GB Champs update from Ruhpolding
Ruhpolding is a small town in Southern Bavaria, very near the border with Austria. It is an international biathlon centre and a world cup course.
The BNDS team here consists of 5 athletes and 2 coaches Peter Gurney and Angharad Evans.
In Ruhpolding today it was -5C for the races with blue skies. However snow conditions were difficult as a mixture of man made and natural snow, also 200 racers before our athletes set off gave us a headache for waxing.
BNDS Results for the Classic race Saturday 23rd January :-
10km
The winner was Posy Musgrave (23) from Oyne, 
Aberdeenshire in 29:56.2 a good 2 minutes ahead of nearest rivals Adelle Walker and Emma Fowler. Former BNDS member Olwen Thorn, now a biathlete came 4rd.
Lauren Spencer (18) from Gloucester finished 26th in (42:15) was first youth lady.
43 competitiors started
5KM
Winner was Callum Irvine of Cairngorm Biathlon & Nordic Ski Club ( & BNDS) (15:28) ahead of fellow CBNSC rival Scott Dixon. Stuart Gray (13yrs) from Hopeman finished 3rd boy (18:15), closely followed by Sandy Snowball (14yrs) from Perth finished 4th boy (18:22). Jamie Homyer (14yrs) from Inch finished 5th boy (19:03)
Iona Gatenby (14yrs) from Aberchirder finished 2nd girl (22:08)
On Sunday the 24th Jan it is the individual pursuit race - a 2km classic followed by a 2 km skate for the boys and girls. Lauren is entering the Ladies individual pursuit which consists of 3km classic followed by a 3km skate on a very difficult course. Both races are mass starts.
On Tuesday the 26th Jan are the relay races and an evening sprint race. We hope to make up a relay team with some of the other competitors.
The athletes raced very well and their good technique showed up as they diagonal-strided up the hills overtaking those who were herring-boning. The athletes found some of the track conditions difficult with icy patches on the downhill slopes.
