The Nevada National Guard scored its first-ever gold medal in biathlon when Sgt. Cirila Santillano of the 1/168th Medevac won the women's senior sprint race on Jan. 30 in Camp Ripley, Minn., during the National Guard Bureau western regional competition.
Santillano, an aviation operations sergeant who is also a full-time human resources technician, covered the hilly 7.5-kilometer course that included both standing and prone marksmanship sessions in 1 hour, 14 seconds.
The top Nevada soldier in the men's race was Sgt. 1st. Class Erick Studenicka. He finished ninth in the 10-kilometer sprint in 52 minutes, 17 seconds.
They advanced to the Chief, National Guard Bureau biathlon championships on Feb. 28 at Ethan Allen Firing Range, Vt. The Nevada National Guard has qualified athletes for the championships for six consecutive years.
Call SFC Studenicka at 887-7250 if you wish to compete next December.