Day 1

There's nothing like shooting in a crowded range

Today was day one of Trials. The conditions were great, with no wind and temperatures in the bearable range. Overall I felt fine, but there are definitely places I know I can improve on. I had some issues with not being able to feel my trigger finger on my prone bout due to the cold, but once everything got warmed up I was able fall into a rhythm. The course was nice and demanding (although nothing compared to the Junior Men’s course), and I had some good back-and-fourth competition with Kyle Rutar throughout the race. It’s great to have all these friends up in Alaska to race against, and it’s really cool to see them do well. When I crossed the line I knew the race was close, with Jake Prince and Nick Proell and others really close. I’m happy to pull off the win, and hope that the pursuit tomorrow runs a little smoother for me. After my hopes for making the Montana State Ski Team didn't become a reality, today's success is even more satisfactory, knowing that my Nordic training has kept me on track for my biathlon career this season. I carried my watch during the race, and you can see a play-by-play of the race here.