Christopher Dettling
Special to the Record
Why biathlon? And what on earth is biathlon, anyway? If I were to tell anyone about my favourite sport, bemused confusion would be the common reaction. But I was once like you! North Americans receive little exposure to this sport, even though it is the most televised winter sport in Europe. Only a few years ago, I would have been one of the masses who arch their brows at the mention of this sport. But that was then, and this is now.
One fateful day as I was flipping absently through the newspaper, I encountered some extremely rare, full-colour coverage of this winter sport. There was the legend himself 鈥� Ole Einar Bjorndalen. The picture was a close-up of the master peering through the sights of his rifle at a distant target. The image was all my fevered mind required to invoke images of untiring, stalwart athletes gliding like liquid lightening through forests, only to find their mark with nerves of pure, undaunted ice. And so it began.
At first I followed biathlon online. Indeed, had it not been for the Internet, I would have been absolutely doomed 鈥� relegated to coverage of popular North American sports like hockey and basketball. But instead of following names like Sedin or Crosby; I followed mystical names like Glagow and Pouret. When I started watching my first biathlon races, a deliciously irreversible change occurred within me. The fantastically abstract conjurings of my mind were replaced with reality 鈥� and the reality was even more exciting.
Unlike any other race, the superhuman efforts of any biathlete could, within seconds, meet with soul-crushing tragedy. But let me explain. Biathletes ski a prescribed course, and watching this aspect of the sport would remind anyone of any other race. Where this sport differs, is that biathletes ski into a shooting range, attempt to quell their raging hearts, and endeavour to aim five small-calibre bullets at five targets, 50 metres away. In most instances, a missed target means a penalty lap of 150 metres. Could you imagine matching your competitors stride for stride in a race, only to watch them zoom away as you are stuck skiing this extra distance? To be sure, at the professional level, one missed shot could mean the difference between first and fifth place!
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And then it happened. Vancouver won their bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. I could only dream of attending, and so was understandably breathless when one crisp day found me holding one crisp ticket to an Olympic biathlon event! Attending the Olympics was an incredible experience and, perhaps, a tale for another time. But as excited as I became about this sport, I felt only a sincere desire to draw closer 鈥� to actually participate in the sport.
And then it happened 鈥� again. One day whilst enjoying the Nordic trails at Mount Washington, I saw a poster inviting curious folks to try their hand at this sport. Game over 鈥� I was there in a flash! Unlike tuba lessons, biathlon is both challenging AND fun! Pat Douglas, president of the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club, exhibited kind patience in explaining how to lie upon the shooting mat whilst wearing skis, and how to properly focus on a target that seemed impossibly far away. All the while, my heart thrilled at finally drawing close to a sport I had immense respect for.
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But let me make a confession to you. I am not young, with a potentially professional career stretching out before me like a banner of glory. Nor am I naturally gifted at skiing or shooting. What I do have is passion and a dream. This opportunity helped me realize that dream. Subsequent races were incredibly challenging and humbling. I have not always done well in these races, but I have always had more fun than my words could possibly describe.
Biathlon really is a remarkable sport that not only combines skiing and shooting, but also combines explosive passion and the mind of a Buddhist monk. It demands physical prowess, but it also demands tactical thought at all times. And it is more than a race, for fortunes can change in literally less than a second.
Quite honestly, my passion for the sport of biathlon would never have been fully realized had it not been for that fateful day that I saw the Try Biathlon poster. Athletes such as Magdalena Neuner may continue to inspire me, but had it not been for Pat Douglas of the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club, I would not have drawn as close to my dream as I have now.
If you are keen to try this amazing sport, I would highly recommend making your way up to Mt Washington on Saturdays, for the biathlon sampler put on by the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club.
Christopher Dettling is a member of the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club. You can follow his blog at . For more information on the club, visit
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The local range, located 600 metres beyond Raven Lodge at the Nordic Site on Mount Washington, is open every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and as the days get longer they will be looking at extending those hours based on demand. The club provides basic instruction and safety rules using the club rifles and .22 calibre ammunition. Participants need their own skis and a trail pass. Cost is $20 cash. New members are welcome $25.
