WHITEHORSE, YUKON
Six Fort Simpson cadets faced challenging conditions at a biathlon competition earlier this month.

Lance Cpl. Ariah Thomas waits for the start of her race that was part of the training session at the Regional Cadet Biathlon Championship in Whitehorse. - photo courtesy of Prairie Region Cadet Support Unit

The members of the 2860 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps participated in the Regional Cadet Biathlon Championship in Whitehorse from Feb. 7 to 9. Cadet Sgt. Michael Gast and Warrant Officers Robert Harold and Janelle Bruneau competed in the event while Master Cpl. Jordanna Snider, Cpl. Sky Lennie and Lance Cpl. Ariah Thomas participated in the training session. With the wind chill temperatures were below -30 Celcius.

"It was a challenging event because of the temperatures," said Cpt. Steve Nicoll, the corps' commanding officer, who worked as a staff on the firing range at the competition.

Bruneau finished second in the senior female division, but wasn't chosen for the team that will be going to nationals. Because of the weather Gast didn't complete his individual sprint on the first day and Harold didn't complete the relay race on the second day. It's very difficult to load bullets at that temperature, said Nicoll.

Nicoll said that he had hoped for better results, but that it's good to see the junior cadets progressing and that he hopes to bring a stronger team next year.

The training session for junior cadets focused on learning to skate ski and also included a bit of marksmanship. Skate skiing, which is faster than classical skiing, could recently be seen in use by Olympic biathletes.

The skiing technique is physically difficult, said Snider, because it requires the use of a lot of core muscles. This was Snider's third time at the training session.

She placed first out of the females in the training race. The biathletes had to ski, stop to shoot five targets, ski, shoot again and then ski to the finish. Snider shot three of her targets in the first round and only missed one in the second. She hopes to advance to the competition next year.

Although she had a faster ski time, Lennie finished second among the female cadets. Because she missed all of her first five targets penalty time was added to her score.

"It's fun, but hard work," Lennie said about the sport.

This was Lennie's first time at the training session and she was eager to learn more about biathlon.

"I learned a little bit how to skate ski," she said.

Thomas was also in Whitehorse for the first time.

"I think it's fun. It's fun to learn how to ski better and it's fun to go in the short competitions," she said.

After trying biathlon, Thomas said she had a greater appreciation for the biathletes who were competing in the Olympics.

"It looks really tense," she said.

"It looks like they have to train a lot."

Three other members of the corps also went to Whitehorse. Cadet Sgt. Mary Drake went to the competition as staff, Officer Cadet Jim Broomfield was the team's coach and Officer Cadet Martha Drake went as staff at the main camp.