FORT KENT – One of the first Maine Winter Sports Center employees is moving on.

Max Saenger, who is the center’s vice president for economic development and has been with MWSC in a variety of posts since it was founded in 1999, will head to Vancouver, British Columbia, in a few weeks to start his new position as the 2010 Winter Olympics’ sport manager for biathlon.

It’s a big organizational job but Saenger, who lives in Stockholm with his wife Karen, is looking forward to the challenge.

“[Vancouver’s organizing committee] can’t put on these games alone,” he said. “They have to depend on and work with all these other national and international and provincial organizations, to get their expertise. I’m the contact person for all these organizations.”

Saenger will be responsible for developing Vancouver’s biathlon venue, developing the local organizing committee, and being the point man for the International Biathlon Union, the International Olympic Committee, the local organizing committee and Biathlon Canada, the sport’s national association.

He will also be actively involved with running a 2009 World Cup event in Vancouver that will be used as a test for the Olympics.

A former member of the Swiss national team, Saenger, who has dual Swiss and U.S. citizenship, was the assistant chief of course at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Karen Saenger, a Canadian citizen, runs the 21st Century Grant Program in Fort Fairfield and has taught at Caribou and Fort Fairfield high schools.

Saenger joined the MWSC in August 1999 after 22 years living near Gstaad, Switzerland, one of the most posh ski resort towns in the world. There aren’t any fancy boutiques in Aroostook County, but Saenger said the experience of living in northern Maine has been memorable for other reasons.

“I never would have guessed I’d meet so many people or make so many friends here in the County,” he said. “Karen and I have lived and developed more friendships and more community ties than we have any other places we’ve lived before. For us, Aroostook County is home.”

Prize money on the line

The winners of the North American biathlon championships will leave Fort Kent with more than just flowers and a medal. There’s also some prize money involved.

The first-place finisher in each gender and age group of each race receives $100 Canadian followed by $75 for second place and $50 for third.

Also on the line is prize money for the top overall point-earner from the weekend and season-long North America Cup series.

The first-place senior man and woman this weekend will receive $500. The top juniors each get $300 and youths earn $200. The same amounts will be given to the series point-winners.

Accepting money is, however, a tricky issue for the athletes who expect to compete in college someday or are already enrolled and could violate their NCAA eligibility. U.S. Biathlon Association executive director Max Cobb said athletes can decline the prize money. Newt Rogers, a Fort Kent Mills native who placed second overall in the men’s junior 15-kilometer individual race Thursday, said he will turn down the money because he is a freshman on the ski team at the University of Vermont.

Prizes for fans, too

Although watching an exciting biathlon race has its own rewards, the organizers of this weekend’s championships are offering prizes and other free activities for fans during and after Saturday and Sunday’s events.

Following Saturday’s sprint races there will be a citizen biathlon competition open to all ages and levels. Rifles, ammunition, instructions and coaching will be provided at the 10th Mountain Lodge. Participants can choose between a 3K and a 6K race. Registration starts at 9 a.m. Saturday with training at 12:30 p.m. and the race at 1.

After Sunday’s pursuit races, fans can stay for a “Give Biathlon a Shot” contest in which 10th Mountain officials will pick participants at random from the crowd to shoot at five targets on the shooting range. If the target is hit, a flag will pop up and reveal the prize won.

There will also be Fan of the Day contests and sponsor TD Banknorth will set up a hospitality tent for fans.