MWSC biathletes exhibit speed at national competition

    MT. ITASCA, Minn. – The MWSC biathletes added four more National Championship titles to their record during the pursuit race at the U.S. Nationals on March 22.     Walt Shepard (Yarmouth) won the senior men’s title, Russell Currier (Stockholm) took the junior men’s title, Laura Spector (Lenox, Mass.) won the senior women’s title and Hilary McNamee (Fort Fairfield) crossed into first for the youth women’s title.
    Currier struggled in the first two stages, missing five of 10 shots, but bounced back by hitting nine of his final 10 targets. Spector had a difficult start missing four of 10 in her first two stages, but hit nine of 10 in the final two.
    The biathletes captured three titles on the opening day of racing on March 21.
    Spector continued to display her strong skiing form, using her speed to win both the junior and senior category in the 7.5 km sprint.
    Entering the range for her first shooting, Spector had already made up time on the starters ahead of her, and hit all five targets.
    Two penalties in the standing shot would narrow the gap to second place, but Spector flew around the course on the final lap crossing the line in 21:29.
    Meagan Toussaint (Madawaska) placed second with two penalties. Beth Ann Chamberlain (Caribou) finish seventh in the senior women’s race with four penalties.
    Currier followed in Spector’s tracks winning the men’s race. He had one miss in prone and two in standing to finish in 26:16.
    In the youth women’s race, McNamee finished second with five penalties in 20:53.