Submitted by Paul Collard,Director of NVSA
On Saturday the 20th of February, six members of the Vanderhoof Council accepted an invitation from the Nechako Nordics to “experience biathlon”. As most organizations are not very familiar with the sport, which is a major TV player in Europe, this initiative was to develop some knowledge and appreciation of the sport, and the level of ability in our local vicinity.
Each Councillor was paired with an athlete, who first instructed them on the safety aspects of handling a rifle. After that the participants shot a paper targets so that they could see the results of their efforts.
A “race” was then organized where the athletes did the skiing, and the councillors did the shooting. A small penalty loop was used for missed shots.
Everyone had a great time, and was surprised at how difficult it is to hit the actual prone target, as it is only the size of a toonie, at 50 metres! As it was such a successful event, the club is thinking of expanding this opportunity to businesses and other governing groups.