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Beaudry's bullet proficiency brings her closer to Beijing

Twenty-seven-year-old Caledonia Nordic Ski Club alumna taking aim at 2022 Olympics in Beijing
Sarah Beaudry world cup in Oestersund Sweden
Sarah Beaudry of Prince George gives American biathlete Deedra Irwin of Wisconsin a hug after their IBU World Cup pursuit race Saturday in Oestersund, Sweden.

Sarah Beaudry’s rifle shooting was bang on the money in two weeks of racing the IBU World Cup biathlon circuit in Oestersund, Sweden.

The 27-year-old from Prince George shot 10-for-10 at the range on her way to a 39th-place finish in the sprint race Friday - her best solo result in nearly a year, and two more qualifying points that count towards Beaudry’s overall ranking for Canada’s Olympic team.

Her top-60 finish in the sprint qualified Beaudry for Saturday’s 10 km pursuit in Oestersund and in that race she hit 17 of 20 targets and placed 56th, 6:25.4 behind race winner Marte Olsbu Roeisland of Norway. Nadia Moser of Whitehorse, Yukon was the top Canadian in the pursuit, finished 34th, with Emma Lunder of Vernon in 37th place.

Then, in Sunday’s 4 X 6 km women’s team relay, in her 86th career World Cup race since joining the circuit in 2014, Beaudry skied the anchor leg and missed just one standing target. Her relay teammates Moser, Lunder and Benita Peiffer of Vancouver combined for 11 missed targets and the 12 150-metre penalty loops they had to ski for each miss took Canada out of the running for a medal.

 They finished 11th, 4:47.5 behind the gold medalists from France (Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Anais Bescond, Julia Simon and Anais Chevalier-Bouchet). Sweden and Norway took silver and bronze respectively.

Beaudry’s shooting in the first week of competition in Oestersund was also in the upper percentile. She shot 19-for-20 in the individual event, placing 79th, and went nine-for-10 in the first sprint of the season while finishing 63rd. But there’s room for improvement in her ski speed. So far this season, Beaudry’s average ski time is 20.7 seconds slower per kilometre than the fastest skier.

Scott Gow of Canmore was the only Canadian to qualify for Sunday’s men’s 12.5 km pursuit and he finished 30th, 2:07.4 behind race winner Vetle Sjaasrtad Christiassen of Norway.. Gow started the season Nov. 27 with a fourth-place result in the individual race at Oestersund.

Canada (Scott Gow, Christian Gow of Canmore, Adam Runnalls of Calgary and Jules Burnotte of Sherbrooke, Que.) placed 18th in Saturday’s 7.5 km men’s team relay. Norway (Christianssen, Sivert Guttworm Bakken, Tarjei Boe and Johanne Thngnes Boe) won the relay in 1:14:09.3, 11.2 seconds ahead of France, with Russia third (+45.9).

Heading into next week’s races in Hochfilzen, Austria, Beaudry is ranked 63rd in the overall World Cup standings. Lunder is 31st in the world and Moser is ranked 45th. In the men’s rankings, Scott Gow is 19th, Christian Gow is 31st, and Burnotte is 50th.

Racing in Hochfilzen starts Friday with women’s and men’s sprint events, followed by pursuits and team relays Saturday and Sunday.

The Olympics will be held in Beijing, China, Feb. 4-20.