February 1, 2007 (Martell-Val Martello, ITA) – The Canadian junior men’s biathlon team delivered on the promise that they could be a medal threat in the 4 x 7.5 kilometre relay, at the final day of the Junior World Championships Wednesday, in Italy, winning a bronze medal.

The team, consisting of Marc-André Bédard, of Valcartier, Que., Yannick Letailleur, of Edmonton, Maxime Leboeuf, of Val Bélair, Que., and Brendan Green, of Hay River, N.W.T., engaged in a tight battle throughout the entire race that had them jockeying for position right up to the very last leg. The foursome stopped the clock in third-place, three minutes 5.4 seconds behind the winning German team, and a mere 0.7 seconds out of the silver medal position.

“All four of us gave it everything we had,” said Letailleur. “We all collapsed at the finish line, and I don’t think we could have worked any harder, as individuals and as a team. We were fighting back and forth the whole time and it wasn’t really until the final leg, when the Austrians had to ski a few penalty loops that we really knew we were going to win a medal.”

“It was a really exciting race to be a part of,” said Green. “The intensity was unbelievable. We all skied really well and stayed in the running the whole time. We were confident going in that we could medal if we skied our own race. This is a great way to end the competition.”

In the youth men’s 3 x 7.5 kilometre relay, Calgarians Scott Gow, Stuart Lodge and Kurtis Wenzel experienced some early trouble on the range, but managed to put together a strong race on their skis to finish in eighth-place, +4:25.8 off the pace set by Austria.

The Junior World Championships have been very successful for the Canadian team, with 10 top-20 finishes, five top-10 finishes and a bronze medal. Many of the Canadian team will be returning home to represent their respective provinces at the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Junior men top-five results:
1. Germany, 1:27:08.95; 2. Norway, +3:04.7; 3. Canada, Marc-André Bédard, Valcartier, Que., Yannick Letailleur, Edmonton, Maxime Leboeuf, Val Bélair, Que., Brendan Green, Hay River, N.W.T., +3:05.4; 4. Austria, +3:49.1; 5. Ukraine, +4:00.3

Youth men top-five results:
1. Austria, 1:08:57.36; 2. Norway, +6.5; 3. France, +1:16.2; 4. Belarus, +2:27.7; 5. Ukraine, +2:44.8

Canadian results:
7. Canada, Scott Gow, Calgary, Stuart Lodge, Calgary, Kurtis Wenzel, Calgary, +4:25.8