Phill Violett and Rayleen Chew – this years Summer Biathlon Champions:

The 2nd Annual Chuck Lyda Memorial Biathlon Race saw 50 competitors from age 8 to 71 years old. 

The race is held at Auburn Ski Club’s Training Center on Donner Summit in memory of Chuck Lyda  – Biathlete, Olympian, Program Director & friend of Auburn Ski Club Associates

Chuck  was a two-time Olympian (1976, 1980) and a two-time World Champion (1975, 1977) in the sport of Canoe/Kayak. He was on 28 National Teams, Winter (Biathlon) and Summer (Canoe/Kayak). He competed in Biathlon at the World Cup level before becoming the head coach for the Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) Biathlon Team in 1995. Chuck was selected as a member of the U.S. Olympic Biathlon Team coaching staff after putting four of his athletes on the 1998 Olympic Biathlon Team. Chuck coached through the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Chuck was a dedicated soldier serving with The National Guard -achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

 

The 3 mile ‘Novice’  field was the largest with racers running a 1 mile course 3 times with two five shot shooting stations.  Each shot missed added a 50m penalty lap to the runners course.

Mammoth’s Laurel Fiddler took an early lead in the junior girls race with the fastest womens time of the day (29:44.3).  The adult womens division saw Kim Field winning with a time of 33:17.2

For the men Nevada City’s 19 yr old Joe Rodrigues won the junior Boys (28:39.8) and Paul Barnes from The Bay Area lead the men’s division 32:57.9 and Donal Ryan and Ed Gordon finishing second and third

Four 10 and unders raced the 2 mile race with Truckee’s Tommy Pullen clocking the fastest time

In The Pro Race ASC Club biathletes dominated the podium with Rayleen Chew winning the womens 5 mile race & Phil Violet the Men’s Race

Auburn Ski Club will be offering several winter biathlon clinics and races this winter. 

See http://auburnskiclub.com/nordic/biathlon/ for more information