Aiming Big!

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!

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!

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

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)

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)

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

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

www.e-rudy.com

Squamish Boston Pizza

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

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!

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

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

Early Snow!

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

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.