventh in the pursuit event, but missed six targets, dropping back to 22nd. His Rossignol Xium skis helped him preserve a top-thirty finish by contributing to him having the 13th fastest ski time. Teammate Jeremy Teela, who is also from Alaska, moved from 28th at the start to 20th at the finish.

Women’s pursuit

The women’s event saw Olga Zaitseva of Russia claim victory over the sprint champion, Sandrine Bailly of France. Both women missed only two targets, but Zaitseva proved decisively faster on the shooting range and ski course in Östersund. Top American biathlete Rachel Steer, who started in 15th place, missed two targets to finish in 20th, about three minutes behind Zaitseva.

Men’s mass start

Frenchman Raphael Poirée, who claimed three individual titles last February at World Championships, won his first race of this season in the mass start race. Poirée led the first two loops after hitting all ten of his prone targets, but missed one target in the third shooting stage, falling back to third. Ivan Tcherezov, a 24-year old Russian in only his second World Cup season, left the range in first place, but was quickly chased down by Poirée and Tcherezov’s teammate, Sergei Rozhkov. Poirée arrived at the shooting points first, took his time to hit all five of his remaining targets, and left in first. Both of the Russians had a miss each. The Flying Frenchman, as Poirée is called, and his Rossignol skis crossed the finish line first, while Rozhkov proved the fast! er of the two chasing Russians, claiming second. Tcherezov climbed to the World Cup podium for the first time, finishing third.

Jay Hakkinen, also skiing on Rossignol skis and boots, started his first World Cup mass start event. With four misses in the first two prone shootings, Hakkinen was in nearly last place in the thirty person race. But only one miss in the standing shootings combined with fast skiing netted him a 23rd place by the finish line and a great conclusion to 2004.

Women’s mass start

In the women’s race, Liv Grete Poirée of Norway started with two missed targets in the first stage, leaving the penalty loop in 24th place. It seemed like this mass start race was going to go like the other poor performances she has had this season. Up until the mass start, Poirée had not climbed onto the podium. In fact, her best performance was a sixth place in the pursuit race the day before. But after the first shooting, Liv Grete regained her champion form, hitting all fifteen of her remaining targets, climbing back to second place after the final shooting bout. Once she passed Olga Zaitseva on the last loop, her first victory of the season was secure. Zaitseva finished second, while Linda Tj ørhom of Norway was third.

With both Poirée’s on top of the podium, it seems like the biathlon universe was returned to normal. Liv Grete and Raphael claimed an amazing nine medals at the World Championships last February in Oberhof, Germany. It will be difficult for them to match that again this season in March in Hochfilzen, Austria.

The most impressive thing to come out of the December World Cups is the fantastic performances of Jay Hakkinen, Jeremy Teela, and Rachel Steer of the United States. All three are ranked in the top-fifty in the world at the moment. (All three also from Alaska.) Never before has America been represented by such a strong trio of athletes. Keep following the World Cup results, there could very well be an American victory coming soon… It is not about if, but about when.

THE SHOT from Frozenbullet.com is presented by Rossignol Ski Company and sponsored by the Toko Wax & Care Company, Patagonia, and FACT-Canada Consulting, which distributes the Arkray Lactate Pro.