Two Aroostook County residents left Monday morning to prepare for the Youth and Junior Biathlon World Championships, which are being held Jan. 24-31 in Haute Maurienne, France.

Russell Currier of Stockholm and Kelsy Bouchard of Fort Kent both ski for the Maine Winter Sports Center. Annilies Cook of Lake Saranac, N.Y., also competes for the Limestone-based MWSC.

“He was excited,” Currier’s mother Debbie said Monday night. “He’s been getting things ready for the last two days.”

The group left early to get acclimated to the different climate and time change, she added.

Biathlon is a sport that combines shooting and skiing. Competitors aim for fast times and an accurate shot.

Bouchard qualified for the U.S. team by virtue of a win in the 10-kilometer pursuit at the trials for the world championships earlier this month in Coleraine, Minn. She had four penalties and finished in a time of 31 minutes, 57 seconds.

Bouchard, a 2003 Fort Kent High graduate, was ninth at last year’s world championships. She earned two victories in her age division at the 2003 U.S. Biathlon National Championships

“I am really happy that Kelsy Bouchard had a good race today and made the team,” said junior national coach Vladimir Cervenka.

U.S Biathlon development coach James Upham said Bouchard is “a big game player who has the ability to give it her best when it counts the most.”

Bouchard was second in the girls freestyle and sixth in the 5K classic cross country event at the 2003 Class B high school state championships.

Currier, a sophomore at Caribou High, earned his berth on the world championship team because of his second-place finish in the youth men’s 6K sprint. He had a time of 30:36 with five penalties. It was his first time qualifying for the team.

“I am really happy with Russell,” Cerevenko said. “He is an excellent skier and is very improved.”

Debbie Currier said recent biathlon successes have “really spurred [Russell] on.”

He is a member of the Caribou High ski team, but hasn’t had a chance to compete for the Vikings yet because of his national schedule and bad weather that postponed a meet.