Lanny Barnes Surprises with 15th Place in Ostersund
Fri, Dec 1, 2006 - By US Biathlon Association
Lanny Barnes (Durango, CO) finished 15th today in the season-opening Women’s 15K Individual at the Ostersund World Cup.
Barnes’ top-15 finish was a huge step for the US Women’s Biathlon Team. This was Barnes’ personal best World Cup finish, her first top 30 (World Cup Points scoring result), the best US woman’s finish since March 2005, and almost a perfect shooting race as she had but a single shooting penalty. “In my mind, I hit that target before I pulled the trigger. But actually, I squeezed the shot just a split second before I should have.” she commented at the finish.
Lanny Barnes was the second US starter at number 63 while her sister, Tracy started at number 44. Neither Tracy, nor Sarah Konrad (Laramie, WY) could match Lanny today. Tracy had four penalties, finishing 68th, 7:09.9 back. Konrad started well with a single penalty in the first stage, but collected eight more in the final three stages, finishing 77th, 9:36.8 back
After the rain and short-lived windy conditions, the later start time for Lanny was a bonus, as conditions did improve. Both Barnes sisters are excellent shooters and today Lanny was “on her game.” She flew through the first three stages of prone, standing, and prone flawlessly, even though one prone hit was a split bullet that fell for her. After three clean stages, the new US coaches Per Nilsson and Mikael Lofgren were visibly nervous, but smiling and confident. Lofgren commented, “I should have the heart monitor now, because my pulse is racing.”
Approaching the final stage, Barnes was in sixth position. A clean stage would put her within reach of a podium position. She calmly set up for the final five shots. They fell, one, two, three, four, and then… the penalty, her only shooting error of the day One minute was automatically added to her time, but she still left the stadium in 13th position. The coaches and staff scattered to the tracks to help her over the final 3K loop. She crossed the finish line in 14th, but another later starter eventually finished ahead of her. Smiling, but definitely tired at the finish, she talked about her day. “I am happy to have done so well this early. The skiing is not quite there yet, but it is early.”
One of Lanny’s goals for the season was to shoot clean (no penalties) in every competition. She almost succeeded, drolly adding, “I guess I still have a bit of work to do on that.” Even with “work to do,” Lanny Barnes efforts today opened not only a new biathlon season, but led the US women in an exciting new direction.
The United States Biathlon Association is the National Governing Body for the sport of Biathlon in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Biathlon Union. The US Biathlon Association supports the US Biathlon Team and development of the sport on all levels within the United States.
TD Banknorth is the title sponsor of the US Biathlon Team. Lapua, adidas®, the Hilton Family of Hotels and Exel Ski Poles are supporting sponsors of the US Biathlon Team.