U.S.A. Biathlon

INNSBRUCK, Austria (January 21, 2012) – Team USA raced to a bronze medal today in Innsbruck on the final day of the inaugural Youth Olympic Winter Games. 

A field of 24 Youth Olympic cross-country skiers and biathletes competed in the first-ever cross-country skiing/biathlon mixed relay. Team USA - comprised of cross-country skiers Patrick Caldwell (Lyme, N.H.) and Heather Mooney (Peru, Vt.), and biathletes Sean Doherty (Center Conway, N.H.) and Anna Kubek (Duluth, Minn.) - finished the course in 1:05:23.0 (0+5), 59.6 seconds back from Team Germany taking gold with a time of 1:04:23.4 (1+6), just .5 seconds behind Team Russia winning silver with 1:05:22.5 (2+9).

“This was a great format to race and it was fun to mix things up and race with the boys,” said Mooney. The race began with Kubek skiing three 2K sections with a prone and standing shooting stage. Kubek handed off to Mooney, who skied the 2K loop twice. Team USA was in ninth place after the girls finished their legs.

Doherty took the third leg, skiing three 2.5K loops with prone and standing shooting in between. He finished his leg with clean shooting and the fastest time in the competition, which vaulted Team USA to second place.

Caldwell anchored for Team USA and was chased by Alexander Selyaninov of Russia throughout both of his 2.5K loops.

Extended results from today’s race are available here