World Cup Personal Best for Germain with Top-20 in Kontiolahti Short Individual

Leading the U.S. team in today’s men’s 15km short individual was Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA) with a personal best 20th place, followed by Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/Waiorau Nordic Skiing) in 28th, putting two U.S. men in the top 30. Roommates on the road, Germain and Wright bring not only a youthful energy to the U.S. team, but the talent and determination that shows signs of good things to come. 

Finishing +2:21.7 behind the clean shooting Endre Stroemsheim of Norway, Germain rewrote his World Cup personal best 45th from the 2022-23 season with a 20th place finish in Kontiolahti, FIN. Shooting a near perfect 19 for 20 also propelled Germain to his first-ever World Cup points.

“Achieving a personal best is always a huge accomplishment, especially when it reflects the progress made throughout the training season,” said U.S. Biathlon Head Coach Armin Auchentaller. “Improvements in both ski speed and shooting performance highlight the hard work and focus Maxime has put into his preparation. It’s always exciting to witness new talent emerging and pushing the limits of what’s possible. This combination of seasoned performance and fresh talent bodes well for the future!”

Wright, a contender for this season’s U23 blue bib, has kicked things off on a positive note, aiding in the sixth place men’s relay result and finishing the short individual in 28th place. Mirroring Germain on the range, Wright shot 19 for 20 to solidify his top-30 result and pocket 13 World Cup points.  

“This was a pretty good performance from Campbell! Even though he’s not yet in full swing, hitting the top 30 is a solid result,” added Auchentaller. “He finds himself now second in the U23, with more to come. His strong performance on the shooting range is particularly promising, and it’s clear he’s on the right path as he begins to build momentum. I am looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish as he gains the best shape possible!”

Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) recovered well from his first two rounds of shooting, where he missed two in prone and one in standing, to clean his final two rounds and cross the line in 48th. Sean Doherty (Conway, NH/Army World Class Athlete Program) battled the windy conditions and wound up missing five targets to finish in 79th. 
While the men take time to rest, the U.S. women are back and ready to compete in tomorrow’s 12.5km short individual slated for 10:20 EST / 17:20 EET. Live stream is available through Eurovision Sports and live updates can be found on the IBU App; for information on how to watch, click HERE.