Lanny Barnes (Durango, CO), who won the individual race at US Olympic Trials in late December, claimed the bronze medal in that same race at World Junior Championships in Ridnaun, Italy. Barnes shot 95%, with only one miss. The individual race penalizes competitors with one-minute time fines, added on at the completion of the race. After two days of mediocre results from the junior women's field, the other three members of the team provided back up to Lanny's sensational performance. Lanny's twin sister, Tracy Barnes, recorded a top-ten finish by placing eighth, with two misses. Carolyn Treacy (Duluth, MN) skied exceptionally well, for she placed 17th, even with five missed targets. She skied the seventh fastest out of the 63 competitors. All seventeen competitors ahead of Treacy missed four or less targets. Beth Ann Ellingson (Grand Rapids, MN) placed 45th with seven missed targets.

The junior men's team has had two great days of racing, providing four top-twenty results. Today's individual race proved to be a bit different. Walt Shepard (Yarmouth, ME), who cleaned a sprint race at US Olympic Trials and is an amazing shooter, was expected to do well in the race, for accurate shooting is of the essence. However, his shooting failed to materialize in the range, and he missed seven of his twenty targets. Tim Burke (Paul Smiths, NY) provided the team's best result, with an admirable 31st place. He missed six targets in all, but skied the 11th fastest. Anders Osthus missed ten targets to finish in 72nd place. Osthus is an extremely talented skier, and is slowly making his way to becoming a full-time biathlete. It just takes time. All of the junior men have an additional year of competition ahead of them in the junior category. They will be competing in tomorrow's relay competition, which should prove exciting for both the athletes and fans.

Evan Ray (St. Paul, MN), who claimed top-ten performances in both the sprint and pursuit in the youth men's field, dropped from being the top American competitor in that field. Kurt Farchmin (Duluth, MN) missed only four targets to claim the top American result in the race, placing 27th. A little more than thirty seconds back was Ray, who missed five targets, in 35th place. Ben Byrne (Bovey, MN) and Nate Erlandson (Grand Rapids, MN) both missed seven targets to place 46th and 50th, respectively.

Annalies Cook (Saranac Lake, NY) has proved to be the most stable American, for she again finished in the top-twenty in the youth women's individual race. She missed six targets to finish in 16th place. Antonia Slaughter (Orono, MN), who has been sick all week, finished her first World Junior Championship race in 43rd place. Slaughter missed five targets in all. Emelia Demarchis (Burlington, VT) did not finish.

JUNIOR MEN'S 15-KM INDIVIDUAL
 1 EDER S.        AUT 0100 42:12.4
=2 GOUSSEV A.     RUS 1100 +22.3
=2 R�SCH M.       GER 1101 +22.3
31 BURKE T.       USA 1221 +4:26.7
49 SHEPARD W.     USA 2221 +7:07.0
72 OSTHUS A.      USA 2323 +10:02.8

JUNIOR WOMEN'S 12.5-KM INDIVIDUAL
 1 KOLESNIKOVA N. RUS 0000 40:43.8
 2 NIZIAK U.      GER 1110 +2:43.5
 3 BARNES L.      USA 0001 +2:46.2
17 TREACY C.      USA 1202 +5:25.6
45 ELLINGSON B.   USA 2212 +8:44.0

YOUTH MEN'S 12.5-KM INDIVIDUAL
 1 KNIE C.       GER 2110 39:10.8
 2 BEREZHNYY O.  UKR 0111 +6.9
 3 STROHM T.     GER 1201 +19.9
27 FARCHMIN K.   USA 0120 +4:21.8
35 RAY E.        USA 1130 +4:54.5
46 BYRNE B.      USA 1132 +6:27.9
50 ERLANDSON N.  USA 2014 +6:45.2

YOUTH WOMEN'S 10-KM INDIVIDUAL
 1 ECKHOFF K.    NOR 1100 35:46.9
 2 KARASVYCH N.  UKR 0001 +2.6
 3 MARKKANEN M.  FIN 1200 +9.0
16 COOK A.       USA 0312 +3:04.3
43 SLAUGHTER A.  USA 0014 +7:18.5