The new season drawing near for a Prince George winter athlete.
Canada 2018 Winter Olympian Sarah Beaudry recently qualified for a chance to return to Europe later this month with Canada’s national biathlon team thanks to her efforts at an event in Alberta.
In Canmore, the 26-year-old took part in the Biathlon Canada World Cup trials, to which 10 members, five women and five men, would book their ticket to Finland for 2020-21 international season-opening races from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6.
Beaudry’s bid proved effective for herself by placing second in both the women’s sprint and short individual race.
On Nov. 3, the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club alumna hit seven out of 10 targets in the shooting range, but quickly gained enough speed on the Canmore track to finish with a time of 22:07.9, just a little more than 10 clicks behind winner and, fellow 2018 Olympian, Emma Lunder and 14 ahead of third-place Nadia Moser.
Two days later, Beaudry claimed another silver behind 23-year-old Megan Bankes with a completed time of 44:36.5.
Unofficial women’s results! pic.twitter.com/NiEjX805zQ
— Biathlon Canada (@biathloncanada) November 5, 2020
She managed to hit 17 of 20 targets in the individual contest, including all five in the first prone position and on the final standing stint.
A total of 17 women competed in the sprint, while 13 took part in the short race.
With those finishes, Beaudry easily found a spot on the national team.
Her last taste of snow overseas was at the 2019-20 Open European Championships in Belarus Feb. 26 to March 1 before COVID-19 cancelled the rest.
The first World Cup event will take place at the Kontiolahti Biathlon course, located roughly 450 km northeast of Helsinki, on Nov. 28 and 29.
