The Sport of Biathlon

Biathlon is an Olympic winter sport which combines competitive, free technique cross-country skiing and small-bore rifle marksmanship. The combination of these two very contradictory disciplines in the same competition presents an athlete with a very demanding challenge. Currently, Alberta has the most well established biathlon programs in the country and athletes from our province make up the largest portion of the National Team.

Biathlon is a low impact, aerobic sport that can be enjoyed year round by athletes as young as 8 years old and it is not uncommon to see athletes as old as 55 competing on the Alberta Cup. The sport of biathlon is a safe and challenging way to develop fitness while having fun and learning new skills.

Alberta has an active biathlon community with athletes of all ages participating in various events. Most athletes belong to a local club that organizes training sessions in both cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship. In the winter many biathletes compete in fun Kinder Cup races or more competitive Provincial Calforex Cups. These races take place at various locations across the province and provide a fun and exciting way for athletes of all ages to challenge themselves in the sport of biathlon. 

For athletes who wish to compete at a higher level there are National Championships held every year where athletes from Alberta can test their skills against athletes from all over Canada. For the ultimate challenge athletes can qualify for a position on the Canadian National Team and compete on the World Cup or even at the Olympics.