WHITEHORSE - Two Fort Simpson cadets made the medal podium and one has advanced to the national level following a biathlon competition.

Janelle Bruneau of Fort Simpson competes in the sprint race at the Northern Region Cadet Biathlon Championship in Whitehorse. - photo courtesy of Capt. Darryl Laliberte

The 2860 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps of Fort Simpson were represented by Madison Pilling, Janelle Bruneau, Michael Gast, Robert Harold and Aaron Leader at the Northern Regional Cadet Biathlon Championship in Whitehorse from Feb. 18 to 20. At the competition the cadets competed against their counterparts from the three territories.

Pilling finished first in the junior female division while Bruneau finished third. This was Pilling's second year at the competition. Last year she placed fourth overall.

The cadet's first race was the sprint. The competitors had to ski three loops of a 1.5 kilometre course while stopping to shoot twice at five targets.

The race day was windy which made it challenging for the cadets to hit their targets. Pilling missed all 10 of her targets incurring 10 penalty laps but still managed to finish in approximately 29 minutes, eight minutes ahead of her closest competitor.

"It felt good afterwards," Pilling said.

During the race she met her goal of not stopping for any breaks. Bruneau also had a strong sprint race but was plagued by ski malfunctions causing her skis to fall off three times.

The two teammates were paired together along with a Whitehorse Air Cadet for the relay race.

Pilling, 14, had a slower time during the relay because the trails were rougher by that point but hit seven of her 10 targets. The team had the fastest time but because it was made up of cadets from more than one corps the team was ranked second.

Pilling, who had fastest overall times in the junior female division, earned a spot on the six person team that will compete at the national competition in Valcartier, Que., from March 3 to 12.

"I'm excited but also nervous because I know the competition will be really tough," she said.

Pilling won't be alone on the trip.

The Fort Simpson corps also sent Nikita Larter, Jennifer Gast and Ivor Cli-Norwegian to Whitehorse to work as staff at the competition. The staff's duties included starting and stopping timers, lining up the competitors for races and ensuring tags were done correctly during the relay race.

Larter, 15, was chosen to also work at the nationals.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's a big opportunity," she said.

The Fort Simpson team's other successes included having Aaron Leader finish third in the novice male division for the Western Arctic Area.

"Simpson kids are fit comparatively and it's the secret of our success," said Lt. Steve Nicoll, who coached the biathletes.

Being fit allows the cadets to compensate for setbacks such as penalty loops, he said. Nicoll plans to focus on fitness more with the cadets.

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