Biathlon

Did You Know?

Biathlon BC is the organization responsible for the sport in the province.

Biathlon at the BC Games

At the BC Winter Games, athletes in the Junior boys and girls category must be 13-14 years of age.  There are a number of different races including individual and sprint races where athletes start at timed intervals in a race against the clock, and a super sprint race which is a mass start, “first across the finish line” competition.  All three competitions offer high-level competition, tests of endurance, and an adrenaline filled experience for the spectators.

In British Columbia, athletes typically enter the sport from cross country ski programs or through the Biathlon Bears; a national program that trains children age 8-12 with the dual skills of skiing and shooting.

History

Biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross country skiing with precision target shooting. It dates back thousands of years due to its close association with hunting and winter transportation, but its development as a sport began in 1776 in Norway. The first Olympic Winter Games in 1924 included a military ski patrol race, however the full sport of biathlon was not included until 1960. Although it is still a relatively small sport in Canada, it is a very popular sport in Europe, drawing millions of spectators and viewers annually to regional, national, and international events.

Biathlon is a seemingly unlikely combination of events; it combines an aerobic activity, which requires strength, speed, and endurance, with a passive activity, which requires concentration, mental toughness and a steady hand. The combination of the aerobic activity and skilled shooting makes for a challenging and exciting event.