Author: Haley Finch
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Jr. IBU Trip Day 9
No race today. They postponed the 12.5k individual until tomorrow just before we hopped on the bus to the venue. The rain was coming down too hard and the course was not skiable. We have snow in the forecast for tomorrow so it is hopeful that the race will happen. The photo below shows the…
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Junior IBU Trip Days 7 & 8
It has been nice to have a two day break from racing. Tomorrow is the start of the Junior Open European Championships! We will begin with racing the 12.5k individual for a second time within less than a week. These last two days have been recovery, school work, exploring, and race prepping for tomorrow. We…
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Jr IBU Day 6: Jr. Cup 7.5k Sprint 2
Today was a great day for me! This marks the end of the my first Junior Cup race series! We will have a two day break and then back to racing at the Junior Open European Championships! This is my first time ever shooting 100% in a race. Regardless of any result today, I met…
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Jr. IBU Day 5: Jr. Cup 7.5k Sprint 1
Five days have gone by so fast! Today was our second race and the first of three 7.5k Sprints. The third one will happen this upcoming week during the next race venue; IBU Junior Open European Championships. The girls are getting very familiar with this same race course. The awesome part is that we will…
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Jr. IBU Trip Day 4
I’ve been traveling, course prepping or racing over the last five days. Today I took it easier and focused on my shooting at the range. There’s always a sausage and egg option at breakfast. This morning we also had the chance to try a goat cheese pastry. The hot chocolate here is the best that…
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Jr. IBU Trip Day 3: First Jr. Cup Race! 12.5k Individual
First ever Team USA race today! I’ve been dreaming of this day since I first stepped in a pair of skis a little over three years ago. It’s amazing how much of a difference a single year can make. A year ago today, I was racing in Fort McMurry, Canada for the Arctic Winter Games.…
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Jr. IBU Trip Day 2
We are getting settled into our current time zone. Some of us are having trouble sleeping past 7:00, and some are lucky to get a couple more hours than that! I’ve had the chance to try a traditional dish almost every meal. Some I’ve liked more than others but they have all been fun to…
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Junior IBU Trip Day 1
I made it to Szklarska Poręba, Poland! This is my first trip overseas. I saw the sun rise and set twice over 24 hours. We flew over Greenland and saw a line of the aurora stretching forever. They served breakfast and dinner on the 10 hour flight from Seattle to Frankfurt. Dinner was an Indian…
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2024 US XC Nationals
Hundreds of the best cross country skiers from all over the world travel to the United States Cross Country Skiing Nationals that are held at the start of every January. This year, over 400 skiers aged 14 to 25 made their way to Salt Lake City from across the nation and beyond. These are the…
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Happy New Year! The week after every Christmas, some of the best youth biathletes in the country make their way to biggest national youth races of the year: The United States Biathlon Team Youth and Junior World Championship Trials (acrynym). This year the races were hosted by Grand Rapids Minnesota at Mt. Itasca. Every time…
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The 2023-2024 Race Season Has Begun!
Merry Christmas! It is already that time of year again! In just a few days I will be on the race course with other biathletes from across the country hoping to qualify for some big events in the new year. I’ve had plenty of unique opportunities to get my ski technique down in Anchorage this…
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Training and Competing Alongside The Best At The Schutzenski Festival
I recently returned home from training and competing at the Schutzenski races in Utah! Hundreds of nordic athletes from across the country travel to the annual Schutzenski Festival to take advantage of the elevation training, followed by the races that happen over the weekend. Both cross country skiers and biathletes from across the country convene…
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Training, Connecting, and Reflecting While Away From Home
I got to end my summer with a splash of sun in Wisconsin and Lake Placid, New York. I had accepted the invitation to attend the Elite Development Camp once again this year. This is a special experience getting to connect with other biathletes from across the country that share interest and dedication to this…
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Creating Balance with Summer Training
Ski training requires the same commitment and energy as a full time job! Adding shooting and range time to a packed training schedule means that I have to maximize my time efficiency. I plan every single day around minimizing the risk of injury and sickness while maximizing training. I’m still learning to balance two separate…
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Mount Marathon 2023
Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, is sometimes referred to as the toughest 5k on the planet. The race lived up to that title this year on July 4th 2023. Since summer has decided not to come to Alaska this year, it was no surprise when it poured rain on the night of the 3rd. The…
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Spring Training Offers A New Perspective
June 21st marked the start of summer! Spring came and went, wether it felt like it or not. With some good races towards the end of the 22/23 season, I had an extra boost of confidence to start working toward my goals for this 23/24 season. Those goals and hopes, however, felt so much further…
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Skiku Trip: Kobuk
If you have not heard of Skiku before, it’s worth checking out their website! Their program seeks out qualified volunteers from all over our country and in this state to travel and connect with people living in rural Alaska communities. The basic goal is to provide foundational coaching for cross country skiing and some biathlon…
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U.S. Biathlon Nationals 2023
I wanted to write something meaningful for the 2023 Biathlon Nationals in Casper, Wyoming. This was a big event! It was put together by so many hardworking and passionate people who are proud to host and care about the biathlon community! These races were also a huge and rewarding moment for me. I came home…
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The Tour of Anchorage
The Tour Of Anchorage is an annual ski/bike event established in 1989. This event is put on by the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage. The first weekend of March is when the sun finally starts coming out and temperatures start to become bearable again. The Tour is a great celebration of spring! It has grown…
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Learning To Be Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
I made the Service High School State XC Ski Team that just concluded the end of this 2023 season! Making this team was a goal that I had set for myself long before I started classic skiing just last year. I knew that I would need to work hard and have a solid plan to…
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Creating Awareness and promoting biathlon across Alaska
Alaska Village Initiatives (AVI) invited me as a guest to the 32nd annual Rural Small Business Conference last week. I learned new things, met great people, and made new connections. I was also invited to give a presentation. Alaska Village Initiatives is a non profit organization committed to improving the well being of rural Alaskan…
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Arctic Winter Games 2023
The Arctic Winter Games: summed up by a week of cultural exchange and new connections in addition to competing! Every moment was filled with excitement, from the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies and every hour in between! 1,800 athletes gathered for this biannual event. Athletes gathered from Greenland, Sapmi (Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, Northern…
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Building Bridges
The year of 2023 has kicked off to a great start in the biathlon community of Alaska. There are many people who share a nationwide passion for biathlon, making growth seem inevitable. New ranges like the Mt. Van Hoevenberg range in New York, the Ariens Nordic Center in Wisconsin, and even our own World Cup…
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Turning Rifle Trials and Tribulations into performance-Strengthening Opportunities
Biathlon is a solo sport. Even in a four person team relay race, success depends completely on each individual teammate’s performance. Biathletes race their course alone with minimal coaching guidance to account for shooting misses, wind change, etc. They are totally dependent on their own decisions. That said, it takes an entire team of uniquely…
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U.S. Biathlon Team Youth and Junior World Championship Trials
Yes, it is a long name! Although, very fitting for the amount time, effort, stress, and ski distance that everyone put in to participate in the week of racing.
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Race Season Kick Off
The beginning of December is known as the time when all of that hard work from the last eight months finally comes into play. While at the sight of first snow, volunteers begin to prepare our trails for the enjoyment and competitions ahead.
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Summer Recap
June and July are the months when most winter sport endurance athletes begin their training for the competitive season come November/December. Biathlon and cross-country skiing are no exception. Skiers are bulking up on technique perfection, strength, and endurance.
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Spring Recap
Exciting new experiences come with the start of a new training season. I jumped into a new year of training in May and strived to meet new challenges and obstacles with open arms!