May 03, 2012 – (Vermont) Craftsbury Green Racing Project skiers, Susan Dunklee and Hannah Dreissigacker, have been named to the 2012-13 US Biathlon Team. Dunklee’s inclusion represents a steady climb over the past several winters. USBA offers national-caliber athletes different levels of support depending on results and perceived potential.

Since beginning the sport in 2008, Dunklee has made her way from the IBU Cup team, through lower levels of support, to being elevated to a full member of the “A1” team this coming winter after spending much of the winter on the IBU World Cup. Dunklee’s 5th at 2012 World Championships in the individual race tied the best Championship result ever by a US woman. She ended her first-ever World Cup season ranked 34th in the total score – a very auspicious start to an international career on the world’s largest stage.

USA’s Susan Dunklee © Nordic Focus file photo

Dreissigacker’s being named to the B team is a significant step for the skier/biathlete who got started in biathlon more recently. Hannah has mixed biathlon and skiing for the past several winters, being named to the US U-26 World Championships Biathlon team both this season and last.

She’s posted several top-tens this winter on the nordic side of the ledger, with a top-20 in the Canmore IBU Cup Sprint race as a highlight of her ’11-12 biathlon campaign. However, with this nomination, Dreissigacker’s primary focus will shift to biathlon this winter, an exciting change for the Morrisville native:  “I’m psyched for this opportunity to try to get to the next level in biathlon, and also to make a bit of a change from the past few years. I’m hoping that it will be re-energizing.”

As members of the National Team, both GRP athletes will split time between the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, and Craftsbury, with additional team camps around the country, and in Susan’s case to Europe as well. Susan has qualified for the first period of winter racing on the World Cup, while Hannah’s schedule will be determined on the basis of qualifying rollerski time trials this summer and early fall, plus early winter results.

Congratulations to both athletes!