March 15, 2011 (Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia) – Sara Studebaker has had a breakout season during this year’s World Cup circuit. The 2010 Olympian, who scored top-20 finishes at both the Presque Isle WCup and the IBU World Championships, entered the season as the top ranked US woman and the 26 year old has shown she’s a force to be reckoned with.

The Dartmouth College graduate, who has been training with the US Biathlon team since 2007, was the only US woman to qualify for the pursuit race at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and has since been developing her skills towards what she hopes will produce top results in the coming seasons. SkiTrax caught up with the Boise, Idaho native at the IBU Worlds in Russia just before the final event, the women’s relay, to talk about her success on this year’s circuit, and what we can expect from her and the United States down the road.

You’ve had some impressive results this World Cup season including a 17th place finish in the Individual 15km at the IBU Worlds. What do you attribute your success to and has it changed your overall perspective?
Sara Studebaker: I think my success this year has been the result of several years of hard work and training. It takes time to develop as an athlete, and especially with biathlon you need experience at the high level before you can do well consistently. This year has been much more relaxed for me and I’ve felt comfortable competing at the World Cup level and I think that allowed me to really take a step forward. My successes haven’t really changed my perspective so much as verified things for me. I always believed that with hard work I could be in the mix of things, and seeing how this year has gone just gives me confidence that I can get to that top level.

Nine of your career top 10 World Cup finishes have come this year – what’s different this season?
SS: I think the atmosphere is just more relaxed for me. Of course, the stress of the Olympics was tough last year, but it was also my first season on the World Cup and it can be stressful just being in such a new and crazy situation all season. I think that after having a couple of good results, rather than feeling pressure, I felt confident that I could continue to perform. It’s really been fun to see how all the training is paying off, and it makes me look forward to the next few years as we head towards Sochi.

With success do you feel more pressure to maintain a higher level of performance?
SS: Not right now. I think this year has been such a break-out season for me that it’s just been more enjoyable to see my results and look forward to the next races. I hope that I’ll always be able to have the perspective that keeps pressure off, but I know it will get tougher as I get better. For me, I just have to remember that this is biathlon, and anything can happen. You have great days and hopefully those days come more often – but even the best have bad days, and that’s ok.

This is your first IBU World Championships – what were your expectations going in and have you achieved them so far?
SS: After the US World Cups I definitely had higher expectations for myself. I knew that if I had a good race I could be in the top 20. The sprint race was really a tough one for me, and I had to really focus and re-group after that [she placed 48th]. Having a decent pursuit [Studebaker finished 38th] and getting back into World Cup points was really good for me mentally and I was able to stay relaxed for the individual, despite the conditions, and have a great race. Even though I had hoped to do better in the sprint, having such a good Individual on such a tough day was really exciting for me and has certainly made my World Champs so far!

What do you expect from the US foursome at the upcoming relay event on Sunday?
SS: I think we have a really solid women’s team and that we can have a great relay. We’re not quite at the level yet where we can expect to do great all the time, but we’re getting there and I think if we all have a decent day we can have a good result. Right now it’s a lot about experience for us, and hopefully by Sochi we can be right in the mix of things. Of course it’s really motivating to see the men’s team have such a great result here [the US men finished 6th] – it really shows us what is possible!

What do you hope to accomplish going forward after these World Championship races?
SS: This season in general has been an amazing learning experience. I got to race in my first World Cup Mass Start in Fort Kent, and being right in the mix of things in a few pursuits really gave me the opportunity to see the level of the women I’m chasing. I know I still have a lot of work to do before I can stand on that podium, but it’s possible, and I’m really excited about that potential.

How far away do you think the US Biathlon team women are from medaling at a World Cup…?
SS: Our goal for sure is to be in contention in 2014. With several top-20 and top-30 finishes this year from our team I think we’re not too far from that goal. It’s definitely going to require a lot of work, but I think we’re all motivated and excited to make that happen.

Thanks for your time, all the best on Sunday and good luck with the rest of the season.
SS: Thanks

The US Women’s Relay team finished 14th overall out of 20 teams on Sunday – read more HERE.

February 07, 2011 (Presque Isle, Maine) – SkiTrax talked with US biathlete, Lowell Bailey, after his 16th place finish in Sunday’s Pursuit competition in Presque Isle, Maine. Bailey talked about his solid set of results this season, attributing his mental approach to his success. The two-time Olympian also discussed the hopeful return of his flu-ridden teammate, Tim Burke, in time for the IBU World Cup in Fort Kent this coming weekend.

February 05, 2011 (Presque Isle, ME) – Here are some more photos from the IBU World Cup Sprints in Presque Isle, Maine. Helena Ekholm (SWE) took top honours in the women’s 7.5km event, while Arnd Peiffer (GER) grabbed gold in the 10km men’s race. Sara Studebaker (USA) scored a personal best 14th place finish in front of her home country fans, while Lowell Bailey (USA) was the top North American man in 25th.

Click HERE for women’s story and results.
Click HERE for men’s story and results.

February 04, 2011 (Presque Isle, Maine) – Arnd Peiffer of Germany dominated the men’s 10km sprint this morning by shooting clean and skiing to a 25:28 victory over Martin Fourcade of France. Fourcade had one standing penalty that left him 15.9 seconds behind his German rival. Third went to Ivan Tcherezov of Russia, who also shot clean, but finished 36.6 seconds back.

First Win Since January 2010
Tarjei Boe (NOR) and Tcherezov were early starters and in the lead group until Fourcade at number 47 and Peiffer at number 54 started. It was easily discernable that these two would be battling for the lead after both shot clean in prone and were well ahead of the field. Fourcade had his chance to win the competition when he came to standing first. However he missed one shot and although skiing well, could only win if Peiffer who was skiing at about the same speed missed a standing shot.

That was not to be as Peiffer shot clean very fast and left the stadium with a 22.4-second bulge over Fourcade. Although Peiffer slowed a bit over the final loop, he crossed the finish line with his first victory since the Antholz sprint in January 2010. He was well aware of the battle for first place with Fourcade. “I knew that I had to hit every single shot; it was great pressure but it came out okay.”

Early in the season, the German men were struggling, but the recent success of Michael Greis and now Peiffer shows that the team is on the upswing. He commented, “We had two people in the top eight today – Christoph Stephan was 7th. We have a good relay after winning in Antholz and Oberhof. I think we are a better team than last year.”

Today was the fourth time that the Olympic silver medalist Fourcade finished in second place this season. “It is okay now, because I won in Antholz.”

Tcherezov is the top Russian man at this stage of the season. Like many of the athletes, he has struggled a bit with the long trip to Presque Isle, yet made the podium. “I am very pleased with my results. But my body says I should be sleeping, but I had to be out on the tracks today.”

US and Canadian athletes were well off the mark set by Peiffer, although several shot well, while being considerably slower on the tracks. Lowell Bailey of Lake Placid, NY finished 25th, with a single standing penalty, 1:49.9 back. Bailey was among a large group of men who shot clean in prone today, as the light breeze offered little challenge in that stage.

However, he missed a standing shot and then slowed down in the final loop. His teammate Jay Hakkinen of Kasilof, Alaska shot clean today but finished 28th, 1:57.8 back. That was Hakkinen’s best result this season and his best in over a year. He missed the early part of this season after a battle with mono in the fall. He missed a good amount of training in the late fall, but now is getting into better shape.

Canadian Brendan Green was the top Canuck in 34th place. Like Hakkinen, he shot clean, but was 2:11.9 back at the finish. Jean Philippe Le Guellec continued to struggle as he missed two prone shots but cleaned standing today. He finished 40th, 2:14.4 back, with teammate Nathan Smith, with one penalty, in 43rd, 2:20.4 back. All of the Canadian and US competitors except 70th place Zach Hall qualified for Sunday’s pursuit competitions

Fourth went to the Yellow/Red Bib-wearing Tarjei Boe of Norway, with one penalty, 45.9 seconds back. He finished 7.3 seconds ahead of Carl Johan Bergman of Sweden, who also had one penalty. Markus Windisch of Italy, also shooting clean finished in a personal best sixth place, 1:04 back.

Full results HERE.