Inuvik - Despite training for skiing in their biathlon, Inuvik's finest cadets did just as well on foot.

Cold weather kept the cadets from competing outdoors last week at a regional competition in Yellowknife.

Almost all of the Inuvik cadets brought home medals from the regional biathlon competition held in Yellowknife Dec. 1 to 7. From left to right: Connor McLeod, Kile Bilodeau, Laura O'Connor, Lydia O'Connor and Danielle Deslauriers. McLeod will represent the North in the national cadet biathlon competition being held in Quebec City, March 9 to 15. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

The group of Inuvik troops arrived in the capital city on Dec. 1 and spent the following week at the shooting range.

Capt. Cheryl Major of Regional Cadet Support Unit North, said the cold snap kept the young cadets indoors instead of being on the ski trails for their biathlon.

The regional competition was held to select cadets from all three territories to represent the North at the national cadet biathlon competition in Quebec City in 2008.

Major said the event consisted of sprinting and shooting.

"The idea is to practise shooting with an elevated heart rate," she said.

In total, there were 76 participants from across Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

"Fourteen communities from the NWT were represented," said Major.

Connor McLeod was the only Inuvik cadet to be chosen for the national team.

Major said even though McLeod won his event without skis, his victory will stand, but he will be back in Yellowknife for further training before March.

"The training will focus on his skiing as much as possible," she said.

"He might do it in Inuvik, or he could travel for it."

Skiing is something that McLeod is more than familiar with.

"I've been skiing for most of my life," he said earlier this week. "I stopped for a while, but I still know what to do."

Even though this is McLeod's first year with the 2749 unit in Inuvik, he performed well in his first territorial event.

"I've never left Inuvik for cadets before, it was a good trip," he said.

McLeod may have a scheduling conflict in that the national cadet meet is happening at the same time as the 2008 Arctic Winter Games.

"I'm probably going to make it for speed skating," he said.

McLeod said that his alternate is set to stand in for him during the cadet meet, so he can fully focus on the AWG.

Kile Bilodeau, 14, has been with the cadet squad for the last two years and knew what to expect from the trip.

"We didn't ski, but it was still good," he said.

"I've been to meets like that before. It's always a good trip."