Four NY Army National Guard members competing in national biathlon competition in Utah

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Capt. Joseph Moryl firing on the range during biathlon competition in Vermont on Jan. 26.

LATHAM, NY (02/23/2018) (readMedia)-- Four New York Army National Guard Soldiers are heading for Utah to compete against 120 Soldiers from 23 different states at the National Guard's Biathlon Championships.

Captains Katy and Joseph Moryl, a married couple from North Hudson, New York; Sgt. First Class Kevin Brunick from Troy, New York; and Lt. Col. John Studiner, who lives in Arlington, Va. will be participating in the championship. The competition takes place at Soldier Hollow which is located southwest of Salt Lake City in Wasatch Mountain State Park, February25- March 2.

The top competitors from this competition will be invited to join a National Guard biathlon team which participates in higher level national and international competitions.

Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with marksmanship. Competitors race to see who is fastest and who scores the most bulls eyes.

The races kick off at Soldier Hollow with the individual races on Sunday and Monday. Then team events will be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday.

Studiner, and the Moryl's serve in the Troy-based 42nd Infantry Division headquarters and have raced before. Brunick is assigned to the Joint Force Headquarters in Latham and will be competing for the first time.

Studiner has been on the team since 2003. Katy Moryl has competed for three years and her husband is in his second year of competition.

The New York team has been successful in the past.

Two former team members, Air National Guard Master Sgt. Deborah Nordyke and her husband, retired Army National Guard Maj. Curt Schreiner, both competed on Olympic biathlon teams.