IDRE, Sweden (November 24, 2012) - Team USA biathletes opened the 2012-13 IBU Cup season today in Idre, with the first of two sprint events. Annelies Cook (Saranac Lake, NY) had the top finish for Team USA today, placing 32nd with a time of  24:41.4 (2+0). Cook was +2:05.3 back from Hilde Fenne (NOR) winning today with a time of 22:36.1 (1+0). Weronika Nowakowska-Zieminak (POL) finished second (22:36.2, 1+1), and Thekla Brun-Lie  (NOR) was third at  22:46.2 (0+0).

Lanny Barnes (Durango, CO) tied for 46th with Sanna Markkanen (FIN), posting a time of 25:09.7 (2+0). In her first career IBU Cup start, Tara Geraghty-Moats (Fairlee, VT)  finished 56th with a time of 25:27.2 (2+1). Tracy Barnes (Durango, CO) finished 63rd (25:35.4/1+1). Extended results from the Women's 7.5km Sprint are available here.

Leif Nordgren (Marine, MN) posted the top finish for Team USA men at  44th,  27:15.6 (1+2), 2:08.3 back from today's 10km Sprint winner Julian Eberhard (AUT), finishing at 25:07.3 (1+0). Tobias Eberhard (AUT) took second with a time of 25:31.2 (0+1), just 23.9 seconds behind his brother. Russia's Victor Vasilyev finished third with clean shooting and a time of 25:37.

Also making his IBU Cup debut, Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH) finished 73rd, posting a time 28:46.0 (3+1) Extended results from the Men's 10km Sprint are available here. 

IBU Cup racing continues tomorrow with the a second round of Sprint events. The Men's 10km will start at 10:00 (CET), and the Women's 7.5km follows at 13:00 (CET). Tomorrow's start lists and results are available here.

Mixed Relay will Open IBU World Cup Season Tomorrow in Oestersund

Team USA will open the 2012-13 IBU World Cup season tomorrow starting 10th in the Mixed Relay in Oestersund. Sara Studebaker (Boise, ID) will start the first leg of the 2x6+2x7.5 km course, followed by Susan Dunklee (Barton, VT), Jay Hakkinen (Kasilof, AK), and Lowell Bailey (Lake Placid, NY), respectively. Live results will be available here, and a webcast of the relay will begin at 15:30 (CET) here.