February 15, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – Marina Korovina made it three wins in three races Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the International Biathlon Union Cup event in Canmore, Alberta. But For much of the women’s 15-kilometre individual race, it looked to be a battle for the top spot between American Lanny Barnes and Canadian Megan Heinicke with another Canadian, Melanie Schultz, nipping at their heels.

Korovina, who started 34th, stumbled on the shooting range but in the end made up for her deficiencies with superior skiing to come home in 38 minutes, 55.5 seconds. The Russian staged a late charge to deny three North Americans sweeping the podium.

“It is very difficult to win three times, but I am having a wonderful time in Canmore,” said Korovina. “I feel very good.”

Barnes, from Durango, Colo., placed second in 44:50.8 – 8.2 seconds back. Heinicke, who resides in Oberhof, Germany, was third in 40:12.3.

“It was so much fun out there,” said Barnes, who picked up her first career IBU Cup medal. “It was absolutely perfect conditions and it’s amazing to be able to race in North America.

“I just went for it today. I was a little disappointed in that one shot in prone. It would have been a great day to clean, but I’m happy with it.”

Lanny Barnes is racing alongside her twin sister Tracy in this IBU Cup event.

“I am really proud of her,” said Tracy Barnes, who managed an 11th place finish with three misses giving her a finishing time of 47:54.9. “She is the queen of the individuals. That is her race and this is one of her favourite venues.”

In an event that penalizes mistakes heavily – one minute is added to the finishing time for each missed target – Koravina looked to have put herself out of medal contention with two misses in her first three rounds. Barnes missed only one target, in her third round of shooting which gave Heinicke the lead. However, the Canadian with a chance to hold the lead into the final loop of five around the Canmore Nordic Centre course, gave up top spot to Korovina with a fourth-round miss.

“It’s always painful if you have such a good shooting race and then you miss one,” said Heinicke. “I’m happy but I’m still hungry to make some improvements.”

Schultz, who lives in Canmore, was the only shooter of the 37 competitors to shoot clean, hitting all 20 targets, but would have to settle for fourth spot in a time of 41:47.9.

“It’s bitter sweet, I guess,” said Schultz, who narrowly missed getting her first international podium. “That’s the way it is, you never know until the end of the biathlon”

Four German skiers in the event finished in the fifth through eighth spots. Juliane Doll, fifth in 46:35.6, was quicker than Korovina on the ski track, and Carolin Hennecke, sixth in 46:57.3, was the third fastest, but both stumbled on the range and each took four minutes in penalties.

Men’s Race

In the men’s race, Ludwig Ehrhart’s precision was the difference as he took top spot in the 20km individual race held earlier on Wednesday as the French men put two skiers on the podium.

Ehrhart had just one miss to finish in a time of 54:28.6. “I am really, really happy,” said Ehrhart. “I have needed to be really good shooting because my skiing has not really been good (this season) … but today my skiing and shooting came together beautifully.”

Russia’s Maksim Burtasov, with two penalty minutes, was second in 55:13.8. Third went to Remi Borgeot, despite three misses, with a time of 55:49.6.

Germany’s Benedikt Doll had the fastest ski time of the day, but like in the sprint events on the weekend was handicapped by some poor shooting, missing five targets and ending up eighth in a time of 56:18.7

Matthew Neumann of Canmore was the top Canadian finishing in 16th place with a time of 57:54.6 which included three penaltiies.

“I just did the same thing I’ve tried to do all season,” said Neumann, who is competing in his first international competition this week. “I wasn’t thinking too much, rather just trying to do my own thing.”

The top American was Jeremy Teela from Heber, Utah in 24th place with a time of 59:08.6. “Maybe I pushed a little hard and suffered in the shooting range,” said Teela, who had five misses.

The IBU Cup, which began Saturday, Feb.11, winds up Thursday, Feb. 16, with another set of sprint races.

Men 20 km Individual results HERE.
Women 15 km Individual results HERE.