FORT KENT, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — It has been a busy year for Russell Currier. The Stockholm, Maine, native has been traveling almost none stop, training and competing in preparation for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Currier is a biathlete. The biathlon is an event that combines two types of events, cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
"It is always a benefit to get on snow," Currier said. "This time of year especially we are always trying to get on snow as fast as possible. For us, really pushing that as fast as possible makes a big difference, especially this time of year when racing is coming up."
Currier just returned from Lake Placid where he was training with the U.S. biathlon team. When he is in Maine, he does most of his training at the Fort Kent Outdoor Center.
"It's really helpful because you really need a place like that that is ready to go all the time," Currier said. "I am really impressed because there is a strong community that is behind it."
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Community support has been one of the pillars in Currier's career. In 2014 he made his Olympic debut with Team USA in Sochi, and was proud to represent the United States and his home state of Maine.
"It was so exciting," he said. "Very busy. There was never a dull moment."
Four years later, he has his eyes set on the winter games once again.
"Coming from northern Maine it would really mean a lot to me to be able to say that everything paid off," Currier said. "And you know I am here and I'll do my very best."
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In the coming months, Currier's traveling and training schedule will take him from Quebec to Minnesota to Slovakia. He will not find out if he made this year's national team until two weeks before opening ceremonies.
"Unfortunately it is going to be a while," he said. "Kind of a nail-biting process right down to the last minute it feels like."
Until then Currier will continue to train hoping to make his Olympic return in February.