Biathlon events open with a bang Fort Kent area shines for Cup competition

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FORT KENT – For months, folks in northern Maine have told one another – and everyone else who would listen – that the impending World Cup Biathlon would draw huge crowds, generate tremendous excitement, and would help put Fort Kent on the winter sports map.

And for months, skeptics from across the state politely listened … then went home, shook their heads, and said the same thing: I’ll believe it when I see it.

Note to skeptics: Believe it.

The Ruhrgas IBU Biathlon World Cup began on Wednesday. And unless you were willing to climb a tree … or hang off the roof of the majestic 10th Mountain Lodge … or sneak into the media facility … you may have had a hard time finding a place to stand.

Cowbell-clanging fans packed the lone set of bleachers, where they chanted, danced and cheered. A nearby hillside and similar vantage points were packed before 9 a.m. – a half hour before the women’s 7.5-kilometer sprint began – and the still-growing throng began to spread higher onto a ledge behind the lodge shortly after that.

Music blared. Dancers danced. Mascots pranced. Volunteers – hundreds of them – directed traffic, checked credentials, and told spectators, media members and other volunteers where to go.

Estimates of the crowd ranged from a high of 4,000 to a more realistic 3,000. Jerry Kokesh, the press officer for U.S. Biathlon, put that in perspective.

You didn’t think the Fort Kent World Cup was going to be a success? You didn’t think there’s enough support for a world-class event way up here in extreme northern Maine?

Believe it.

“Other than the Olympic Games, it was the largest biathlon crowd ever in the United States,” Kokesh said.

Not bad for a first try.

Not only was the crowd large, it was active. Fort Kent residents (and those who made the trip to town for the event) seemed determined to show that they knew biathlon … liked biathlon … supported biathlon.

The French were cheered loudly. Ditto the Germans. And the Russians. The Americans? Wow.

Here’s how loud it was. Kelsy Bouchard was among the first to ski the course on Wednesday. She rounded the final corner, swooped down the finishing slope, and listened as 3,000 or so neighbors gave her and her pals a standing ovation.

So what?

Uh … Bouchard didn’t even compete.

She was merely a “forerunner,” or skier who tours the course first, before the competitors are allowed to start.

“The crowd is just totally amped right now. They’re excited for everyone and anyone,” she said. “I wish I was racing right now.”

Bouchard is from Fort Kent. She had heard the hype. And she was surprised by the reaction of the crowd.

“We weren’t really sure how many people would attend, but the stands are filled and there are people out on the trail,” she said. “Fort Kent is definitely in the middle of nowhere. It is. The nearest city is pretty far away, so it’s in a remote location. But in biathlon, pretty much all of the venues are in remote locations, in beautiful little towns like Fort Kent, and I think that’s what attracts most people.”

Jill Krause-Beste, an American who finished 51st among 65 starters, was amazed at the reaction.

“I’m totally shocked. This is bigger than a lot of the [crowds] in Europe. Even than in Finland,” she said. “I’ve heard other athletes have said very good things” about the Fort Kent World Cup.

Before we go further, let’s get one thing straight: Aroostook County is not under siege. Traffic is flowing. Fort Kent has not been turned inside out by an influx of people. This is not … Not … NOT anything like the crowds the Phish concert produces (even if the most fanatic biathlon supporters tried to convince you that it would be).

Crowds arrive early. They stay a couple of hours. Then they leave the venue. Quickly.

Biathlon, you see, is a very efficient sport. It’s not baseball. It’s not football. It’s not an all-day affair like golf. Each athlete skis (and shoots) for about 20 or 25 minutes … and then they, too, leave.

Uschi Disl of Germany won Wednesday’s event. She never missed a shot (to the crowd’s delight), skied like crazy, and toured the 7.5-kilometer course in 21 minutes, 27.2 seconds.

But even before she began racing, Disl – who was called “Turbo Disl” by the animated public address announcer throughout the race – knew she’d found a special place.

An elementary school class had “adopted” the German star. And when Disl arrived at the venue, she found that her little admirers were everywhere.

“I was very surprised that I had a fan club here,” she said, explaining that her “fan club” met the biathletes’ plane when it landed in Presque Isle, and had made her feel welcome ever since. On Wednesday, they waved signs showing their support for Disl.

“[This venue] was better than Lake Placid, and it shows that you are very excited about biathlon, and I hope it stays for a long time,” she said.

Kokesh, the U.S. Biathlon press officer, said he knew that the Fort Kent organizers had planned on a large crowd. He knew the community was ready to support the event. And he was pleased by what he saw.

“I had every confidence going into this that it was going to happen. I’ve seen the paperwork saying that all these people were going to be here, and they pulled it off,” Kokesh said. “I think they did a really great job trying to re-create the atmosphere that we have at the European World Cups.”

Biathlon is an event dominated by Europeans. Live TV broadcasts are being beamed back to Europe – where top biathletes enjoy hero status – from Fort Kent each day.

The top U.S. finisher on Wednesday – Rachel Steer – wound up 33rd. But the presence of the Maine Winter Sports Center, and a crowd American biathlon officials can count on to support their sport, is important to its growth in this country.

“I think the one thing was that this was a less knowledgeable audience, so it was hard for them, in some ways, to get into it,” Kokesh said. “But they were great with the bells and cheering for people, and an excellent opening ceremony, and I think they’ll be back and have a great time at the other races.”