March Madness Paintball Biathlon Race Report
Gilford, NH – Mar. 2, 2014 – Gunstock Nordic Association – With the Olympics in our rear-view mirror, Gunstock saw a record turnout of 101 biathletes for this year’s annual biathlon. Competitors were rewarded with near perfect 28° weather, beautiful trail conditions, and really fast snow. The biathlon range was setup like a mini Olympic biathlon stadium lined with international flags and featured a modified shooting range to accommodate the Tippmann paintball guns. For many participants, this was their first try at the sport of biathlon. Paintball biathlon combines the sports of Nordic skiing and target shooting, using paintball guns instead of the traditional fire-powered target rifles.
The format for GNA’s biathlon was an individual start where competitors start at 15-second intervals and are timed on a multi-lap course. Depending upon the age of the competitor, each raced 3 laps on courses that ranged from 500 meters up to 2.4 kms in length. After each lap, each competitor would enter the shooting range for 5 opportunities to earn 10-second time deductions for each target hit.
The ages of the biathletes ranged from NENSA Bill Koch League skiers (youngest at age 7) to seasoned master skiers (oldest at age 54). Winners of each category are as follows:
U8 Boys and Girls – Leo Ebner
U10 Girls – Joce Anzaldi
U10 Boys – Eben Misavage
U12 Girls – Helen Badger, Great Glen BKL
U12 Boys – David Moody
U14 Girls – Sophie Leggett
U14 Boys – Joshua Valentine, Gilford
U16 Women – Michaella Conery, Concord High School
U16 Men – Sander Valpey, Gunstock Nordic Association
U18 Women – Tessa Schrupp, Gunstock Nordic Association
U18 Men – Matthew Young, Gunstock Nordic Association
OJ Women – Micaela Flagg, Kingswood Regional High School
OJ Men – Zack Liebold, Lebanon High School
Senior and Masters Women – Elizabeth Izzo, UNH
Senior Men – Sam Reed, UNH and Gunstock Nordic Association
Masters – Neal Graves, Gunstock Nordic Association
Complete results are posted below in multi-page PDF files.
GNA would like to thank all participants and all the volunteers who helped make the event happen. Additionally we’d like to thank GNA members for providing the post-race buffet and for their donations to the crazy kids’ raffle.
And big thank you to our race sponsors!
Gunstock Mountain Resort
Tom Smart for the Ski NH passes
MC Cycle & Sport of Laconia
Castronovo Chocolate
Ann Czerwinski
Tippmann Sports