Biathlon
Bulkley Valley Biathlon provides an environment where athletes of all ages and abilities can participate and develop their biathlon skills with a great group of people.
Our first priority is safety, and our second priority is fun!
We are a group of volunteers passionate about biathlon. We can be reached at biathlon@bvnordic.ca.
What is Biathlon?
This Biathlon 4 Newbies video is a great primer!
Biathlon is a really fun winter sport combining skate skiing and shooting. .22 caliber rifles are used to shoot 5 targets at a distance of 50m. Shooting is done in both prone (laying down) and standing positions. Racers ski a certain number of laps, based on the race, and shoot between each lap. They must manage their skiing output on the course to be able to then accurately shoot at the targets between laps.
Our Programs
We offer both youth and masters programs. For more information on our programs and to ask your questions, contact us at biathlon@bvnordic.ca.
For the 2023-24 season, fees are set at $115 for all athletes.
Youth Recreation Biathlon Program
The youth program is for athletes aged 10 - 18.
For winter 2023-24 we welcome any interested youth to come get an introduction to biathlon. This is a great opportunity for kids to try biathlon on for size!
Practices are Saturday mornings from 10 am to 11:30 am. Practices will begin in late September and run to mid March, starting as dryland and then transitioning to on-snow. All practices will be at the nordic center.
This program will be focused on shooting and will not have much ski-specific coaching. Youths that are interested in improving their skiing or racing should register in the Junior Development Program and the Youth ADP Biathlon Program.
Please contact us at biathlon@bvnordic.ca before registering in this program to learn more about the parent involvement required.
Our coaches are also fantastic athletes! There may be a small number of sessions cancelled during the year as our biathlon coaches travel to races.
Youth ADP Biathlon Program
The youth program is for athletes aged 10 - 18 that also participate in our Junior Development Programs. This program will give athletes the skills they need to be able to compete competitively in Biathlon.
Practices are Saturday mornings from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Athletes will participate in their ADP practices early on Saturday mornings and then transition to the rifle range for Biathlon Practice. This program will start running when the Nordic center opens in late November/early December. It will run until mid March.
Please contact us at biathlon@bvnordic.ca before registering in this program to learn more about the parent involvement required.
Our coaches are also fantastic athletes! There may be a small number of sessions cancelled during the year as our biathlon coaches travel to races.
Spring Into Biathlon Camp:
Youth aged 8-10 have the opportunity to try biathlon during a spring camp. If this is something you are interested in, please contact biathlon@bvnordic.ca.
Parent involvement:
Biathlon requires parental support, especially with beginner and younger skiers. Parents are expected to become familiar with the sport, its safety rules, to be available to attend practices on a regular basis and to help with set-up and take-down. However, being parents ourselves, we understand that your time is limited. So we will work with all the families to share in the responsibilities.
Required gear:
- Cross-country skis (skate skis are recommended)
- .22 caliber bolt action rifle: available for rent (see Things to Know section below)
- Ammunition: can be purchased from the club (see Things to Know section below)
Masters
The masters program is open to anyone over the age of 18.
For winter 2023-24, priority will be given to masters with previous experience with biathlon (i.e. have spent at least one winter participating in a biathlon program in Smithers or elsewhere) because we have a limited number of rifles available. Masters new to the sport can participate if space permits. Please contact biathlon@bvnordic.ca to obtain permission before registering.
Practices are Saturday mornings from 10 am to 11:30 am. Practices will begin in late September and run to mid March, starting as dryland and then transitioning to on-snow. All practices will be at the nordic center.
Our coaches are also fantastic athletes! There may be a small number of sessions cancelled during the year as our biathlon coaches travel to races.
Things to Know
-
You don’t need to know how to skate ski to learn biathlon. Classic skiers are welcome to participate but will eventually want to learn to skate ski so they can keep up with their friends!
-
In addition to your club membership and program fees, you must obtain a Biathlon BC membership for insurance coverage.
-
Register at Biathlon Canada’s Zone 4 page. Fees are generally dependent on age and/or whether you will compete in any races. Should you have any questions about this, e-mail biathlon@bvnordic.ca.
-
-
The club has biathlon rifles for rent to accommodate all sizes. The rental is for one season. When you register for the program on Zone 4, you can choose between two options. Please select either:
-
“Novice”: generally rifles that are suited for newer and younger athletes
-
“Advanced”: generally rifles that are suited for more experienced or older athletes
-
-
You will be required to purchase ammunition. A box of 50 rounds is between $5-7 and can be purchased from the club. You will use 1 to 2 boxes per practice.
-
It is not necessary to have a PAL (Possession and Acquisition License) at the beginning of the season to participate but we recommend that one be obtained during the season, if possible, to facilitate club rifle management.
-
With a PAL, you are permitted to transport a rifle to and from practice.
-
Without a PAL, you are not permitted to transport a rifle. Those without a PAL are able to rent a rifle but will only be able to use their rifle at the shooting range under supervision.
-
-
The Bulkley Valley Biathlon Program Overview provides more details about participating in our programs.
Racing
For those who are interested, Biathlon BC offers 3 BC Cup races each season. Races are for anyone aged 10 and older.
The 2022-23 season races are:
- Dec. 16-18 in Mt. Washington
- Feb. 10-12 in Whistler
- Feb. 24-26 in Prince George
We encourage all the program’s biathletes to participate. These are great events that allow you to put all your skills together in a fun multi-age environment.
Please discuss with your coach if you’d like to know more and/or participate in one or more races.
