March 06, 2014 (Presque Isle, ME) – Team Canada’s Alex Dupuis, Aidan Millar and Jules Burnotte scored a stunning historic silver in the Youth Youth Men’s 3×7.5km Relay today at 2014 Youth/Junior World Champrionships in Presque, Isle, Maine.

The Canadians were 2:10.2 behind with one penalty and 10 spare rounds as Russia took the gold with a time of 59:18.9 with two penalties and 9 spare rounds. Finland was third at 2:13.9 suffering 2 penalties and 14 spare rounds for the bronze.

Team USA’s Paul Everett, Sean Doherty and Brian Halligan finished a solid 5th with two penalties and 14 spare rounds at 2:34.2 behind the winners.

Russia took an early lead with Canada in second at about 30s. US star Doherty rallied his team back to third with strong shooting and then into second place as Canada’s Millar faltered on the range. On the final leg as Russia’s Viktor Plitcev solidified their gold, Canada’s Burnotte outpaced his American rival Halligan while Finland in third became a threat. Burnotte held on to deliver the silver with Finland taking the bronze as the USA settled for 5th.

Full results here.

In the youth women’s 3x6km Relay the USA’s Anna Kubek, Madeleine Grace Phaneuf and Mikaela Paluszek finished a solid 9th at 4:56.5 behind with three penalities using 9 spare rounds. Canada’s Danielle Vrielink, Emily Dickson and Leilani Tam Von Burg placed 10th at 5:53.9 with no penalities while using 10 spare rounds.

The gold went to France with a time of 59:32.8 and no penalities while using only four spare rounds, with Russia in second at 10.0s (0+7), and Austria taking third at 32.7s (0+9).

By the first exchange it was Lithuania, Russia and France showing their teeth but things changed dramatically for France when Julia Simon used only one spare round to launch her team into first with a 26-second lead by the final exchange. Phaneuf put the USA in contention at fourth with stellar shooting but on the final leg Paluszek faltered on the range and they ended up 9th as France took the gold over Russia with Austria third as 56 seconds back. Canada finished 10th.

Racing concludes in Presque Isle tomorrow with the junior men and women’s relays.

Results here.