.

Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

VALCARTIER, QUE - A cadet from Fort Simpson made history last week when she became the first cadet from the Northern Region to win a medal at the National Cadet Biathlon Championships.

Cadet Alicia Norris won both a silver and a bronze medal at the competition that was held in Valcartier, Que. from March 1 to 7.

by Roxanna Thompson Northern News Services Valcartier, Que.

Norris, along with her brother Brandon Norris and Charlene Deneyoua, all from 2860 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corp Fort Simpson, composed half of the six-person Northern Region team.

The other team members were Shannon Jennings from Yellowknife and Adam Ussak and Carmen Napayok from Rankin Inlet.

Norris, 12, won her first medal - a bronze -- on March 3 for her individual performance in the junior girls 4.5 km mass start race. Norris shot all of her targets during the race so she didn't accrue a time penalty. She finished the race in 24 minutes and 18 seconds.

Later that day at the awards ceremony Norris said she didn't realize they'd called her forward for a medal because she wasn't expecting to be in the top three.

"I was really surprised," said Norris.

Two days later she went on to win silver in the junior female pursuit race with a time of 33 minutes and 27 seconds. Norris considers the second race to be her best performance.

"I knew how the other girls were racing," she said.

After competing with them in the mass start race Norris knew who to watch and pace herself against. She was also familiar with the trail and knew where to slow down in places that were icy.

"That helped me too."

This was Norris' first time at the nationals. The level of competition was "pretty tough" because many of the other cadets do biathlon full time, she said.

"I just tried to do my best," Norris said.

Norris did achieve one of her goals.

"I just wanted to beat one Quebec person because I knew they're really good," she said.

Cadets from the Northern Region have been competing in the National Cadet Biathlon Championships since 1988. This is the first time a team or individual has won a medal at the competition.

In addition to her two individual medals, Norris helped the Northern Region female composite team place fourth in the 4.5 km patrol race.

The three girls missed the bronze medal by only eight seconds, finishing with a time of 35 minutes and 43 seconds. The race was challenging because of the course's terrain, said Charlene Deneyoua.

The course was very hilly. As soon as you topped one hill you could see the next, she said.

"It was basically challenging your fitness," said Deneyoua, who was at the nationals for the second time.

In the patrol race the three girls had to carry four blankets in backpacks while skiing and stopping twice to shoot. All three team members had to stay within 30 metres of each other or they'd be disqualified.

"That race was the funnest race," said Deneyoua.

"The whole time they were cheering me on."

As the team skied up the hills they urged each other forward. Despite just missing third place the team was pleased they managed to beat one of the two Quebec teams, Deneyoua said.

The trip wasn't all work and no play for the three Fort Simpson cadets. All of the cadets were taken to Quebec City for a day where they explored the old town, went shopping and tubing.

"I found the Quebec people really friendly," said Deneyoua.