Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 14, 1990, Winnipeg, Manitoba My hmm he ref Winnipeg free press january Page 16 Chuck features editor Dave feet pbe3s by John Lyons Winnipeg free press Falcon Lake most peo pie vaguely remember it from olympic coverage one of those rather Odd like that nobody Ever really but a race Between Rifle toting skiers that combines endurance with skilled Marksman is gaining in cynics May say its popularity could not decrease Many people dont seem to know what it biathlon is certainly not a traditionally popular sport in this Frostbitten covered in Snow much of the Field a team at the first olympics to feature the sport in the participants Many dont actually take part in the but officiate at competitions Are nothing if not enthusiastic about the and they Are slowly increasing in Manitoba is now Home to an inter National Standard biathlon situated on the South Shore of fal con adherents gather Here a dozen or so times a the site hosts the Canadian championships from March 811 this it want too Long that no one in these parts knew what biathlon their curiosity was piqued by Brad currently the second ranked racer in the Chapman was involved in the sport relatively Early Way Back in in he helped Clear trails for the you never heard of biathlon around Falcon recalls Mur Ray now a Volunteer with biathlon someone would theres a real live Biath Lete working in the peo ple would go and so that what one looks biathlon is a Gruell ing there Are two Basic in addition to the relay the deceptively named which consists of 10 Kilometres of ski and the which is double the length of the four ski ranging in length from 14 to 5 lie Adja cent to the shooting once a Trail is participants head to the shooting where they try to Down five targets in five Blunder the Winner finishes the skiing and shooting in the least sending even a single Bullet astray can prove a serious for each racers ski an additional penalty in longer see a minute tacked on their kids Are not As Likely to aspire to biathlon As they Are most get involved by de because of the numbers involved in Cross country Many competitors soon become they want something but with the same components of says Terry executive director of biathlon Man biathlon trails Are so few inexperienced skiers whatever their marksmanship Abil up the its harder to develop an aerobic base than to develop shooting says its Chapman a Runof the Mill its a dynamic with two activities opposed to each other which is a keen Eye and controlling your and Cross country which is the most aerobic of All the two were combined in sport during the 18th Century in Scandin evolving chiefly from military beginning in Mili tary As it was then was a demonstration sport at sever Al Winter biathlon was included As a regular sport at the 1960 olympics Canada did not Field a team until 120 members new associations Are starting up across the says Bonnie former executive director of biathlon was Home to Only a handful of Biath letes 10 years three years ago there were 60 there Are 120 members of biathlon Mani with Winter consuming so much of the its to be expected that ice and Snow sports should be while it remains to be seen whether More Manito bans Are venturing outdoors for recreational or competitive activities these biathlon is apparently not the Only Winter sport gaining in i think in More peo ple Are says Laurie pen regional development coordinator with the Cross country ski association of most of our really Good areas Are not Well if people knew of they would travel to downhill skiing is growing Here says Jacqueline executive director of the Manitoba Al Pine ski despite the pres ence of several ski slopes near Halcrow admits that Manitoba terrain int exactly the envy of downhill even the Manitoba ski team trains out she the a gruelling race Between Rifle toting requires aerobic endurance and marksmanship two opposing Chapman tests the International Standard biathlon biathlon Manitoba regional representative Glen Roy takes aim one miss can be a serious forcing a penalty sprint the Falcon Lake course includes four ski ranging from to 5 and a shooting snowmobile activity May be in but registrations dont give an accurate tally of its popu prior to mandatory insurance on the machines in there were about registered As of there were people Are currently either parking their or saying hell with ill ride without insurance or registration and Hope i dont get says Don Hal pics manager of traffic safety and loss another new Winter by is catching on among Moun Tain Bike limited people go biking on snowmobile trails youre you cant go through deep its really not Well says Louis Corbeil of Olympia Cycle and despite those Many appear to be taking up the sport on their studded tires and Bike we cant keep enough of them its really growing in popular of All these biathlon is Likely the least Redrea although noncompetitive racers Are youre unlikely to run across pickup game of Many adherents prac Tise the components of the sport skiing at local trails and shooting at nearby Rifle tournaments Are highly organized for the National Champion organizers Are expecting 80 officials to oversee 120 in the Rifle there Are three officials for each addition Al officials Are located along the with rifles an integral part of the safety is a proc located 60 metres away from the Are backed by a High dirt a five Shell clip is and All the bullets must be spent before the racer leaves the a participant cant ski onto the Range with a clip loaded in his Rifle its an automatic disqualification to level the gun except to target recreational Cross country skiers often use the course when no competitions Are As there is an Alpine Hill at the the Falcon Lake says biathlon Manitoba Volunteer Barb should prove a Boon to tourism has taken a step Back wards in this Hamilton this facility not just the but Cross country recreational skiers and Alpine skiers May be a big and biathlon May become More of a Spectator in they always draw Large ;