Matt Neumann

Always good to be back at the WOP

2012-01-20T19:44:00.000-08:00

Finally! Something encouraging this year! For those who don’t know, I had a really slow start this season with some health issues taking over the majority of my focus and energy. This past weekend I had my first GOOD race this year in the 30km pursuit (15km classic/15km skate). I actually had a bad start and lost 4:47 to the top open men in the opening classic leg but the final 15km were the best of the year. I got in the moment and really pushed my comfort levels to move up 8 positions and wind up with the second fastest U23 skate time. I only ended up 17^th overall (8^th in U23) but it’s the feeling I’ve been looking for all year. I’m so thankful for a little bit of motivation and being able to give a full effort! Next race is this Sunday (Canadian Westerns-15km skate mass start) followed by the next IBU Cup Tour Trials on February 4^th-5^th!

Great pics by Jesse Winter at: http://www.jessewinterphotography.com/Sports/Callaghan-Valley-NorAm-and/21007420_cTvXbc#!i=1669815026&k=2brpBnn

2011-12-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my procrastination in keeping you up to date. My attention and time have being completely centered around the start of the season, getting into race shape, daily training, daily diet, and contemplating issues like, "what can I possibly do to ski faster and shoot straighter?" Despite my stubborn effort to ignore how I can afford all this, reality still seems to pop up on occasion and remind me that traveling the country and skiing for a job is expensive! (So that's my excuse for the postponed blog update.)

I started the season with the most important race of the year; IBU Cup trials in Canmore, AB. Despite my sincere efforts to be ready for this race, there are factors in Biathlon that are hard to control. I gave my strongest effort but fell well below my goal. Not a good start. I felt I had a great summer and had skied as hard as I could. I have never in my life went all out and skied so slow. My blood tests that week had some answers. I had shockingly low ferritin (indicating low iron stores) and my testosterone levels were 1/3 of their normal. It took me a few weeks to accept to myself what had happened with the trials results but I made it my first priority to get my health back.

I'm at home in Prince George for Christmas and spending some time on my home trails at Otway Nordic Ski Centre. My focus right now is on diet, recovery, and health as I prepare for my next races U23 Cross Country World Champs Trials in Whistler BC (January 12-15th).

Merry Christmas!

(photo by Sylvain Beaudry)

A little bitta snow on the mountains!

2011-10-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

Days like these, I am really thankful for the opportunity I have to train full time. I'm healthy, I had a great fall-day training session and I'm feeling the excitement of winter/skiing/racing just around the corner. I had a sweet day today skiing just under 3 hours finishing with Moraine Lake road (which was a first for me). I've had a great fall in general with some really good training opportunities and cooperating weather. This time of year goes by quickly for me and it's easy to get caught up in what I want to accomplish this winter. I've tried to switch focus from what I want to happen this winter to what I need to focus on now to get there! The first race of the season is November 14 in Canmore (first IBU Cup Tour Trials with the Canadian Team).

Thanks Rudy Project for the new fluorescent sterling helmet and glasses to keep me visible on the road!

(photo skills courtesy of Cynthia Clark)

Moraine Lake (Lake Louise) lunch break with snow on the mountains!

Switchin Gears

2011-08-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

(Rocky Mountain Racers at Haig Glacier)

Despite the glorious weather lately in Canmore, summer training is coming to an end and the focus is narrowing for the ski season. I just finished a week training at the Haig glacier which was a blast and am heading up again next week (Sept 6th). I am feeling good about my summer and hopefully everything runs smooth through the fall. I have less than 10 weeks before my first race and I'm starting to feel the excitement of racing!

Feeling Hot

2011-07-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

I am excited to say that summer has finally arrived in Canmore! I am also excited to say that the Tour de France is in full swing and providing some excellent daily inspiration heading to training! This past weekend I had a personal best time up Norquay (15:14) from the gate at the bottom to the Norquay sign at the top. It was a good indication my training is on the right track and that all my cycling in the spring went to good use. I had a large block of cycling hours in May (2500km) and I am getting more and more efficient on my bike. The summer is young and I am looking forward to see where my training can go from here!

Winter wishing!

2011-06-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

When I consider that my job is currently skiing in the mountains in perfect snow conditions, I don't feel too bad. This past week (June 23rd-28th) our Rocky Mountain Racers team spent the mornings skiing at Sunshine Mt., Banff on a 4 km loop in more or less perfect conditions. It was sunny 5 out of the 6 days and only in the last two days did grooming become difficult with the trail starting to break down. It was very convenient to have summer skiing so close to home and it replaced what would have been an expensive trip to the glacier. I had a total of 18 hours of skiing which I will be thankful for in mid-November when racing gets under way! It wasn't all fun and games. With limited on-snow opportunities I ensured I was 100% focused on my ski technique, heart rates and proper recovery. Its equal parts hard work and fun for me when I consider the reward of improving and my goals this winter. I am thankful for all my sponsors and supporters (named on the right--->) who make it possible for me to train like this and allow me the opportunity to ski full time as a "job!" Thanks!

Hometown Hero

2011-05-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

I was in Prince George this weekend to receive the Pacific Western Brewery's Hometown Hero Award. I was honored to be named PWB's hometown hero and am very thankful to Pacific Western Brewery. I encounter thousands of dollars a year in training and competition expenses so this support will go a long way in helping me reach my athletic goals. PWB is not only supporting an athlete but also health, our youth in sport, and creating positive role models in our community. Pacific western Brewery is a business role model in our city!

My training for the spring/summer will be based out of Canmore. I'll be training with the Rocky Mountain Racers but still representing my home club: Caledonia Nordic Ski Club. Sometimes you have to be flexible to get the best possible training, and right now the best training for me is in Canmore! I appreciate all the local support I have received and look forward to representing Prince George leading up to the 2015 Canada Winter Games. I think they will be huge for PG!

I would also like to thank Stride and Glide sport, The National Firearms Association and the Prince George Ramada Inn who are all supporting my training this year!

Check me out on Facebook!

2011-04-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

Anyone on facebook? You can check out my athlete fan page at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Neumann/45489539163

Show your support and "like" me or leave a comment! Its another media outlet to keep supporters and sponsors updated in my life, my training, my racing, my goals, and my results. Happy blogging:)

Back on my bike!

2011-04-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

One of the best attractions Squamish, BC has to offer: Corsa Cylces Friday night group ride! The rides started last Friday and tonight will be my first chance to join the boys for an evening of riding, hammering, sprinting and beer drinking! The rides have being a staple in my training over the last three years and I'm excited to get back on a road bike this spring. As always it will be good to catch up with the guys at the new Corsa bike shop which recently changed locations (170 1200 Hunter Pl.) and is looking spectacular!

A week in Squamish!

2011-04-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Beau Thompson, Matt Neumann, and Aaron Neumann on the podium at North American Championships!

Beau leading the mass start during the second prone shooting!

After skiing on about 3 meters of snow at the Whistler Olympic Park, here I am running in an almost sunny Squamish!

Bro's before hoes.

Red Bull Nordix 2011 - Best Action

2011-04-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Keep in mind this is on Cross Country skis with a Nordic bindings and a ski width of about 5cm (2 inches)!

National Champs Bring Highs and Lows

2011-04-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

Its been a roller coaster right to the end! I had one of my best Biathlon races of the season at National Champs followed by one of my worst, Ive traveled across the entire country and back: twice this month, and finally the end is near! I recently finished competing at the North American Biathlon Championships where I won three medals and am six days away from the Whistler Olympic Park Loppet next Saturday! I had Canada Games, Cross Country Nationals, Biathlon Nationals, and North American Champs all back to back and the racing has had its toll on me.

Im looking forward to finishing the season with a bang here in Whistler and taking some much needed rest during April. My body is already excited for spring training but my mind needs a break (especially from shooting) and I need that to refuel my battery! I'm spending the rest of April in Prince George where I will be able to visit with my family, see old friends, and just relax!

Thank you to all my sponsors (on the right column) who made my season possible and I look forward to growing the list for 2011/2012!

Kickin' off National Championships with a silver medal!

2011-03-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have asked for a better start to Canadian National Championships! It was my final goal of the season to win a medal at National Champs as a first year senior and I did just that today. It was a small start list but included the entire Senior National Team (to the exception of Olympian JP Leguellec). It was an extremely competitive finish, with the top four with in 32 seconds after 20km and four shootings. Scott Perras won 17.1 seconds ahead of me, with Scott Gow only 3.9 seconds behind. It was a great start to the week and I look forward to three more races! Schedule for the week includes:
Wednesday 20km Individual: results (http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=3879&cat=890)
Thursday 10km Sprint
Saturday 12.5km Pursuit
Sunday 3X6km Mixed Relay

Stay posted for more! Cheers supporters sponsors and everyone who helped me out this year!

100 followers!

2011-03-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

My first blogging bench mark! I'm very appreciative to see the support and am setting my next goal to 200 followers in the next 30 days! Thanks everyone for the interest, comments and support. Its motivating to keep it updated when I know it'll be read. Post a comment and Ill be sure to check your blog out.

Cheers!

Sound track to my day.

2011-03-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm procratinating my typical day-before packing before heading off across the country tomorrow morning! This always includes listening to my iPod (complemented by an Apple iPod Hi-Fi System). Lately Ive been in a "we goin' make it" genre. I would best describe it as hiphop where rappers inform the privileged viewers how hard their child hood/up raising was and that their hustle alone brought them to riches! Ive lived my whole life in the dreamer's mind state of "just wait till I make it big" so naturally the lyrics are motivating to me. Also, a deep bass is essential for enjoyment.

Here are the YouTube links to today's top 5 picks of "We goin' make it" music:

1. Eminem Ft Lil Wayne - No Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV2ssT8lzj8)
2. Tinie Tempah Ft Eric Turner- Written In The Stars ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgFyi74DVjc)
3. B.O.B. Ft. Eminem-Airplanes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BViLuaN-JYM)
4.Briccs Ft. Akon - Stay Down (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Hgx_EDfcE)
5.Akon Ft. Blewz-So Fly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev6b7CFXtgo)

I also have this stuck in my head...

Jessie J Ft B.O.B. - Price Tag (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI)

So go get ya hustle on followers!!

Final prep before Biathlon Canadian Championships!

2011-03-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

For training this morning Rocky Mountain Racers had a time trial for final prep before leaving for National Championships. It was a 6 km sprint, basically to make sure everyone was on top of their game before the last major competition of the year. I was quick on my skis and shot 9/10 which was a perfect indication I'm in good form for Nationals! I was 28 seconds behind my team mate Scott Gow (also one miss). Ill be hunting him with the first race (10km Sprint) on March 24th!

Event info at: http://www.biathloncanada.ca/dbfiles/1371.pdf

Cheers!

15km Classic (National Championships) picture update!

2011-03-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple pictures form my last race at 2011 Haywood Ski Nationals in Canmore, AB! I had a decent race and finished 27th out of 121 starters in the open men category. It was a good come back from Sunday and left me hungry for the next few weeks of racing! Pictures by team photographer Sylvain Beaudry (www.teamgrizz.blogspot.com)!

Cheers to all my sponsors, followers and supporters!

Last race at XC National Champs!

2011-03-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

I finished my National Championships today with the 15km Classic distance race! After a very disappointing skate race on Sunday I was really depending on a good race today to keep my motivation up heading to biathlon Nationals at the end of the week. I had a controlled race with a decent effort and finished 27th, a minute out of the top 10. It wasn't a perfect race but it was at my ability. I didn't try to do anything special and ended up with a solid result. I will leave the improvements for the summer training! It was a good day for me. Pictures to follow shortly!

Open Men Results: http://www.zone4.ca/live.asp?id=3814&cat=9&lap=F&c=1

Biathlon?!?!

2011-03-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

As a biathlete (cross country skiing and marksmanship to clarify), I have had to answer some of the most mindless questions in sport. I worked at the Whistler Olympic Park doing biathlon demos for tourists last summer and thought I had heard it all! I was reminded this weekend about people's pure lack of understanding of the sport. Some examples form my past:
1. A woman standing by her car looking around at the Olympic biathlon stadium, "Sooo. Where do they shoot?"
2. A woman trying shooting for the first time, "I didn't know they were aloud guns in Canada!"
3. A man lies down and looks through a screw hole in the butt plate and says, "I cant see anything!"

I could go for days... Biathlon is an Olympic sport and is the most televised winter sport in Europe! The TV ratings are only seconded overall to Soccer. In Europe its bigger than Hockey is in Canada! Here are two biathlon clips...see if you can figure out which ones real!

Sorry this one is just in German, but still an amazing race!

Hit the wall: Hard!

2011-03-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

My first race of National Championships was one of the worst races of the season for me. In the 10km (3X3.3km) skate race I had a great first lap (6th fastest lap time of the day) but hit the wall hard shortly after. I finished 34th in a field of 126 starters. I was too excited and perhaps wasn't fueled properly before the race. I went out too fast and also didn't have enough simple sugars leading up! I learned that I can't be national champion today, its something I have to build up over the summer and wait till that speed is my ability. I tried to go for it today and payed the prize. My body just didn't respond how i wanted it to. At least I'll never make that mistake again, but it's disappointing it happened at one of the most exciting races of the year...Next race Tuesday!

Results 10km skate: http://www.zone4.ca/live.asp?id=3814&cat=9&lap=F&c=1

Norwegian mens team donates to tsunami relief!

2011-03-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Norwegian mens biathlon team of Ole Einar Bjorndalen, Alexander Os, Emil Svenson and Tarjei Boe had an exciting finishing lap to take the relay gold in Friday's race! It was a close finish with Russia 13 seconds behind and Ukraine 20 seconds behind. In thought of the tsunami that hit Japan the same day, the team donated 10 000 euros to the victims. A good example of how been a professional athlete can be more than self glory!

Martin Fourcade First Gold Medal - Biathlon WCH 2011 Khanty Mansiysk Pursuit Men

2011-03-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

Epic finishing lap in 12.5km mens pursuit finish at World Champs this week! Fourcade coasts to victory with a three way sprint for silver and bronze...check it out!

Lars shoots like a Champ in Ruhpolding!

2011-03-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

A video from earlier this season of Lars Berger with perfect shooting. It's what every biathlete dreams of!

XC Nationals in Canmore start Friday!

2011-03-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

Cross Country Ski Nationals kick off this Friday in Canmore! The races will start with the very exciting, spectator friendly team sprint down town on Main Street Saturday at 10am. My first race is the 10km Free on Sunday followed by the 15km Classic on Tuesday. For full schedule check out (http://www.skinationals.com/2011/schedule-races-events). The forecast for the weekend is sunny with "warm" weather the rest of the week... perfect for spectating!

Trail sports webcam http://www.trailsports.ab.ca/webcam.htm

Great Day for Canadian XC Skiing!

2011-03-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

After Becki Scott won her Olympic gold in Salt Lake City it seemed to spark a sudden improvement in the Canadian women's performance. I think Dev and Alex's race today is breaking the international ice for Canadian men. Both have already had phenomenal results at the Vancouver Olympics and Tour de Ski this year, and I think these results today will really benefit the entire team. It gives a confidence that they have the skills to win and the Euro's ARE beatable! I'm looking forward to the rest of World Champs and Sochi in 2014!

Bronze wraps up the week!

2011-02-27T16:48:00.000-08:00

BC finished the week strong with a gold medal in the women's relay and a bronze for the men's side! Alberta had a favored team, winning by a comfortable 15 seconds( in the 4X 5km) and I was in a sprint finish for 2nd with Quebec in the anchor leg. I skied the last leg with Etienne Richard and passed the line a second behind him. It was a nice way to finish the week on the podium with team mates Matt Wylie, Joey Burton and Geoffrey Richards. I was upset to lose a position in the final meters but was happy to start my leg with less pressure knowing I was on the podium. It keeps me hungry and every mistake has a lesson!

Results below!

http://cg2011.gems.pro/Result/Event_TI_R_S.aspx?Event_GUID=4b4390cc-2e34-4f33-ad91-1e04d95ea39f&SetLanguage=en-CA&SetLanguage=en-CA

VM Men's 30 Km Pursuit Holmenkollen 2011

2011-02-27T02:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywWegiPbd8E&feature=player_embedded#at=76

Petter Northug's Finish!

Sprint Results

2011-02-23T05:37:00.000-08:00

http://cg2011.gems.pro/Result/Event_TI_I_S.aspx?Event_GUID=9cfbedb1-59a5-44b1-ba7f-70300280a57f&SetLanguage=en-CA&SetLanguage=en-CA

Canada Winter Games

2011-02-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

Results from the 10km Mens Skate race: http://cg2011.gems.pro/Result/Event_TI_I_O.aspx?Event_GUID=81c4885f-68a4-4d82-8594-a11787c2b6cd&SetLanguage=en-CA&SetLanguage=en-CA

Kick it like the Schleck brothers

2011-02-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

Watch this before going riding this spring!

2011-02-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw2ef1DD5C8&feature=related

Lake Placid North American Cup #6/ European Championship Trials

2011-02-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Qualifying for the European Championships (Ridnaun, Italy) has been my goal all year! The team selection was this weekend in Lake Placid, New York and was based on two races (sprint/pursuit). I relied completely on my skiing to carry me through some "rough" shooting and finish 3rd qualified, behind National Team members Marc-andre Bedard and Tyson Smith. The tour includes:
1. European Championships U26, Ridnaun, ITA., Feb.21-27
2. Alpen Cup, ITA, March 4-6
3. IBU Cup #8, Annecy, FRA, March 10-13

It would be my first senior tour with the Canadian Team and would be an amazing opportunity to perform at an international level. It would be the highest level I have competed at and would give me a good indication of the level I am aiming to reach. I'm skiing well and if I had my best races on the tour, I could be eligible for national team carding ($$$)! Everything seems perfect right? Unfortunately, the tour came with a $5500 team fees. This was a deciding factor in my heart breaking decision that I couldn't afford to attend. I hope to never use money as an excuse again, especially if it means turning down an international opportunity to perform! The costs of daily living, eating, training, and equipment are all an athletes responsibility. I receive less than a thousand dollars a year from my National sport organization which is even more than most athletes. I think its unrealistic for a 21-year-old full-time athlete to write a five thousand dollar check and not be worried about finances! This decision has increased my bitter-ness towards how sport is so insignificant in Canada and how expensive it is to reach your goals!

For the rest of the season I have Halifax 2011 Canada Winter Games, Cross Country Nationals (Canmore), Biathlon Nationals (Charlo, NB) and Biathlon North American Championships (Callaghan Valley, BC) in my schedule. I am excited to ski as fast as I can and leave all the money problems behind!

Check out the results from this weekend and leave a comment if you have an opinion!!

Overall Trial Results: http://nybiathlon.org/blog/?p=781
Pursuit Results: http://nybiathlon.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/noram6-pursuit1.pdf

Top 10 Results from Lake Placid IBU Cup Trials

2011-01-29T18:37:00.000-08:00

Senior Men
Name/PS/Finish Time
1. Nathan Smith (0,0) 0:28:45
2. Marc-andre Bedard (0,1) 0:28:55
3. Russell Currier (1, 2) 0:30:12
4. Wynn Roberts (0, 2) 0:30:23
5. Tyson Smith (0, 0) 0:30:31
6. Zachary Hall (1, 1) 0:30:31
7. Matt Neumann (1, 2) 0:30:42
8. Beau Thompson (1, 2) 0:31:52
9. Joel Pacas (1, 2) 0:31:53
10. Patrick Cote (0, 3) 0:32:48

Calforex/Noram #3 Canmore

2011-01-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

My first official biathlon race of the season! January 8th and 9th. I had a 3rd place finish in Saturday's 10km Mens Sprint and a 2nd place finish in Sunday's 12.5km Mens Pursuit. I had satisfactory races with medium shooting (77%) and medium skiing. I felt I gave a huge effort in my skiing but just wasn't going as fast as I can. It was enough to make some prize money and keep me hungry for the next Biathlon race IBU Cup Trials/Noram #5 in Lake Placid, New York (January 29th/30th).

Sprint Results: http://www.biathloncanada.ca/dbfiles/1361.pdf
Pursuit Results: http://www.biathloncanada.ca/dbfiles/1363.pdf
Photo credit to Sylvain Beaudry

A New Beginning

2011-01-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

I’ve been cut down and grown more in the last four months than the last 20 years of my life. I wouldn’t be able to create what has happened since I moved to Canmore, but the New Year has started and so have more growing and more goals. Since the day I first shot a gun 11 years ago, I’ve had to work to move ahead. I’ve endlessly prayed that money or speed or skills would fall into my lap, but I’ve grown to realize, if you want it, YOU have to earn it, and it feels so much better than been given to you. I am chasing my dreams and personal goals, but I also rely on a supporting structure of my parents, friends, supporters and sponsors. I had a good start to the season but I’m using the New Year as a platform to start over. For 2011 I’m trying a new mindset of no excuses. No matter what surrounds me, I’m in charge of my emotions, decisions, reactions and training. There are things you can’t control and it took me 21 years to realize (start to realize) that you actually can’t control them. For 2011 I’m concerning myself with my training, my goals, my health and my happiness.

I’m pursuing the New Year with few result oriented goals, but a sharp image of where I want to go. I have IBU Cup Trials in Lake Placid, Canada Winter Games in Halifax, Canadian National Biathlon Championships in New Brunswick and Canadian Nation Cross country Championships here in Canmore just to name a few. I am focusing on technical aspects of my skiing and shooting as well as some shooting percentage goals. I am confident the results will follow. My big goal (the reason I continue to put up with minimal income, freezing hands, sore muscles, burning lungs and horrible weather) is still the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi Russia.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

New Boots for the New Year!

2011-01-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

2010 ESK Elite Carbon Skate and the ECL Elite Carbon Classic

Ive been skiing on Alpina for three years and 2010/2011 will be my first year sponsored! A big thank you for their support and I look forward to trying out the new boots! check them out at www.alpinasports.com!

Haywood NorAm Mini Tour Results

2010-12-19T07:46:00.000-08:00

The end of 2010 finished for me with the Haywood NorAm Mini Tour in Rossland, BC. I am U23 and the results from Friday and Sunday were also Canada Winter Games trials for me. I knew my ability coming into this season and I knew I wasn't in contention for the podium. I was capable of a top 30 overall result but in the back of my mind I was really hoping to test my limits this weekend and have at least one all-out race. The tour opened with a 1.6km Sprint Qualification (Skate) on Friday with the top 30 finishers qualifying for heats and time bonuses. 1st place received a 60 second bonus in the overall tour with 30th earining 2. I had 49th qualifying time which was a disappointment but also gave me the afternoon to re-focus for the next two days. Saturday was my best chance for a good result and maybe make up some time in the overall tour with one of my favorite: a 10km skate. The snow was hard packed and the skiing was really quick for everyone. I finished in 22:55.7 (27th) which, combined with the sprint time, put me in 28th overall. Sunday's 15km classic was a pursuit start and I was starting 2:04 behind the leader. It hurt during the race and it hurts to write it almost a week later but the race wound out where I was on the final lap skiing with 30th and 31st. The feeling of getting dropped, gradually on a long rolling climb is the worst feeling in racing. Ive felt it in cycling, Ive felt it in running, and Ive felt it in skiing! It makes your heart hurt and leaves you so hungry for a re-match... I ended up after the weekend in 32nd. I qualified for Canada Games for Team BC but the last lap on Sunday will stay with me for the rest of the season.

Ill be back in Canmore on the 27th preparing for NorAm #3 (Biathlon) and the second IBU Cup Trials in Lake Placid all in January. I'm taking a brief break before Christmas to clear my mind and come back for the new year fresh and motivated!

Results after Day 2: http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?id=3266&cmd=viewcat&catid=2

Overall Tour results: http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=3279&cat=556

Thanks for following!

Photo credit to Jesse Winter (http://www.jessewinterphotography.com)

Powder, powder, powder

2010-12-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

100% real snow! I love Silver Star and this time was no exception. This weekend was my first time skiing on REAL snow this year. Soft snow meant an instant change to a delicate, technique-focused type of skiing which favored patience (and small skiers). I didn't mind at all, but it was an extreme contrast to Canmore's rock hard, always fast, perfectly groomed Olympic trails which I started the season on.

Saturday was the Haywood NorAm Teck Sprints (Classic technique). It was my first classic sprint ever and easily the fastest Ive ever went on classic skis. I had a qualifying time of 3:57.342 which put me 10 seconds behind qualifying for the heats (top 30) and 25 seconds behind the leader Drew Goldsack. Sooo lots of room for improvement. I was 53rd out of 76 open men starters. I had no expectations coming in and now I have a level to work from.

Sunday was the Haywood Noram Interval Start (15km skate). It snowed at least 15cm on Sunday morning so the course was as soft as possible. I had an early start position which was a physical advantage because I had a fresh course. By the second lap that advantage was completely gone. The obvious disadvantage to starting first is skiing on your own with no information on the other 85 starters. I improved to 27th (3:08.57 behind the leader- Lars Flora).

It was a super fun week of racing and been in the mountains, and I have three more chances this weekend to hurt myself a little harder. I am in Rossland for the second Haywood Noram starting friday...my only goal to push my limit a little bit farther. Cheers and check out the results below!

photo credit to Jesse Winter (http://www.jessewinterphotography.com/)

Saturday qualifiers: http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=3235&cat=1572

Skate distance: http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=3237&cat=1492

Alberta Cup Kickstart

2010-12-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

The 2010/2011 season has officially begun! The weekend included a skate sprint (1km) on Saturday and a 9km classic race this morning. The skate sprints were short and sweet and I was eliminated first heat/quarterfinals. I had 22nd qualifying time and ended up 19th overall. It wasn't an ideal course for me, but it was fun and fast. Saturday's total racing time: 4 minutes.

Sunday treated me a little better. I think I surprised everyone, including myself, considering it was my first classic race since a 5km BC Cup race in 2006. It was an easy course to ski, but a hard course to race. With perfect -12 (approx) temperatures and hard-as-rock snow everyone was going fast so for me it came down to bringing my speed with me in transitions and been really precise and focused for all three laps. The results were all really tight which meant every stride mattered. It was a great day and I gave it all I could have expected. I finished 13th in the open men, 1:27 behind the winner.

Here are the results:
Saturday: http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=3203&cat=497
Sunday: http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=3205&cat=2920

I'm starting to get excited about the next two weekends where Ill be racing in Vernon followed by Rossland. I have a shot at qualifying for the BC Canada Winter Games Team in Rossland and Silverstar is one of my favorite places in the world! Lots of excitement in the next bit and I look forward to keeping you updated!

Winter has begun!

2010-11-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

Wow three months went by fast! Ninety days ago I had just moved to Canmore and was skiing with my head down thinking that working hard was enough, thinking that if I pushed hard enough I could make my goals this year. It took about a week with my new coach to realize that working hard helps, but skiing is a much more complicated puzzle. When I’m skiing with faster skiers, everyone is working their hardest, so I have to learn new tricks and be more focused if I want an edge. I’ve made some small technique changes that have made huge differences and I carry a new mentality about being fast. I am finally realizing that skiing smarter is so much more rewarding than just working hard. Ive been doing Biathlon for 11 years and it’s amazing I can learn so much more every day I train.

In late October, I started skiing on a 1km man-made loop with snow that had been saved over the summer. It was a boring loop and the snow conditions were very poor. I graduated to a man-made snow loop of the same distance which I did several hundred laps and my fair share of hours. It was great to get these hours on snow even if it meant doing 3 hour skis on a three minute loop. With really cold recent temperatures the Canmore Nordic Centre is a 24 hour snow storm with snow guns blowing around the clock to get all the trails open for the season. It feels really good to start the winter and I’m even more excited for the first races!

My pre season looks something like this:

December 4-5 Alberta Cup Canmore Nordic Kickstart (Canmore, AB)

December 11-12 Haywood NorAm & Teck Sprints (Soveirgn Lakes, BC)

December 17-19 Haywood NorAm Teck Sprint Series Multi-stage Tour (Rossland, BC)

Thanks for following!

Big Thanks to Rudy Project!

2010-09-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

2010 Rudy Project Magster Yellow Fluo Frame With Multilaser Blue Lenses

Check out their helmets too!

http://www.e-rudy.com/index_inner_all.php?group_id=3

Big Leagues

2010-09-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

A week of high pressure racing is over and I have the day off to update all my supporters before training starts again tomorrow. Over the last 4 days the World Cup Trials for the Canadian Biathlon Team took place in Canmore Alberta. The races took place on a paved track at the Canmore Nordic Centre on roller skis to name the top Canadians who would be representing Canada at the first World Cup in Ostersund, Sweden. The top man (behind two pre-qualified athletes based on their results last year) would be named to the World Cup Tour and the next 5 men would be attending the IBU (International Biathlon Union) Cup Circuit.

This is my first year competing in the Senior Men Category and it is an entirely different class to Junior. The competition was at a whole new level and these races were the best way to show me how well I have to perform for me to reach my goals this season. I finished the week ranked 8th overall, one position off qualifying for the first tour. The immediate emotion was disappointment. I have trained the last 11 years to be at this level and I trained the entire year with this goal in mind. Ive spent thousands of dollars and trained thousands of hours to get to where I am right now. Who wouldn't feel unrewarded?

But rewards come to those who earn it. This morning I had two options. I could accept that I tried my best, or I could realize that everyone tries their best, and my best needs to be better. Ive trained hard all year, but so has everyone else. Ive spent thousands of dollars, so has everyone else. Ive made sacrifice, been disciplined and dreamed big.
So has everyone else. Of course everyone goes hard, its a standard for any professional in any sport. My next step in my athletic career is stepping out of my comfort zone. For me this means been meticulous with my training. Its too easy to skip the small details, but together they can make the difference between where I am and where I want to go. I have come to a point where I need to make every little detail work to my advantage. Despite the recent heart break, I feel awake and ready to improve. I have the skills, I have the training base, I have the coach, I have the motivation and I am in the best shape of my life. This week really showed me that I could either 1. simply wonder why I didn't perform well enough to make it, which would probably result in a bitter mood and loss of motivation or 2. I could figure out exactly what details I need to change in my training and racing and start improving them.These are the big leagues and its time to go big or go home!

Thanks for following,

Final Results World Cup/IBU Cup Trials

2010-09-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Here are the final results from the last week of racing! Brenden Green and JP Leguellec have been pre qualified off of their results from last year. These races determined the one remaining World Cup Spot and the 5 IBU Cup Spots.

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Best 2
24	1	Nathan Smith		93.22	100.45	102.20	101.33
25	2	Brendan Green		103.39	99.00	96.95	101.19
26	3	Scott Perrras		97.78	100.57	98.51	99.54
27	4	Tyson Smith		99.01	87.46	97.96	98.48
28	5	Patrick Coté		96.81	98.06	98.56	98.31
29	6	Scott Gow		96.81	96.34	98.90	97.86
30	7	Marc Andre Bedard		94.03	94.68	98.97	96.83
31	8	Mat Neuman		92.63	94.04	93.47	93.76
32	9	Beau Thomson		92.38	89.21	94.68	93.53
33	10	Aaron G.		89.07	91.53	93.62	92.58
34	11	Joel Pacas		92.38	87.09	88.43	90.40
35	12	Kurtis Wenzel		75.62	84.94	82.74	83.84
36	13	Aaron Neuman		79.44	81.98	81.90	81.94
37	14	Johnny Forward			80.94	79.18	80.06
38	15	Mark Arendz			80.74	71.55	76.15

Overall Results (Day 1 and Day 2)

2010-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

Day 1 Day 2 Ave. Of 2

1 Brendan Green 103.39 99 101.19

2 Scott Perrras 97.78 100.57 99.17

3 Patrick Coté 96.81 98.06 97.44

4 Nathan Smith 93.22 100.45 96.83

5 Scott Gow 96.81 96.34 96.58

6 Marc Andre Bedard 94.03 94.68 94.36

7 Matt Neumann 92.63 94.04 93.34

8 Tyson Smith 99.01 87.46 93.23

9 Beau Thomson 92.38 89.21 90.79

10 Aaron G. 89.07 91.53 90.3

11 Joel Pacas 92.38 87.09 89.73

12 Johnny Forward 80.94 80.94

13 Mark Arendz 80.74 80.74

14 Aaron Neumann 79.44 81.98 80.71

15 Kurtis Wenzel 75.62 84.94 80.28

Day 2: 10km Sprint

2010-09-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

Mens 1okm Sprint Results at Canadian WC and IBU Cup Trials

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=9cd8959486&view=att&th=12b2bf72998ed569&attid=0.1&disp=va

# Name Start Finish Final 0:27:30
Men P S Total Time Time Percentage
1 Scott Perrras 02:00.0 1 1 2 0:29:21 0:27:21 100.57%
2 Nathan Smith 06:00.0 0 1 1 0:33:23 0:27:23 100.45%
3 Brendan Green 05:30.0 2 0 2 0:33:17 0:27:47 99.00%
4 Patrick Coté 00:30.0 0 1 1 0:28:33 0:28:03 98.06%
5 Scott Gow 00:00.0 0 1 1 0:28:33 0:28:33 96.34%
6 Marc Andre Bedard 02:30.0 1 2 3 0:31:33 0:29:03 94.68%
7 Mat Neuman 04:00.0 1 1 2 0:33:15 0:29:15 94.04%
8 Aaron G. 03:30.0 1 1 2 0:33:33 0:30:03 91.53%
9 Beau Thomson 01:00.0 1 2 3 0:31:50 0:30:50 89.21%
10 Tyson Smith 01:30.0 2 4 6 0:32:57 0:31:27 87.46%
11 Joel Pacas 03:00.0 0 1 3 0:34:35 0:31:35 87.09%
12 Kurtis Wenzel 04:30.0 1 2 3 0:36:53 0:32:23 84.94%
13 Aaron Neuman 05:00.0 1 2 3 0:38:33 0:33:33 81.98%
14 Johnny Forward 07:00.0 0 2 2 0:40:59 0:33:59 80.94%
15 Mark Arendz 06:30.0 0 0 0 0:40:34 0:34:04 80

First Day of World Cup/IBU Cup Trials

2010-09-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Results: 15km Mass Start

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=9cd8959486&view=att&th=12b22831f46015e9&attid=0.1&disp=vah&zw

Sept. 17 2010
2		Mass Start	2xLong - 3xShort
3	#	Name	Start	Finish	Final Time	P	P	S	S	Total	39:19.0
4		Men								Miss	%
5	1	Brendan Green	02:20.0	40:22.0	38:02.0	1	1	0	0	2	103.39
6	2	Tyson Smith	00:30.0	40:13.0	39:43.0	0	0	1	1	2	99.01
7	3	Scott Perras	01:00.0	41:13.0	40:13.0	2	1	1	3	7	97.78
8	4	Patrick Cote	01:40.0	42:17.0	40:37.0	1	0	2	1	4	96.81
9	4	Scott Gow	00:40.0	41:17.0	40:37.0	0	0	0	0	0	96.81
10	6	Bill Bowler	00:00.0	40:50.0	40:50.0	2	0	1	1	4	96.30
11	7	Robin Clegg	02:00.0	43:22.0	41:22.0	1	0	2	3	6	95.06
12	8	Marc Andre Bedard	01:20.0	43:09.0	41:49.0	1	3	1	1	6	94.03
13	9	Nathan Smith	00:20.0	42:31.0	42:11.0	4	0	1	3	8	93.22
14	10	Matthew Neumann	02:10.0	44:37.0	42:27.0	2	1	0	2	5	92.63
15	11	Joel Pacas	00:10.0	42:44.0	42:34.0	2	1	0	1	4	92.38
16	11	Beau Thompson	01:50.0	44:24.0	42:34.0	1	2	1	1	5	92.38
17	13	Aaron Gilmor	00:50.0	44:59.0	44:09.0	1	1	2	1	5	89.07
18	14	Aaron Neuman	01:30.0	51:00.0	49:30.0	1	1	3	4	9	79.44
19	15	Kurtis Wenzel	02:30.0	54:30.0	52:00.0	2	0	3	3	8	75.62

2010 North American Summer Championships

2010-09-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

Results for Saturday September 11's 10km Sprint Competition

http://www.biathloncanada.ca/dbfiles/1307.pdf

Sunday September 12th's 12.5km Pursuit

http://www.biathloncanada.ca/dbfiles/1306.pdf

First week in Canmore

2010-09-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

My first week in Canmore consisted of unpacking, getting settled in my temporary place and racing with the National Biathlon Team in a 15km mass start time trial on Friday. I have been training with my new coach (John Jacques) for four days and started the race with the same guys ill be competing against for spots on the IBU Cup and maybe even the World Cup this season. I shot to my best ability hitting 19 out of 20 targets. I missed the last standing shot on my third of four bouts. With solid skiing this was enough for me to finish in 3rd place.just
behind National Team member Nathan Smith. Olympian, Brendan Green had
a demanding lead. This was a near perfect start to my training here
and proved I was on the level to achieve my goals this year and could
even be a threat for the final world cup spot. I am competing at the
North American Cup next weekend and World Cup Trials are the following
weekend here in Canmore. I am feeling confident with my move and
looking forward to the upcoming races! Unfortunately the team fee for
the first IBU cup will be $4100 and I will be forced to send alot of
letters out asking for support, if I make the team. Thanks for following!

(Picture credit to Daniel Giroux, www.flex-art-studio.com)

Just another Squamish Sunday

2010-08-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon I had a personal best running time completing the Chief's second peak in 18:50. I started the season in June with my best time been 20:05, thinking one second faster was impossible. Ive ran it about 8 times this year, every time a little faster. It feels so good to be collapsed against a rock at the top, breathing as hard as you can, and look down at my watch and see a record time. My heart rate reached 180 beats per minute instantly and it didn't go up or down until the final minute where it reached 191 bpm. I don't think I could have squeezed another beat in. About 600m elevation in 19 minutes. The session included running to the base and back from my house which added about 22 km to the day. Entire session: 2 hours 52 minutes. Just another reason Squamish is the outdoor recreation capital of Canada!

Hometown Heroes Award

2010-06-18T17:28:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I made my way to Prince George, BC to accept Pacific Western Brewery's Hometown Heroes Award! The press conference happened Friday (June 11) and they announced that I would be awarded a commission on Canterbury Beer and Organic Energy Max energy drink over the next 6 months. The award was very welcomed and it felt great to be recognized for all the work Ive put in over the years. A huge thank you to PWB and Pacific Sport. Their help will go a long way this season!

Aiming Big!

2010-05-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

The 2010/2011 season has begun which means high motivation and big training to match big goals. After a six week break, recovering from shoulder surgery, and a well needed rest, I'm back in full swing, training hard for another exciting year. I have started the base training season which is full of strength training and long slow distance (long runs and bike rides) to build a solid cardio leading into the summer. This week I put in about 600km on my road bike, which felt really good after spending the last two months resting. It feels so good to get started up again, and I've set some demanding goals to keep me motivated through the off-season.

In September, I would like to qualify for the IBU Cup at roller ski trials in Canmore as well as have a top 10 place at the 2010 Junior Summer World Championships. This is my first year as a senior and I'm hoping to make a smooth transition to the big leagues. It would be amazing to race in a world cup this season, but my goal is to make that level in 2012. 2012 World Championships are in Ruhpolding Germany, and it is my goal to compete there.

Of course, I am endlessly thankful to mom and dad and all my sponsors for this year. I just couldn't do it with out you!

photo: Daniel Giroux (www.flex-art-studio.com)

2 X Gold at 2010 Canadian National Championships!

2010-03-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

The Canadian National Championships (Canmore, Alberta) this past week marked the end of 2010. It was also my final season as a Junior and Sunday's gold medal was a perfect way to end it. The week started Wednesday March 2nd, with the Junior Mens 10km Sprint. I won a silver medal and finished 20 seconds behind Alberta's Beau Thompson. With two mistakes prone and one standing, I was determined to shoot stronger in Thursday's Individual. With poor prone shooting, my chances of a medal became slimmer and slimmer, finally finishing in 5th place. I had the fastest ski time by over 1:30 minutes, but with no gold medals the pressure was on for the weekend. I spent the Friday (official training) in the range building up confidence for the upcoming 12.5km pursuit. Saturday's race was what I had been waiting for all year. I came into my last standing with one mistake and almost 2 minutes in the lead. I misses 3 on my final standing but finished with a strong bell lap and secured my first gold medal of the week.

The final event was Sunday's 3 X 6km Mixed Relay. Aaron Neumann started the first leg, tagging off to Emma Lunder in 3rd. Emma closed the gap to Alberta and tagged off to me in 2nd (20 seconds behind Quebec). It came down to the last standing and I pulled away on the last lap to win one of BC's 14 medals. It was an exciting way to end the season, and a good motivation for 2011. I am undecided on where I will train this season, but I have 2012 World Championships in Rupolding, Germany as my goal and I am determined to work towards that. I appreciate all the help I received this year and I couldn't have made these results with out it. I look forward to keeping you updated and thanks again for the support!

Off to Sweden for World Junior Championship!

2010-01-25T04:14:00.000-08:00

After an up and down week at North American Cup #3 in La Patrie, Quebec, I pushed through some technical difficulties to qualify third for the 2010 World Junior Champs in Torsby, Sweden. On the weekend I started with a third place finish in the 10km Sprint, 29 seconds behind the lead. I started the pursuit on Sunday behind Scott Gow and Joel Pacas of Alberta. I had an aggressive first prone to come into the range for the second shooting 1^st, 5 seconds in the lead. I broke my sling hook going into position and was forced to shoot without using my armband. I tried to shoot, but had five misses and dropped into 10^th. I finished the race in 5^th but came to Sweden with a fire to redeem myself. The first race is on Wednesday and I’m excited to represent Canada and all my sponsors at the International level. This is the highest level for my age in Biathlon, and these competitions pave the way into the senior IBU Cup and World Cups/Olympics. For results and event info you can visit: http://www.biathlonworld3.de/en/events.html/do/showevent?EventId=BT0910JWRLCH__

Cheers

Pictures from Noram #3-La Patrie

2010-01-24T04:36:00.000-08:00

Visit: http://www2.flex-art-studio.com/NORAM%202010%20-%20La%20Patrie/ for over 2200 pictures from Canadian Trials!

Courtesy of Daniel Giroux (Flex-Art-Studio.com)

2010 World Junior Championship (Men Schedule)

2010-01-24T04:11:00.000-08:00

Wednesday January 27^th 13:30 (15km Individual)

Saturday January 30^th 11:05 (10km Sprint)

Sunday January 31^st 11:00 (12.5km Pursuit)

Monday February 1^st 8:50 (4X7.5km Relay)

Canadian World Junior Trials (La Patrie, Quebec)

2010-01-15T07:08:00.000-08:00

Thursday January 14^th 2010 (10km Sprint)

I started the week with a second place finish in the 10km Sprint competition, crossing the line 58 seconds behind Scott Gow (Alberta). I recovered from 2 mistakes prone to hit 4 out of 5 from the standing position. The 3.3km course featured some difficult climbs accompanied with a steep technical downhill. I am confident for the weekend and am aiming for some better shooting. I am currently tied for first in the North American circuit and am motivated to fight for the top position.

Saturday January 16^th 2010 (10km Sprint)

Sunday January 17^th 2010 (12.5km Pursuit)

Welcome 2010 Sponsors

2010-01-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

As I continue to improve from year to year, my sponsors become more and more important. As I enter my final year as a junior, I am training harder, traveling more, and encountering bigger expenses to accomplish my goals. This season, National Firearm Association, Prince George Rod and Gun club, Daniel Giroux (Flex art Studio.com), Alain Baril, Rudy Project Eyewear, Louise Lambert, Icebreaker Nature Clothing and the Squamish Boston Pizza have all invested their money, time, and support to help me reach the podium. Their help shows their appreciation for sport in Canada and I cannot express how grateful I am for their ongoing support. Even with the Olympics at home, Canadian athletes receive very little support. Through my sponsors generous help, I am able to train full time and focus everything I have on reaching the podium. A big Thank you!

Rudy Project Exowind

2010-01-02T18:18:00.000-08:00

www.e-rudy.com

Squamish Boston Pizza

2009-12-15T22:22:00.000-08:00

Every season, I encounter thousands of dollars of expenses that I must overcome in order to achieve my goals. These expenses are all huge barriers Canadian athletes must hurdle, in order to reach the international podium. This season, the Squamish Boston Pizza has acknowledged this obstacle, and generously offered to donate 10% of your next bill to my achieving my goals this season. All you have to do is enjoy your next meal at the Squamish Boston Pizza and write my name, Matt Neumann, on the bill. I appreciate Boston Pizza's generousity and would be very thankful for your support. Every dollar goes a long way!

2009/2010 Season Opener

2009-11-30T19:38:00.000-08:00

The first races of the season are in the books after a double medal effort at North American Cup #1 in Canmore, Alberta. With a gold in the 10 kilometer sprint, and silver in the 12.5 kilometer pursuit I am excited to see that the summer training has paid off. The course featured a four stage uphill, which favored strong skiers followed by a quick set of turns during a steep and icy decent. In the range I am adjusting to my new stock, and had excellent prone shooting. Standing proved to be a bit tougher again, and was not as successful, but that cannot be blamed on my new stock.

I finished the weekend as the top Junior Man, and I'm looking forward to the next set of races coming up in Canmore. With this start, I am excited to see how the rest of the season plays out. I have all the tools and training behind me, & I look forward to bringing it all together. Thanks for following!

Thank you PGRGC!

2009-11-27T19:18:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to the Prince George Rod and Gun Club for their generosity this season. They gave $550, which will help me in achieving my goals this season and covering the $3200 team fee for 2010 World Junior Championships in Torsby, Sweden. I encounter thousands of dollars of expenses each season, so every dollar goes a long way. I appreciate their support! Check the PGRGC homepage out at www.pgrgclub.ca.

I'll be competing in the first races of the season (Noram #1) this weekend in Canmore, Alberta. The entire course has been created with man-made snow, so other than the white band of snow, everything else is brown and green! You can check out results at www.biathloncanada.ca.

The Noram #2 will be held in Canmore, too, the following weekend. (December 5th and 6th). I'm excited to start the season and looking forward to some good results this year!

(photo: Daniel Giroux- Flex Art Studio)

Growing Champions

2009-11-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

Visit www.growingchampions.ca to see how you can support a BC athlete!

Early Snow!

2009-10-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

On October 15^th coach iLmar Heinicke decided to cut the Switzerland camp short and move to Klingenthal, Germany. It was getting hard to roller ski in Switzerland, with snow blowing onto the track, but not nearly enough to ski. In East Germany, they had received an unexpected snow dump, and in places there was enough to groom and ski. We skied three days in Klingenthal, and four days in Oberweisenthal. In Klingenthal we only had the option to ski on a 3km cross country track, but Oberweisenthal had a five km loop and the opportunity to shoot. We had perfect conditions! We shot on the range three days, and the skiing was amazing. On the last two days, it was -5⁰C and bright sun. It felt like February rather than October 18^th.

Oberhof Ski Hall

2009-10-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

We spent the last nine days in oberhof, skiing in the ski arena. The snow hall had a 2 km horse-shoe loop that i skied about 250 km on. It wasn’t action packed, but it provided awesome training, and perfect, consistent conditions. The hall was maintained at minus four degrees and groomed daily. You couldn’t ask for better fall training conditions, especially in September.

For the remainder of the European camp, we moved to Antermatt, Switzerland in the heart of the Alps. October 11^th was the first day of training, and the conditions were a big change from oberhof. We went from 15⁰C and shooting in an indoor shooting range to -6⁰C and 30km winds in Switzerland. It was a hard adjustment, but reminded me that biathlon is an outdoor sport.

World Summer Champs/ European Training Camp

2009-09-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

For the next four weeks ill be continueing my training camp in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The first race of the camp began in Altenburg, Germany with German National Summer Biathlon Championships (septmeber 19^th-20^th). I was racing in the senior category against some of Germany’s top biathlon celebrities. In the Saturday 10km sprint, I finished 3:10 behind World Champion Christoph Stephen (Germany). I started the 12.5km pursuit in 22^nd place (3:10 behind the leader) and finished the weekend in 19^th place.

Immediately after German Champs the BC Biathlon High Performance Team travelled to Oberholf, Germany for Summer Running Biathlon World Championships. In the first 4km sprint competition I finished in 20^th position (out of 46 junior competitors) 1:17 behind the leader. I had a clean prone shooting (5 for 5) but had four misses standing! I was motivated for improvement the next day. In Sunday’s 6km Pursuit competition, I cleaned my first two prone shootings, moving into 8^th for the first standing. I finished with 5 total misses (15/20) and in 13^th position. I was happy with a top 15 result at a world championships, but knew I was still capable of a better performance.

This weekend was World Summer Rollerski Biathlon Championships. I had two average races with good skiing and bad shooting. I finished the 10km sprint just inside the top 30, 3 minutes 45 seconds behind the leader. I had the 18^th fastest ski time, which i was happy about and was less than a minute from a top 20. In the 12.5km pursuit on Sunday I finish 32^nd overall, with 17^th fastest ski time and again poor shooting. I finished the week very motivated to improve my shooting, and happy to see that my ski times were competitive with the leaders.

Tomorrow is off and starting on Tuesday, we start a nine day ski camp in Oberholf Germany, where we will be skiing in a man made snow tunnel. I’m excited to continue the camp, and look forward to an awesome next four weeks!

Canmore-Whistler Rollerski Trip

2009-08-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Biathlon BC along with Galileo Coffey, CE Communications Limited, CE Corporate Electric Limited, Corsa Cycles, and SRB Rollerskis(www.ski-roller.de) put on a 1080km rollerski trip from Canmore to the Whistler Olympic park. The entire distance was covered in 5 days and divided between 8 athletes. The entire trip, we were followed by a support car, and often had TV Stations working beside. The trip was a very unique experience to rollerski parts of BC that we would never beable to, without the help of coaches (iLmar Hienicke) and team staff Daniel Giroux. The trip was important for putting in long slow base hours, essential for the summer training leading into the fall.

Canmore-Whistler Rollerski Trip

2009-06-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

In light of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the provincial Biathlon BC team will be participating in a rollerski trek from Canmore Alberta, to the Whistler olympic Park. The Tour is set to start on July 12th and run until the 16th when the team will arrive at the 2010 Olympic Biathlon venue. There will be 8 athletes rotating in turn, rollerskiing continuous over the 1000 km journey. The idea of the trip is to promote the sport and to bring the Olympic spirit from the 1988 Winter Olympic site, to the 2010 Whistler Park. The trip will be sponsored by the German company SRB Rollerskis, as well as the German TV network Deutsche Welle, local coffee shop Galileo Coffee, squamish bike store Corsa Cycles, and local GM Dealer Greg Gardner. If you are interested, support is still needed.

Okanagan Bike Camp '09

2009-06-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

I returned Monday from a five day bike camp through Okanagan (southern BC). The camp was hosted by Biathlon BC and included athletes from the High Performance program and development squad. The tour covered 800km over five days including Silverstar mountain, Apex mountain, and the Penticton Ironman course. After four days of sun and +30 C temperature, the only rain was on the final decent into Pentiction on the final day.

Brittania Beach Training Sesh

2009-05-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

Brittania Beach has a 3 km uphill that we train during he summer for rollerskiing. The double poling test starts with about a kilometer of rolling uphill, followed by three switch back turns leading up the mountain. My last time was 17:13 (for 3km) which gives you an idea of the slope! Compared to last year, I started the season, over a minute faster, (18:26) which is looking good leading into the summer training.

Publish Post

Devinci Leo '08

2009-05-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

I just received my shoes, and yesterday was my first day test riding my new bike from Devinci. I had a 50km road ride in the morning, and a 60 km group ride that evening. The biggest thing I noticed was the acceleration from a start and on steep pitches. With a 950 g frame, the bike had a noticeable jump when out of the saddle, or starting to sprint. As with most carbon frames, there was very good power transfer through the large bottom bracket . The SRAM shifting and braking was clean and precise. I was also impressed with the downhill handling, and felt confident tucking at 80km/h. All-in-all I'm very happy with the Leo, and I know it will satisfy my riding needs:)

http://www.silentsports.com/store/product/17679/2008-Devinci-Leo-1-S/

2009/2010!

2009-05-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

My season officially started last weekend with a four day snow camp in Silver Star (Vernon BC) with the Foothills Nordic Ski Club. The training camp was a really exciting way to start the year, with four days of awesome snow conditions, and almost all sunshine! Directly after, I joined my coach in Squamish, for the yearly training at the Whistler Olympic Park. We are putting in lots of long hours, building an aerobic base and a solid shooting position to improve on for the rest of the year. It also feels good to be back home in Squamish and I’m extremely excited to be back into full training. I am looking forward to the upcoming spring training!

Tour de Quebec

2009-05-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week in Quebec and Montreal trying to develop and expand my sponsor relationships. I was in Chicoutimi (northern Quebec) to visit with David Regnier Bourque from Devinci Cycles. Devinci provided a bike, while Sport G.S. Inc (Stephane Cyr) in Laval provided shoes and pedals through Louis Garneau.

I would also like to thank the following individuals who have all demonstrated their commitment to sport in Canada.

David Regnier Bourque (www.devinci.com)
Stephane Cyr (Sport G.S. Inc)
Louise Lambert
Alain Baril
Daniel Giroux (www.flex-art-studio.com)

Devinci Cycles

2009-05-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

2009 Canadian National Championships

2009-04-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Another season has come to a close and another step has been made forward in achieving my long term goals. The season was concluded with Canadian National Championships in Valcartier, Quebec. With an average shooting performance (and been a little tired at the end of the season), I depended heavily on my skiing speed to carry through my performances. I finished the week with three gold medals in the Junior Individual (15 km), Sprint (10km), and Relay (3X 6km) competitions. This came directly after, two podium finishes at the North American Cup #7 in Fort Kent, Maine. I was the top Canadian Junior, and second overall in both the Pursuit (12.5km) and Mass Start(15km) competitions.

The results were encouraging for next season, and left me motivated to train hard leading into the summer. I look forward to the summer training in Squamish, BC, and am eager to make another step forward for next year. I have alot to work on, but am focused entirely on bringing my shooting to a higher level. I am still hungry for a top 20 result at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Torsby, Sweden which is realistic based on my current ability. April is very low key, with almost 4 weeks of active recovery. This is not a complete break, but mainly a mental rest from the day to day schedule of the rest of the year. I look forward to the “vacation” and coming back in May, clear minded, and physically rested.

2009 World Junior Championships

2009-02-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend' North American Cup in Callaghan Valley concluded a three week racing tour of Western Canada. January 17 was the first World Junior Trials Race in Canmore Alberta. I finished the week as the top Canadian Junior, going into World Junior Championships. At World Junior Champs (January 25-February 4th), I had three tough races, with a top result of 47th. In the relay, the Junior Canadian team finished 15th. The tour concluded this past weekend at the Whistler Olympic Park, with a North American Cup. I had two good races, finishing in the sprint 3rd among the Senior Men. It feels like a long way off to next years World Championships in Sweden, but I am determined to work towards my goals for 2010. I learned alot at my first World Champs, and will hopefully beable to carry it through the rest of this season and into 2010.

Rudy Project Eye Wear

2009-02-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

PGRGC donates $1000

2008-12-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank the Prince George Rod and Gun Club for their support this season. I encounter many expenses as an athlete, and their help has gone a long way.

NFA donates $4500

2008-12-14T14:36:00.001-08:00

The National Firearms Association is currently my biggest supporter, donating $1500 a year to my athletic expenses. In June, The NFA offered to donate an annual amount towards my athletic goals until 2010. Their help has made a huge difference this season, and I could not train at the level that I do, without their support. It is greatly appreciated.

Snow at the WOP

2008-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

The Whistler Olympic Park is hosting the Biathlon BC Cup Invitational (December 13/14) at the Olympic Bathlon venue. On Friday, there was a 30cm base, and with cool teperatures for the weekend, the park is providing exellent training/racing conditions. The Sprint competition (7.5km) takes place on Saturday, followed with a Mass Start (10km) on Sunday.

XC Noram #2

2008-12-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, I finished one month on the road with a 20km mass start at Sovereign Lakes, Silver Star. I was the 9th fastest junior, finishing 40th overall in the open men. It was good race experience, and good to see the gap I need to close in the upcoming years.

XC Noram #1

2008-12-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

The first Cross Country Noram was held Dec 6-7 at Sovereign Lakes Nordic Centre, BC. In the 1.1 km Teck Sprints, I finished 17th after placing fourth in the my quarterfinals heat. On Sunday, I finished 12th in the 15km free style race as a second year junior. These races were part of our early-season race tour, and provided a good base to build on for the rest of the season. On Thursday, Im aiming for a top 10 in the 20km free style race.

2008 Season Opener

2008-12-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

The first races of the 2008/2009 season took place this weekend in Canmore, Alberta at the site of the 2009 World Junior Championships. After a one week training camp in Silver Star, BC, the BC High Performance Team traveled to Canmore to participate in the Biathlon North American Cup #1. In the 10km sprint, I was 5th, finishing 2:58 behind the leader. The skiing speed was on track with my season goals, but after a rough weekend in the shooting range, I came out under performing in both races. I am confident in the fall training and am still loooking ahead towards World Junior Trials in Canmore January 17-18.