The National Guard biathlon program is preparing for another exciting winter competitive schedule.

“Who are we?” you may ask. The program is comprised of Soldiers and Airmen from some 20 “snow state” teams and is centrally funded by the National Guard Biathlon office, located at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in beautiful Jericho, Vt. We have athlete’s quarters and roller-ski/snow ski loops at EAFR and at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, Minn., and there is an ongoing effort by the Montana National Guard MTNG to build a facility in West Yellowstone, Mont.

What is biathlon? Biathlon originated as a winter sport in the Scandinavian region (Norway, Sweden and Finland). Soldiers to this day still conduct border patrols by skiing and carrying rifles on their backs there. From this military background was born the modern-day winter biathlon: cross-country skiing and .22-caliber rifle target shooting. The sport combines athletic ability with rifle marksmanship; an excellent skill set for any Soldier or Airman to pursue.

A lack of year-round snow and a desire to continue in competition gave rise to the sport of summer biathlon – running a 6 kilometer course and stopping twice for .22-caliber rifle target shooting. These races are held from June-October each year and feature new venues as well as the winter venues in the U.S. Growth in popularity of the summer sport has also yielded interesting race formats, such as mountain bike riding and shooting. Summer biathlon offers an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in the sport to try it out in warm weather with no skiing ability needed – it will also help to improve your run time for your annual physical fitness test!

This winter, the competition schedule features three regional races and culminates in the Chief, National Guard Bureau CNGB championships:

Western                     West Yellowstone, Mont.                            Dec. 9-11,  2010
Central                       Camp Ripley, Little Falls, Minn.                    Jan. 13-15, 2011
Eastern                       Ethan Allen Firing Range, Jericho, Vt.         Jan. 29-30, 2011
Western                     Midway, Utah (Soldier Hollow)                    Feb. 3-5, 2011
CNGB                          Ethan Allen Firing Range, Jericho, Vt.         March 8-12, 2011

Interested? The Colorado National Guard is seeking motivated Soldiers and Airmen to represent Colorado on our state biathlon team. All National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are eligible to compete. Regional competitions are held at Snow Mountain Ranch outside Winter Park, Colo.

A biathlon is a fun way to stay in shape, meet new people and represent the National Guard. Currently involved individuals train year-round at their own designated levels and at their home locales. Top performing individuals at the CNGB-level can be selected for further full-time training and racing opportunities – and we place Soldiers and Airman on the winter Olympic teams every four years. Contact us today if you’re interested in learning more!

POC: Spc. Harold “Andy” Wilkens, CONG Biathlon Coordinator

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