Camp Details:
Camp Dates: July 10-14, 2024
Cost: $575. Includes lodging & tax, 3 hearty buffet-style meals per day from our incredible dining hall, and use of a COC biathlon rifle and ammo for the camp.
Registration: By phone, (802) 586-7767
Ages: 15-16 (U17 for the 2024-2025 season)
Capacity: 12 athletes; please tell the office if you will be borrowing a rifle or bringing your own.
Lodging: Dorm-style housing at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center’s Cedar Lodge. Each athlete should expect to be paired with a roommate.
Coaches: Craftsbury and Green Racing Project biathlon coaches and athletes
Contact: biathlon@craftsbury.com
Purpose:
This camp for U17s is intended for both experienced biathletes and skiers looking to try the sport. We believe junior skiers interested in biathlon shouldn’t have to give up either their winter XC ski racing nor their summer ski training to experience biathlon training. Through collaborative sharing of ideas and knowledge, this camp will help athletes develop both shooting and ski skills. The week will end with a “fun race” for athletes to test their skills (although biathlon takes years of training to truly master!).
Requirements:
Equipment: Athletes must bring their own skate rollerskis, poles, boots, helmet, hydration vessel, and running gear. We recommend bringing classic rollerskis, boots, and poles as well. A mountain bike may be fun to bring for a solo recovery afternoon workout or two but the camp won’t have any structured mountain bike sessions. Craftsbury will provide each athlete a biathlon rifle and ammunition for the camp.
On-snow XC ski racing experience is required.
Significant experience training on rollerskis is required (2+ years of weekly rollerski training strongly recommended). Let us know if you have questions about this.
No biathlon or shooting experience is required. Camp is also open to athletes with some biathlon experience seeking to improve their fundamentals.
Athletes should be able to handle up to 2x/day 2-hour training sessions for 6 days.
Any questions are welcome - contact us at biathlon@craftsbury.com
Camp provides:
Access to international-level biathlon coaching, including rifle-fitting and firearm safety instruction, by Green Racing Project and Olympic biathletes and coaches
Rifle and ammunition for use during the week
Rollerski training on the Craftsbury Outdoor Center rollerski loop
Running/hiking/biking in the hills of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom
Strength training in the Craftsbury Outdoor Center’s “Event Shed” gym
Extracurricular activities including campfire, swimming and canoeing, team sports, and capture-the-flag
Video technique analysis
Mindset, mental strategy, and goal-setting session
Q and A with NCAA-All American and Olympic athletes
By the end of camp, each skier should:
Understand and practice the rules of firearm safety
Be able to care for and clean a biathlon rifle
Understand the fundamentals of prone and standing shooting positions
Be able to “zero” a rifle
Improve in their skate skiing technique
Understand the performance factors for cross-country skiing and the fundamentals of a basic training plan
Have experienced what it is like to train as a biathlete
Get a taste of what true biathlon competition is like, well beyond what is offered in a novice clinic
Be prepared to enter a biathlon race, for example at the US Biathlon Summer Rollerski Championships in Jericho, VT in early August
Be a little tired and ready for some R&R! It’s what happens when we train well!