Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 39 At first the idea of ski racing with a rifle strapped to your back, firing rounds at a shooting range, then blasting around the course again, seems disjointed. What does ski racing have to do with target practice? As it turns out, a lot. Biathlon can be traced back to rock carvings in Europe depicting men on skis stalking animals, dating back 4,000 years or more. Further up the timeline, biathlon turned into more of a military-centered activity, when the first biathlon competition took place in the late 1700s between companies guarding the border between Sweden and Norway. Biathlon arrived at the Olympics in 1960, and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) founded in 1993. Biathlon in the U.S. is fractionally popular compared to in Europe, where it's the most televised sport. But biathlon is growing in popularity in the U.S., and Mon- tana is one of the states seeing large growth. Biathlon racers speed over courses ranging from 6k to 20k, with two or four stops at the shooting range, depend- ing on the length of race and type of competition. Shooting is always done from a distance of 50 meters, with rounds shot from prone or standing positions. e targets are tiny — 45mm for prone shooting and 115mm for standing. To top it off, the clock runs the entire time, so not only do competitors have to shoot accurately, they have to shoot quickly. Penalties for a missed target are a one-minute time penalty, or a 150-meter penalty loop. Part of what makes the sport so alluring is the dichotomy between skiing at top speeds, then loading a .22 rifle and shooting at a minuscule target, all while the clock is racing. Have you ever tried to hit a target at 50 meters from a standstill? Without your heart racing and your hands shaking? It's pretty tough. Now try hitting that target from a dead sprint across a rolling course, neck-and-neck with other competitors. Target shooters of any type will stress the importance of remaining steady and calm, as even the most microscopic movement will change the motion with which you pull the trigger. Amplified over the distance of 50 meters, even the most minute hitch in the process will veer the bullet wildly off course. Skiing as hard as you can, then shooting and maintaining that accuracy is what makes biathlon so challenging. It's an all- out race combined with ultimate precision. anks to the popularity of shooting sports in Montana, the abundance of Nordic ski courses, and our love for the outdoors, Montana is a natural fit for this growing sport. Each season brings expanded opportunities across the state, from people who have never fired a rifle to expert marksmen and skiers. e Seeley Lake Biathlon Chal- lenge welcomes any competitor, even those who have never fired by MAGGIE SLEPIAN all photos courtesy of BRIDGER BIATHLON CLUB AT BOHART B iathlon is a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. Consider- ing Montana is a state with a plethora of snow and an affinity for firearms, it would seem that biath- lon would be the state sport, or at least wildly popular with a rabid following. But as it is, biathlon is only just getting a foothold in the collective athletic psyche across the state. KAREN JENNINGS T H L O N W H E R E N O R W AY M E E T S M O N TA N A Watch amateur biathlon at Rendezvous West Yellowstone: www.distinctlymontana.com/biathlon161 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL

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