Alaskan teen sweeps Junior National biathlon titles

Reine Soule dominates the competition at the U.S. Junior National biathlon championships, setting her sights on the World Championships.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 2:39pm

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Sixteen-year-old Reine Soule of Anchorage, Alaska, won all three races at the U.S. Junior National biathlon championships last month in Lake Placid, New York. Soule, a junior at Service High School, won the 6K sprint, 9K mass start, and 7.5K sprint events, cementing her status as one of the top young biathletes in the country. She is now headed to the IBU Youth & Junior World Championships in Germany, where she hopes to build on her experience from last year's event and continue to improve her shooting accuracy.

Why it matters

Soule's dominant performance at the Junior Nationals showcases the rising talent of Alaskan biathletes and the growth of the sport in the state. While Americans rarely make the podium in international biathlon competitions, Soule's success could inspire more young Alaskans to take up the sport and represent the U.S. on the world stage.

The details

At the Junior Nationals, Soule won the 6K sprint by 13.3 seconds, the 9K mass start by 57.5 seconds, and the 7.5K sprint by 46.5 seconds. She hit 31 of 40 targets (77.5%) over the three races, a significant improvement from her 63.3% shooting accuracy at last year's World Championships. Soule's strong skiing and improved marksmanship allowed her to pull away from the competition and claim the sweep.

  • On December 28, Soule won the 6-kilometer sprint race.
  • On December 29, Soule won the 9-kilometer mass-start race.
  • On December 31, Soule won the 7.5-kilometer sprint race.

The players

Reine Soule

A 16-year-old biathlete from Anchorage, Alaska, who trains with the Anchorage Biathlon Club and the Alaska Winter Stars. She is a junior at Service High School and the reigning U.S. Junior National biathlon champion.

John Lohuis

An 18-year-old biathlete from Alaska who trains with Biathlon Alaska and Alaska Pacific University. He qualified for the U.S. team that will compete at the upcoming IBU Youth & Junior World Championships.

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What they’re saying

“Last time, I learned a lot about what being on the world stage meant and the reality of racing against very strong and a lot older girls. I'm really excited to see where I'm at this year compared to them, especially since I'm no longer the very bottom of the age group.”

— Reine Soule

“After winning the first two races, I obviously wanted the third, but I didn't feel a ton of added pressure. I tried to keep my mindset the same and stay focused on execution rather than results. I didn't want to overthink it.”

— Reine Soule

What’s next

Soule and Lohuis will represent the U.S. at the IBU Youth & Junior World Championships in Arber, Germany, from February 25 to March 8, 2026.

The takeaway

Reine Soule's dominant performance at the U.S. Junior National biathlon championships showcases the growing talent of Alaskan athletes in the sport and their potential to make an impact on the international stage. Her success could inspire more young Alaskans to take up biathlon and continue the state's tradition of producing world-class winter athletes.