Please check the VIBC Club Calendar (click here) for updates.
Program fee includes 2 Fun Club Races.
Program Fee: Early Bird $200, after Nov 30th $235 (does not include ammunition)
Rifle Rental Fee: $50 – for program use only
Typical Saturday morning Lesson format:
- 9:00am – 9:30am: Setup
- 9:30am – 10:00am: Lesson overview/introduction
- 10:00am – 10:45am: Group Alpha Shooting lesson + Group Bravo Ski lesson
- 10:45am – 11:30am: Group Alpha Ski lesson + Group Bravo Shooting lesson
- 11:30am – 12:00pm: Range clean-up and Rifle cleaning
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(note: The schedule for each day may be slightly different, depending on the lesson plan and/or weather conditions.)
Program Overview
The Adult Recreational Program is directed at cross country skiers aged 15+ who have at least one or more years of skiing experience, and who wish to continue their skill development through the exciting and challenging sport of biathlon.
This program teaches the basic skills of biathlon in a safe and fun environment. The goal of the program is to build confidence with skiing and shooting skills and to provide a fun introduction to a fantastic and challenging sport.
The Biathlon Range sessions focus on developing marksmanship skills and putting it all together with ski skills in order to compete recreationally in biathlon with program co-participants at club fun races or at a higher level if they so choose.
Levels of training for individual athletes will vary according to their individual goals.
Medical Information:
Please fill out and return an “Athlete Medical History Form”.
These forms will be kept confidential and locked up in the biathlon hut.
Food and Water:
Athletes should bring water and any food/snacks they will need during the session.
When bringing a snack, we request that you avoid items containing peanuts.
If you are planning to make coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, we would ask each athlete to bring a mug to the hut for the season. This will help the club and the environment as we can avoid the expense and wastefulness of disposable cups.
Recommended Clothing:
Staying warm and dry is crucial to having fun and learning. The weather conditions will vary throughout the season so it is important to be prepared for the conditions each week.
We ask athletes to layer-up and dress suitably for the weather. Flexible clothing such as you would wear for biking or running plus some extra warm layers like a warm vest and thin jacket for shooting on the snow would be appropriate.
It is always better to have extra pairs of items in case it is wet or very cold so that you can change during a break, or at the end of the session, into something dry and warm. Spare/dry items can be kept in the hut for the duration of the session.
We do recommend each athlete have a pair of gloves appropriate for shooting (i.e. warm, but thin enough to fit into the trigger guard). Cross-country ski gloves or paddling gloves work well.
Ski Equipment:
Participants are required to provide their own skate skiing equipment (skis, boots, and poles). If you would like to rent equipment, we recommend the seasonal rental package from the Raven Lodge.
VIBC Apparel:
To foster a sense of team and belonging to the club, we encourage club members to consider ordering VIBC apparel.
Toques, headbands, neck warmers (buffs), jackets, and pants are available in the unique VIBC design. (They make great Christmas gifts!)
You can view the items here:
http://shop.jakroo.ca/Vancouver-Island-Biathlon-2015-16
The club plans to submit a group order at a discounted rate in mid- December, so the items will be available for the beginning of the programs, so please express your interest in ordering as soon as possible.
Additional Ski Training:
VIBC encourages participants to seek additional ski coaching (including classic technique) outside the Masters program in order to build the ski skills necessary to be a competent biathlete.
Our sister club, Strathcona Nordics Ski Club offers Beginner and Intermediate Masters sessions on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings from 10am -12pm, as well as a Competitive Masters program which runs year-round Wednesday morning or evening, and Saturday mornings (summer & fall) or Sunday afternoons (winter on-snow). Please check the website for exact scheduling details.
Please see the SNSC website for more details www.strathconanordics.com.
Rifles:
Masters participants are not required to have their own rifle. Club rifles are available to rent for the program.
For training and learning purposes, athletes sometimes share rifles during lessons. This also allows athletes to stay warm by alternating between skiing and shooting.
Biathletes may wish to consider purchasing a rifle if they expect to continue with biathlon. This lends to better fit of the rifle to the individual, and thus improved success. Fortunately, biathlon rifles hold their value well, and are a good investment. Rifles must have iron sights (no scopes).
Participants are not required to have their Possession and Acquisition License (PAL), but it is encouraged. The firearms safety education of the course is highly valuable as a biathlete. Further, if the participant wishes to attend any race, or practice shooting outside of program time, they must have their PAL.
Participants are required to supply their own ammunition for their training. Those with a PAL will be responsible for handling/storage of their own. Those without a PAL can purchase ammunition from the club, label it with your name and have it safely stored for you week to week during the program. Ammunition must adhere to International Biathlon Union requirments: Lead Round Nosed, 40grain, muzzle velocity below 360m/s (1181 ft/s).
Registration:
Participants need to be a member of the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club, as well as Biathlon Canada and Biathlon BC for insurance purposes. Please see the VIBC website membership & registration page for details. Unless you plan to compete at BC Cup races, you can select a Recreational level membership with Biathlon Canada.
Program Support:
The Adult Recreational program operates with volunteer coaches and participant support is required to make this program successful. Participants will be expected to help out following the sessions in some capacity for range clean-up, as well as volunteer at the club races. Participants are required to attend the important range safety education session during the first session.
Participants are invited to take club-sponsored coaching or officiating courses to enhance their own understanding of the sport while also supporting the club’s activities. There are also numerous other roles and responsibilities in the club we encourage our participants to engage in.
Competitions:
The club will host 2 fun races which are included as part of the program. These races are lots of fun and provide the participant with the opportunity to really put it all together. In addition, we encourage all athletes, who are interested in attending, to join the club at the Biathlon BC Cup races this year.
A typical race weekend for a BC Cup series consists of two races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday in slightly different race formats. Masters generally coach-support each other at these races. Masters are welcome to attend any number of races they would like, but need to consult with the coach regarding the availability of athlete support and rifles.
Ski Passes:
All program participants are required to have a valid Mt. Washington Alpine Resort trail pass. You may purchase individual day passes, but season passes are generally more economical for the duration of the program. Please see the website for details www.mtwashington.ca.
Questions?
If you have any questions about anything in this information package, please talk with your coaches or send and email to the VIBC Program Director Jonathan at vibcprogrammer@gmail.com
Shooting and Skiing Resources (click here)
Competitive and Independent Masters:
This group is for those that have completed at least one year of the VIBC Masters Program (or equivalent) and are interested in competing in BC Cup races and/or training independently.
The focus will be on individual training and peer-to-peer coaching to start, but further coaching opportunities could be explored by the group if desired.
Designated “Open Range Times” will be scheduled and provided on Saturdays and Sundays (with a designated RSO and lanes), to allow for ample training opportunities.
Competitive and Independent Masters must already have an active VIBC membership, Annual Range Pass, Biathlon Canada/BC membership, and are expected to be involved in supporting the club in some capacity (i.e. Coaching, Officiating, Volunteering, and/or serving on the Board of Directors).
Note: Dates, programs, and events are subject to change, depending on weather and other unforeseen circumstances.