December 13, 2008 December 13, 2008 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – Canada’s Jean Philippe Leguellec scored his best World Cup result breaking into the top ten with an 8th place finish in the men’s 12km Pursuit in Austria at round #2 of the Biathlon World Cup in Austria won by Emil Hegle Svendsen, of Norway (see Biathlon Canada release below). The USA’s Jay Hakkinen was 56th. Martina Beck (Ger) won the women’s competition while Canada’s Zina Kocher placed 43rd. No US women competed.

Biathlon Canada Release

Jean Philippe Leguellec storms into the Top-10 for the first time of his career at Biathlon World Cup #2. A Historic eighth-place finish matches best-ever World Cup result for Canadian male Biathlete. Jean-Philippe LeGuellec’s name will go down in the history books amongst two others as posting the best-ever World Cup result for a Canadian male Biathlete, but this is only the early chapters of what is developing into an exciting novel for the young Canuck. “My goal is to be on the podium one day so I had to expect I would get into the top-10, but I haven’t really thought about history or anything,” said the modest 23-year-old LeGuellec. “I’m not sure I could have skied much better than I did today and I shot very well on a difficult day for shooting.”

The Shannon, Que., native missed two shots in the prone position during his second of four trips to the range to finish in eighth-spot with a time of 36 minutes 51.37 seconds in the men’s 12.5-kilometre pursuit competition. The eighth-place finish matches the best-ever World Cup finish by a Canadian male by LeGuellec’s teammate and roommate on the road, Ottawa’s Robin Clegg, who also finished eighth one year ago to the day in Slovenia in a men’s individual start competition. Canada’s Steve Cyr also had an eighth-place result at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France.

“I knew this was possible because of my performances, but conditions change so quickly from one week to another,” said LeGuellec, who continues to post record results for himself each time he hits the start line with a 13th and two 17th-place finishes to go along with Saturday’s career-best. “If I could have taken a couple of more targets down today I may have been a little closer to the podium, but the winds were inconsistent and made shooting in prone very difficult.”

In the pursuit competition, the winner of the Friday’s sprint starts first, with the remainder of the field up to the top-60 starting in the order and time they finished behind that leader. One of the most exciting and spectator friendly events on the Biathlon World Cup, highlighted with lead changes and athletes clinging on for survival, LeGuellec climbed nine spots in the pursuit after starting in 17th place, and more than one minute behind the frontrunner. Emil Hegle Svendsen, of Norway, was the first to cross the line in the chase for the podium, clocking a time of 35:46.32. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen was second (35:55.70), while Poland’s Tomasz Sikora settled for third place at 35:58.35.

Two other Canadian men also qualified for the men’s pursuit. Robin Clegg was 38th (38:40.40), while Regina’s Scott Perras finished 44th (39:09.56). Zina Kocher, of Red Deer, Alta., was the lone Canadian in the women’s 10-kilometre pursuit competition and finished 43rd (38:25.28).

Germany’s Martina Beck won the gold in the women’s competition with a time of 33:41.28. Canada’s senior development team also hit the start line down the road in Obertilliach, Austria, at the IBU Cup for the first time this year.

Calgary’s Nathan Smith was the top Canadian in 16th-spot (1:03.09.2) in the men’s 20-kilometre individual start, while Megan Tandy, of Prince George, B.C., had a strong day in 14th (52:51.6) in the women’s 15-kilometre individual start competition. Norway’s Lars Berger won the men’s event after posting a time of 58:41.5, while Germany’s Romy Beer took top spot in the women’s field at 48:43.7.

Canada’s biathletes will suit up again on Sunday for World Cup and IBU Cup competitions in Austria.

Complete Results and Live Race Action Can Be Viewed at www.biathlonworld.com

Results (brief)

Men

1. Emil Hegle Svendsen (Nor) 35:46.32
2. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (Nor) 35:55.70
3. Tomasz Sikora (Pol) 35:58.35
4. Nikolay Kruglov (Rus) 36:26.28
5. Björn Ferry (Swe) 36:27.12.

8. Jean-Philippe LeGuellec (Can) 36:51.37
38. Robin Clegg (Can) 38:40.40
44. Scott Perras (Can) 39:09.56
56. Jay Hakkinen (USA) 40:42.47

Women

1. Martina Beck (Ger) 33:41.00
2. Svetlana Sleptsova (Rus) 33:59.56
3. Simone Hauswald (Ger) 34:00.40
4. Albina Akhatova (Rus) 34:08.04
5. Tora Berger (Nor) 34:12.84

43. Zina Kocher (Can) 38:25.28