By Kathy Michaels
Seton Kriese didn't let the stress of an unfamiliar setting hold him back when he competed in the senior boys super sprint biathlon event at the Penticton 2016 BC Winter Games.
"(It was) scary," the Zone 7 competitor from Smithers said after the event, adding there was "lots of pressure" and he felt really "nervous."
"It's a different format than we're used to."
Regardless, he took gold for his performance, which scored a perfect 100.
Quesnel's Ryan Eldon, competing for Zone 8, took silver with a 97 and Coquitlam's Andrew Secu, competing in Zone 4, won bronze with a score of 94.
Athletes ages 13 to 16 competed in two age categories at the Games — Juniors (13-14) and Seniors (15-16). There were a number of different races including individual and sprint races where athletes start at timed intervals in a race against the clock, and a super sprint race which is a mass start, “first across the finish line” competition.
All three competitions offer high-level competition, tests of endurance, and an adrenaline-filled experience for the spectators.
Biathlon BC is the organization responsible for the sport in the province. Notable alumni include Sarah Beaudry (2008 BC Winter Games) of Prince George who went on to win gold at the 2011 Canada Games and competed at the Youth Olympic Games and World Youth Championships and is a current member of the national Biathlon team.
List of winners:
Individual Boys Junior:
Gold—Graeme Hamelin, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 24:36.6
Silver—Cole Bender, Zone 7 North West, Score 25:15.3
Bronze—Liam Connor, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 25:24.3
Individual Girls Junior:
Gold—Danica Ariano, Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan, Score 25:05.1
Silver—Natalie Benoit, Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan, Score 26:00.8
Bronze—Linnea Moutray, Zone 7 North West, Score 26:00.8
Sprint Boys Junior:
Gold—Ethan Algra, Zone 3 Fraser Valley, Score 14:54.7
Silver—Jaedon Chase, Zone 5 Vancouver-Coastal, Score 16:15.1
Bronze—Emmanuel Bussani, Zone 3 Fraser Valley, Score 16:17.0
Sprint Girls Junior:
Gold—Natalie Benoit, Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan, Score 17:36.4
Silver—Danica Ariano, Zone 2 Thompson Okanagan, Score 18:21.9
Bronze—Linnea Moutray, Zone 2 Thompson Okanagan, Score 18:21.9
Super Sprint Boys Junior:
Gold—Ethan Algra, Zone 3 Fraser Valley, Score 100
Silver—Charlie Williams, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 97
Bronze—Liam Connon, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 94
Super Sprint Girls Junior:
Gold—Linnea Moutray, Zone 7 North West, Score 100
Silver —Danica Ariano, Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan, Score 97
Bronze—Natalie Benoit, Zone 2 Thompson-Okanagan, Score 94
Individual Boys Senior:
Gold—Andrei Secu, Zone 4 Fraser River, Score 32:43.1
Silver—Ryan Eden, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 34:18.8
Bronze —Seton Kriese, Zone 7 North West, Score 43:18.8
Individual Girls Senior:
Gold—Anni Kurta, Zone 8 Cariboo North-East, Score 37:48.7
Silver—Kaede Kawano, Zone 5 Vancouver Coastal, Score 38:11.3
Bronze—Ava Nealis, Zone 7 North West, Score 40:05.2
Sprint Boys Senior:
Gold—Seton Kriese, Zone 7 North West, Score 17:10.0
Silver—Ryan Elden, Zone 8 Cariboo-North east, Score 17:29.8
Bronze —Keiran Marchand, Zone 1 Kootenays, Score 19:50.5
Sprint Girls Senior:
Gold—Anni Kurta, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 19:43.8
Silver—Ava Nealis, Zone 7 North West, Score 21:11.0
Bronze —Kaede Kawano, Zone 5 Vancouver Coastal, 21:21.9
Super Sprint Boys Senior:
Gold—Seton Kriese, Zone 7 North West, Score 100
Silver—Ryan Elden, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 97
Bronze —Andrei Secu, Zone 4 Fraser River, Score 94
Super Sprint Girls Senior:
Gold—Anni Kurta, Zone 8 Cariboo-North East, Score 100
Silver—Ava Nealis, Zone 7 North West, Score 97
Bronze—Kaede Kawana, Zone 5 Vancouver Coastal, Score 94