February 01, 2011 (Nove Mesto, Czech Republic) – Canada’s Scott Gow led the North American charge for the second straight day at the Youth and Junior Biathlon World Championships posting back-to-back 16th-place finishes.

Maxim Tsvetkov (RUS) earned the world title in the youth men’s 7.5km pursuit over Norway’s Vetle Sjastad Christansen in second while Tsvetkov’s team mate Alexandr Loginov was third. Johannes Kuhn (GER) seized the victory in the junior men’s 10km race,  with Ludwig Ehrhart (FRA) second and Tom Barth (GER) third.

Gow, a 20-year-old Calgarian, held his position in the pursuit competition. He missed three shots in his final two of four rounds of shooting at the range to clock a time of 37 minutes 27.7 seconds in the junior men’s 12.5-kilometre race. Fellow Canuck Vincent Blais finished 52nd.

Team USA’s Raileigh Goessling finished 53rd while team mate Eathan Dreissigacher (USA) took 56th.

Tsvetkov Wins Youth Men’s Title
Tsvetkov won the youth men’s 10km pursuit, his second World title. Vetle Sjastad Christiansen (NOR) was 30.3s behind for the silver medal, while Alexandr Loginov (RUS) took the bronze, only 32.7s off the win.

Stuart Harden (CAN) made up 21 spots in the standings with a strong pursuit race and finished 23rd with a time of 32:47.0. Christian Gow (CAN) also put in a solid effort, finishing 27th (33:02.7), while Macx Davies dropped to 29th at 33:06.2. Sean Doherty (USA) finished 37th with team mate Casey Smith (USA) in 54th.

Youth Results HERE.
Junior Results HERE.

February 01, 2011 (Nove Mesto, Czech Republic) – Ekaterina Zubova (RUS) won the youth women’s 7.5km pursuit, while the junior women’s 10km pursuit saw Italy’s Dorothea Wierer strike gold ahead of Russia’s Aleksandra Alikina and Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier in second and third, respectively.

Wierer led from start to finish, but the final standing shooting stage came down to the wire with Alikina. Wierer missed one shot, but her Russian competitor missed three, giving Wierer the advantage.

Audrey Vaillancourt (CAN) scored the top North American performance with 32nd place and only two shooting penalties. Canadian team mates Emma Lunder and Yolaine Oddou finished 38th and 39th, respectively. Grace Boutot (USA) took 42nd spot with five shooting penalties, with team mate Corrine Malcolm (USA) not far behind in 46th.

Zubova Tops Youth Podium Again
Zubova was followed by Anais Chevalier (FRA) in second and Elena Badanina (RUS) in third for a carbon-copy podium from yesterday’s sprint competition.

Kelly Kjorlien (USA) only had three shooting faults and logged the best North American result in the youth women’s race, placing 26th. Canada’s Rose-Marie Cote finished 39th with Sarah Beaudry (CAN) right behind in 40th. Julia Ransom (CAN) placed 47th, Danielle Vrielink (CAN) was 51st, Carla Wynn (USA) took 52nd, and Tara Geraghty-Moats (USA) was 57th.

Youth Women’s Results HERE.
Junior Women’s Results HERE.