Discussion: Leif Nordgren - 3rd at World Youth Biathlon Champs

Minnesota Orienteer Leif Nordgren picked up a Bronze medal at the World Youth Biathlon Champs in the pursuit race on the weekend. The "Youth" Championship, it seems, is a special category at World Juniors for skiers 18 and under. Regardless, it is a fantastic result for Leif.

Cool!

All the folks at MNOC are real proud ... he is an excellent orienteer too and is an experienced setter .

Wow! That's awesome!
Is there any chance he'll stay an active orienteer after such success in biathlon?

...and if had not been for some rifle trouble at the range in the sprint that sets up the pursuit he might have been looking at double gold.....

i came within 20 seconds of him at a ski race last year!!!

Leif comes from a very active O family ; they go to several A meets a year because his dad works for the airlines and they get almost free tickets .

video here of the race....

http://eurovision.feedroom.com/index.jsp?skin=wcbi...

you have to look for the panel that lists "youth pursuit" and click.....

Leif also finished a strong 10th in the Individual today....great results at the Worlds...

congrats !!!. and hope he'll become favourite in ( at least ) ski- orienteering at the world level in the near future

A few of the guys mentioned him when talking about the biathlon junior worlds after training at the clubhouse today. Pretty cool!

To keep us with leif and his biathlon results, check our website www.USBiathlon.org.
See a YouTube interview with Leif at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvDS3CKvrT4

MNOC rocks! You've got to be proud of Leif. I have fond memories of ski-O in the Twin Cities including the Pan-American night ski-O champs Jim Pugh set up on Lake Harriet decades ago. 1 control - skiied from his apartment and back; 3 competitors. I got the bronze. . . Summer biathlons aren't the same as the real deal on skis. Kansas ain't the place to be for biathletes.

Here's the article from FasterSkier on Leif:
With a picture of him with his parents.

Leif skied on the US Junior Relay (skiing up one age division)...he skied the opening leg this morning and knocked it out of the park!!!...put the US team in third on the strength of incredible shooting at the range (only 1 miss in 10 shots!) and allowed the team to finish 9th which I assume was a strong result....incredibly on the first leg when a competitor dropped a ski pole Leif tried to pick it up as he went pass demonstrating that he is a good sport as well as an incredible athlete......

I wonder if the focus it takes to navigate on the run in foot O helps someone like him concentrate at the range.....

He is one to watch in the future....

Any possibilities that Lief will try Summer Biathlon? The local Minnesota club has summer biathlon.