Biathlete profile: Erik Rupert

FORT KENT -Erik Rupert thinks he made the right choice in training with the Maine Winter Sports Center this winter for several reasons, including the fact that Fort Kent is the only place in the U.S. that has received a significant amount of snow this winter.

Rupert praised the venue and the MWSC coaching, saying the paved roller-ski loop at 10th Mountain Ski Center is an excellent summertime training aid.

He described the residents of Fort Kent as being welcoming and friendly, citing Fort Kent as his favorite town in the area. Fort Kent is similar to the more rural areas outside of Duluth, Minnesota, his hometown, he said, and spoke favorably of the French heritage in this area.

"I like the vibe in Fort Kent," he said.

He likes to hike in Debouille and praised the restaurants in the area.

Rupert, an 18-year-old, participated in the Nor-Am races at 10th Mountain a couple of weekends ago, competing as a junior even though he was technically considered a "youth."

"That was the most well-run race I've ever been a part of," he said.

Rupert said the grooming and the course work at the venue was perfect.

The outcome of the races in the next couple of weeks will determine whether Rupert makes the New England team going to the junior Nordic national races.

Rupert, like some other biathletes, got his start in running. Skiing began as a cross-training activity, and then by the tenth grade, became the focus of his training, along with biathlon.

Also like some of his teammates, he had little support at his high school for skiing and biathlon. He said he trained pretty much on his own, with some support from the coaches at a neighboring high school, where he had the opportunity to race. He said Bill Myer, a biathlon coach who also trained teammate Raleigh Goessling, was a big influence on Rupert when he first got started.

"He deserves some props for that," he said.

Rupert said in his senior year in high school, he was originally interested in participating in an exchange program to Germany. When that fell through in April 2011, he made the decision to come to Fort Kent to train with MWSC coaches instead.