Craftsbury Outdoor Center

View Original

Winter Biathlon Races at Craftsbury

With our new 15-point biathlon range nearly complete, we are excited to announce that we are hosting two biathlon major races this winter. December 18-22 we will host the IBU Cup Trials and a December 22 citizen’s race, and the weekend of January 11-12 we will host a North American (NorAm) Cup race.

December IBU Cup Trials will consist of a sprint on the Thursday the 19th, mass start on the 20th, and a final sprint on the 22nd. This event is designed primarily for older junior and senior athletes seeking to qualify to represent the United States on the IBU Cup circuit in Europe. This race is hosted by the Craftsbury Outdoor Center but sanctioned and run by the U.S. Biathlon Association. After Sunday’s trials sprint, we have the Holiday Biathlon Sprints, a citizen’s race opportunity for juniors and masters to challenge themselves on the course. It will be 3-4k for kids and 7.5k for masters, with two shooting bouts. This race will be fun for new and experienced biathletes alike.

Two weeks later, over the weekend of January 11-12, we will host NorAm Cup #3. The NorAm Series takes place from November through March all over the United States and Canada and provides a competitive racing circuit for those in North America. NorAms draw a large Canadian contingent and a slightly smaller American crew. These competitions provide racing opportunities for all ages, from those under 15 to over 70! On Saturday all competitors will do a sprint race, where there are two shooting bouts and a penalty loop for each missed shot. On Sunday everyone will do an individual with four shooting bouts and a time penalty assessed for each missed shot. 

You can see the invitation for the NorAm here, Trials here, and Holiday Biathlon Sprints here. Come and spectate at either race to check out the new range and the sport of biathlon! Volunteers are needed for both events, reach out the volunteers@craftsbury.com if you are interested. Questions? Shoot an email to biathlon@craftsbury.com