January 28, 2009 (Canmore, Alberta) – The 2009 Youth/Jr. World Championships begin today in Canmore, Alberta and the North American athletes are excited and ready for the competition that runs until February 3. Here’s a snapshot look at both the Canadian and US contingents hitting the start line soon.

Team USA Set to Go
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The American Team is both well prepared and acclimated according to Coach Vladimir Cervenka. Most of the athletes have been here for 5-6 days. Cervenka said that the two top Junior men, Leif Nordgren (Marine-on-St. Croix, MN) and Wynn Roberts (Battle Lake, MN) were feeling ready. Cervenka commented. “We missed some planned workouts due to the extreme cold over the weekend (minus 32 Celsius), so the guys felt a bit sluggish on Monday. Now, especially in the warmer (minus 8 Celsius), they felt a lot better. The key for them as well as the Youth Men tomorrow is the shooting. This can be a tricky range when it is windy.”

The US will have four starters in the Youth Individual competition. Ethan Dreissigacker (Morrisville, VT) was the top Youth finisher in the World Championships last year. Cervenka feels he is much stronger this year. Along with Dreissigacker, the US will start Preston Butler (Marion, MA), Raleigh Goessling (Duluth, MN), and Nick Michaud (Fort Kent, ME).

Find the complete event schedule and and result links. Click on “Watch us live on the web” link at www.USBiathlon.org to watch live streaming video (select races only) and the live results data stream (all races).

Canadian Team is Ready to Host and Compete
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Canada will field a total of 16 athletes who will host the world for the first international biathlon competition on home snow in nearly 15 years. The 2009 Biathlon Youth and Junior World Championships will take place in Canmore, Alta., January 25 – February 3. On the heels of the Canadian trials, Biathlon Canada has selected eight men and eight women who will host nearly 210 athletes representing 32 countries while competing in five youth and junior competitions during the 2009 World Championships. The youth category involves athletes that are 17-18 years old, while athletes in the junior division must be 19-20 years old.

“The Youth and Junior World Championships mark the return of major international biathlon competitions to Canada and we are delighted to welcome the world back to the Canmore Nordic Centre and Alberta,” said Joanne Thomson, executive director, Biathlon Canada, who added this is the second time Canada has hosted the World Youth and Junior Championships in biathlon. The revised Canmore Nordic Centre previously hosted the Biathlon Junior World Championships in 1992. “Hosting international competitions at home is a critical component to growing our sport across the country, and we hope Canadians will join us in what promises to be an entertaining week of competition.”

Headlining the Canadian squad in this year’s event will be Megan Tandy, of Prince George, B.C., Rosanna Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., and Stuart Lodge, of Canmore, Alta., in women’s and men’s racing. At just 20 years of age, Tandy has spent the bulk of the last two seasons competing on the IBU and World Cup circuits. One of the most promising talents in the country, Tandy had three top-10 finishes on the IBU Cup last season to go along with three top-15 finishes at the 2008 World Junior Championships, including an eighth-place finish in the women’s pursuit competition.

Growing up five minutes down the trail from the Canmore Nordic Centre, Rosanna Crawford is keen to defend her territory when the world’s best biathlon juniors stride into Alberta. The 20-year-old Crawford, who is the younger sister to Olympic gold medallist in cross-country skiing, Chandra Crawford, finished eighth in a pursuit competition at last year’s event in Cesana, Italy.

Victoria’s Jessica Sedlock and Angela Salvi, of Quebec City, will also represent Canada in the junior women’s division. Meanwhile, Stuart Lodge, also of Canmore, will be counted on to lead a foursome of junior men in Canadian colours. Lodge will be joined by Matthew Neumann, of Prince George, B.C., along with Joel Pacas and Beau Thompson, who both hail from Canmore. “This talented group of athletes which represents the future of our sport in Canada has been making significant progress, and continues to push harder each day in an effort to climb closer to putting the maple leaf back on the international youth and junior podiums,” said Thomson. “Our team has been looking forward to this event for more than a year, and we are excited to showcase our sport to all Canadians.”

The remaining eight athletes will be competing in the youth women and men’s divisions over the next two weeks at the picturesque Canmore Nordic Centre. The youth women’s team will consist of Yolaine Odou and Audrey Vaillancourt, of Val Bélair, Que., Rose-Marie Côte, of Quebec City, and Tana Chesham, of Canmore, Alta. Three Calgarians including, Scott Gow, Kurtis Wenzel and Aaron Gilmor, will be counted on to lead the youth men’s squad. Marc Villette-Brosseau, of Quebec City, will round out the youth men’s team.