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Beyond the Gates at Biathlon
The third time was the charm as Grade 9s finally got to try biathlon at Mount Washington last week as part of the Beyond the Gates program.
The first scheduled trip had to be called off because it was too cold. The second attempt was halted because an excessive amount of snow made for treacherous travel conditions. On the third try, 34 Grade 9s, seven staff members and one Grade 10 mentor — Benneit H., who has competed in biathlon (a sport in which athletes alternate between cross-country skiing and rifle shooting) at the provincial level — finally made it to Mount Washington.
The students took lessons from members of the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club, learning how to safely handle a .22-calibre rifle before they practiced target shooting from a prone position on a mat, and alternating between shooting and skiing laps.
Fewer than half of the students had tried cross-country skiing before last week, and even fewer had shot a rifle. Daniel V. was among those who had skied before, but hadn’t experienced the other aspects of biathlon.
“I did Nordic skiing last year, but this was still a really good experience that I enjoyed,” he said. “We even went full speed down a hill, which was really fun. As for rifles, and guns in general, I had not even touched one in my whole life, so having the opportunity to shoot one was a really good experience; I had the ability to shoot down all five targets, not missing one, which was really exciting for my first time. Combining those two experiences was really challenging and exciting, so having the opportunity to participate was a gift for me.”
Despite the wind and rain, the students all embraced the experience. After their lunch break, they were ready to get back on the course 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
“I didn’t hear a single complaint,” outdoor education teacher Mr. Kyle Leis said. “I was really impressed with how high their spirits were all day.”
A second trip is planned at the end of March for the rest of the Grade 9s. In the meantime, they can test their Nordic skiing skills at Ski Week on February 11-16.
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