Durango Twins Ready for Olympic Gold

During the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver, B.C. twin sisters from Durango, Colorado will compete and represent the United States on the Olympic Biathlon team. The 27 year old sisters, Tracy and Lanny Barnes are already well known in the Biathlon community, and are believed to be the only Durango women to have competed in the Winter Olympics. They were both in the 2006 Winter Olympics, and the World Championships 2007. February 1-6 they will be at the Vancouver Island Pre-Olympic Training Camp and then compete during the February 12 – 28, 2010 Olympic games. Perhaps this is their year for Gold.

The Winter Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with rifle target shooting. The contestants race around a cross-country track, stopping at designated target areas and firing in both the prone and standing positions. The accuracy of the shots determine if extra distance or time is added to the total run. The contestant must hit five targets in each shooting round and missed shots result in penalties ranging from racing around an additional 150 meter (490 ft.) penalty loop or having one minute assessed to their overall time, or using one of three extra cartridges to finish off the target. Any additional targets left standing results in a penalty loop for each.

Originally the Norwegian soldiers who were in training used these disciplines in military preparedness. In 1861 the Trysil Rifle and Ski Club was formed in Norway and locals practiced the art of combination skiing and shooting as a possible national defense strategy. The activity became a sport and was demonstrated to the public in 1928, 1936 and 1948. It became part of the Russian and Swedish winter sport circuits in the 1950′s. By the time the first World Championship biathlon was held in 1958 in Austria, the sport was finally accepted into the Olympic Games for 1960. It wasn’t until 1992 that women were officially allowed to participate in this discipline at the Olympic level. As the world tunes in to see the 2010 Olympic Games, we’ll be watching the Barnes sisters and cheering them on! Follow the twins with us as we post results for all the Colorado athletes represented at the Games. Go for the GOLD, ladies – Colorado is behind you!!