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Feb. 13, 2009 Summary: Pyeong Chang, Korea, February 13, 2009. Warm winds and heavy ran have battered the course and even forced the cancelation of the opening ceremonies. The organizers are working through the night to try and improve the situation but even the entry of the athletes has been postponed to the morning so the coaches can see the conditions before deciding on the seeding, if there will be a competition at all. Training was cancelled today in an effort to preserve the course. The following Americans will be entered if the is a race: Women: Tracy and Lanny Barnes (Durango, CO), Haley Johnson (Lake Placid, NY), and Laura Spector (Lenox. MA). Men: Lowell Bailey (Lake Placid, NY), Tim Burke (Paul Smiths, NY), Jay Hakkinen (Kasilof, Alaska), and Jeremy Teela (Heber, UT). A complete schedule of events is below and you can watch full length replays of the races by clicking on the WATCH US LIVE ON THE WEB link at www.usbiathlon.org Also announced today by the International Biathlon Union was the positive confirmation of the doping tests. Three Russians have been suspended, World Cup Leader Ekaterina Iourieva, sixth ranked Albina Akhatova, and 21st ranked Dmitri Yaroshenko. The prepared statement of IBU President Anders Besseberg is posted on the news page of www.biathlonworld.com The president did add that it is his personal view that finding this many athletes from one team leads him to suspect systematic doping in the team environment. |