‘Shoot guns and run laps’ with the Kamloops Biathlon Club

“The target emits an infrared beam, and the rifle itself is actually like a camera that takes a photo of the target,” Whitman explains. “There’s no lasers involved, there’s no projectiles. It’s a really safe and accessible way for people to try out the sport and get a really good feel for what biathlon is like.”

Of course, shooting is just one component of biathlon. Cross-country skiing requires a foundation of cardiovascular fitness, which is the second component of these training sessions. During the fall season, the athletes run a course designed to get their hearts pumping before they come in to shoot.

“It’s fun,” Deacon, Henry and Tao all chime in. The best part? “Everything,” Deacon and Henry agree, while for Tao it’s “the shooting.”

While it was just the young athletes who took part in the interviews, some of their parents also took part in practice. The club is open to folks ages ten years old and up who want to join.

“Biathlon is really a sport for life, just like cross-country skiing,” Whitman says. “We can have kids, teenagers and adults of all ages really enjoy the challenge of the physical activity and the precision shooting combination.”

Put succinctly:

“You get to shoot guns and run laps,” Henry says.

by Adam Donnelly

‘Shoot guns and run laps’ with the Kamloops Biathlon Club

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