For those who would like to try a new winter sport, or be able to train at a high-performance centre close to home, Hardwood Ski and Bike has some good news to share.
The local outdoor adventure centre is about to launch a new facility that will support a growing interest in the challenging sport of biathlon.
Biathlon is an Olympic winter sport that combines cross-country ski racing and marksmanship. It’s a challenging sport because racing requires intense physical exertion, while shooting demands extremely fine control and stability.
Over the past few years, Hardwood Ski and Bike has offered recreational and competitive biathlon programs, but without the advantage of having a proper shooting range. In fact, up until recently, there has not been a dedicated shooting facility for biathlon training in Ontario. Competitive athletes would typically travel to other provinces for high-performance training and competition.
Now, after three years of planning and development, Hardwood is in the final stages of opening its biathlon shooting range, something Hardwood’s program manager, Arienne Strong, is excited about.
“Biathlon will now have a home here,” said Strong. “There has been a lot of interest in the sport and our athletes have done really well, even without having a strong training centre. But now we’ll be able to offer a more complete program; the possibilities are endless.”
In order to create the shooting range, Hardwood was required to work with local township and county officials and follow shooting range specifications as directed by the RCMP’s Chief Firearms Office.
“We have been involved with Chief Firearms Office staff from the beginning,” explained Strong. “They have been very supportive and eager to help.”
The actual construction of the shooting range required moving a lot of earth to create the berms and meet the range specifications.
“We were fortunate to have Windmill Landscaping of Oro-Medonte donate time to the project and were also able to complete the facility using clean sand fill from our own property. Nothing was brought in. Much of the fill came from the foundation of our recently built chalet (following a fire in 2017).”
With a proper shooting range, Strong says the sport of biathlon will be able to grow, for both competitive athletes and recreational programs.
“We’re excited to bring a higher level of sport to this area of Ontario and expand our programs. There have been so many people wanting to try biathlon. Last year, both our introductory clinic and our four-week programs for adults were sold out. And our biathlon bears programs (for ages nine to 14) have already filled for our upcoming winter season.”
Nicky Jones-Stokreef was one of the adults who decided to try the sport last year and would jump at the chance to continue building her biathlon skills.
“I’ve been a cross-country skier all my life,” said Jones-Stokreef. “I like to try new things and recently took up skate skiing. During a lesson at Hardwood, I noticed the area where targets were set up and was curious.”
She and a friend signed up for the four-week biathlon course.
“It was really fun. I’ve never shot a gun before and had absolutely no experience shooting,” said Jones Stokreef.
The course teaches beginners how to use an air rifle, get into position to shoot targets, and also includes ski technique. At the end of the course, the participants get to put it all together and test their new skills during a fun race event.
“It’s a pretty intense sport,” said Jones-Stokreef. “Doing a race makes you realize how challenging it is to calm yourself down and get into shooting position after an intense ski that gets your heart rate up.”
In addition to enjoying the opportunity to get outside, get fit and meet new people, Jones-Stokreef found the experience to be very satisfying.
“It felt really good when you got it right and heard that ping (the sound the metal target makes when hit). I think it would be fun to continue working on my skills and take part in some competitions,” she said.
Up until now, Hardwood has been able to offer its introductory biathlon programs by using air rifles, which are easier to use and do not require a licence. The official biathlon equipment uses a .22-calibre rifle, which will be used with the new shooting range.
Unlike other shooting ranges, the Hardwood facility will be used only for biathlon training and won’t be in constant use. Strong says it’s quieter than you would expect and after conducting sound tests, they discovered the trucks on the adjacent road were much louder.
“We’re looking forward to the final step and receiving approval for the project,” said Strong. “This is another way that Hardwood is supporting the region. Being able to offer a high-performance facility for biathlon is good for sport and good for local tourism.”
To learn more about Hardwood’s biathlon programs, visit hardwoodskiandbike.ca.
