Biathlon Sask Annual General Meeting - September 24

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Biathlon Sask will be holding its Annual General Meeting on September 24 in Saskatoon at the Travelodge Hotel.  The meeting will start with the Sask Ski AGM at 11:30 am.  Lunch will be served.  The Biathlon Sask portion will follow at approximately 1 pm.  There will be positions up for election with the key position being Treasurer.

Click here for the agenda.

We hope to see you there.

Equipment Rental and Team Sask Skin Suits

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Equipment Rental Due  - Team Sask Skin Suits Available $150  (on  Zone 4)

RIFLE RENTAL

Biathlon Saskatchewan administers a pool of rental rifles which are owned by Biathlon Saskatchewan. The High Performance Committee, under the guidance of the provincial coach, decides which athletes are eligible for rifles. In general, the best rifles are designated to the most committed athletes. Also preference will be given to youth athletes over masters athletes.

People wishing to access a Biathlon Saskatchewan rifle must be a member in good standing of Biathlon Saskatchewan, Biathlon Canada and a Saski registered club. 

Athletes aged 18 and older must have a valid possession and acquisition license.  Athletes under 18 must have a minor’s permit and must have completed a Saskatchewan firearms safety course. Once assigned a rifle, the athlete will pay for the rental using an online registration tool (Zone 4).  

https://www.zone4.ca/register.asp?id=1179

Biathlon Sask Strategic Plan 2016-2019 - Survey

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Background

Through work with a consultant, Biathlon Sask has developed a strategic plan for 2016-2019.  The plan complements Sask Sport's strategic plan for 2017-2021.

We Want to Hear From You

As a member of Biathlon Sask, your input is important.  We have set out our goals and objectives and would like your input to help us focus on our plans.

We invite you to take the survey to help us move Biathlon Sask forward.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BiathlonSKStrategicPlanSurvey2016

Please complete the survey by August 15.

Feel free to contact us with questions or comments.

We thank you for your contribution.

Biathlon and Cross Country Summer Camp Aug 20-22

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Qu'Appelle Valley Nordic will be holding a camp August 20-22.

This camp is for everyone of all ages and levels of experience.  You need to be a member of Biathlon Canada or Cross Country Canada in order to attend the camp.

The camp will include all sorts of activities not traditionally associated with biathlon such as mountain biking, orienteering and paddling.  The focus on the camp will be on a fun summer experience where we get to know our provincial and western Canadian counterparts a little better.

Registration will happen through our website.  It will be up and running shortly.

Click here to view the poster for the camp.





High Performance Summer Camp - July 21-24

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Biathlon Saskatchewan Hi Performance Summer Camp July 21-24

Option 1

Cost $150or $50 per day

Includes Accommodations in Small Cabin at Blue Mountain

Athletes are responsible for bringing their own food.

Option 2

Camping Cost $100

Athletes responsible for own food and accommodation costs, camping at Blue Mountain

Coaches Natasha Boyes, Doug Sylvester

Spots are Limited so book early.

Camp Starts at 10:00 July 21 and ends July 24 at 12:00

Contact Doug Sylvester at doug.sylvester@sasktel.net  for More Information or if you are coming

Nutrition Session - Tuesday May 31

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Tues May 31 Regina

High Performance InformationalMeeting- Nutrition For The Off Season

7:00 -8:30 Tumblers Pizza (Beside Level 10)

Cost: 0$

The meeting will be divided into two main parts with Heather Hynes (Sack Sport - Nutritionist) giving a presentation about Nutrition ideas for the summer from 7:00- 7:45 (while we eat Pizza) followed by an informational session for athletes interested in the High Performance Program offered by Biathlon Saskatchewan. Parents, athletes and coaches are invited as well.

If possible let me know if you are able to make it to either of the meetings.

doug.sylvester@sasktel.net

Nutrition Session - Monday May 30

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Mon May 30 Saskatoon

 

High Performance InformationalMeeting- Nutrition For The Off Season

7:00 -8:30 Remai Building, 510 Cynthia Street (room 140)

Cost: 0$

The meeting will be divided into two main parts with Heather Hynes (Sack Sport - Nutritionist) giving a presentation about Nutrition ideas for the summer from 7:00- 7:45 followed by an informational session for athletes interested in the High Performance Program offered by Biathlon Saskatchewan. Parents, athletes and coaches are invited as well. 

QVN GoFundMe Campaign

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As shooting ranges are being closed across Canada, Qu'Appelle Valley Nordic in Saskatchewan is a bright spot. We have worked hard to have the range certified for this initial season and have appreciated the generous support of key sponsors. However to continue development of the range, the facility, and the trails we seek your assistance to share our Go Fund Me initiative with members.

Attached is a link to the recently created campaign.

https://www.gofundme.com/ddjuz4vw

Thanks for your continued support.

Duane Rieger
Director, Qu'Appelle Valley Nordi

Racing in the Cold

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How To Survive Racing In The Cold

Racing in the cold is a huge challenge that biathletes from Saskatchewan must learn how to manage.

 Racing at -20 is Dangerous

One of the most dangerous situations that athletes often put themselves in is to race when the temperature goes below twenty. What can happen is the athlete will “burn” the top part of their lungs and destroy any chance of them ever becoming an elite performer. The lung damage is permanent and has ended countless careers.

 While is is possible to train in temperatures below minus twenty, training and racing are not the same. Athletes who are going full speed in zone 4 with maximum effort breathe in 68% more air than when they are in zone 1. The frigid air will freeze the tips of your lungs as hard as a piece of bacon that has been left outside for twenty minutes at -25.

 (Interestingly, the Norwegians never race at a temperature below -16.)

 How To Cope If It’s Colder Than -10

·        dress warmly, often two pairs of long johns and a vest help. Two or three pairs of socks are a must – prepare to sacrifice performance for comfort and understand that layers can always be shed if needed

 ·        wind briefs (underwear with windproofing sewn in the front) are a necessity

 ·        boot covers drastically help keep your toes warm, often used in warm-up or for much longer “loppet” style races

 ·        wear overmitts overtop of your shooting gloves. Only take your overmitts off to shoot. Often athletes will leave a hotshot in their mitt and some will even ski the first lap of a race with their overmitt on and discard it before the first prone shooting. (World Champion Jacob Fak lost a finger because he refused to follow this advice.

 ·        make sure your heart is pumping before you go outside. Warm up inside. Zero and go back inside. Be certain that the wax-room playlist is excellent.

 ·        change your dryfiring routine before zeroing to a maximum of five shots or none and be efficient, and consider only dryfiring standing. Athletes that freeze to the matt in zeroing always lose. Accept that your zero may be only 5 or 10 rounds and that you receive a correction after only two or three shots.

 ·        your coach may choose to have you confirm with a short, range loop right after you have zeroed. Then go inside and stay warm.

 ·        don’t forget to eat. You burn more calories in the cold and need to adjust accordingly.

 ·        wear a substantial buff made out of thick cloth (thick flannel or polar fleece) that covers your face. If the coach can see more than eyes, you are risking problems with frostbite. Vaseline and ducktape are for fools. Again, be prepared to sacrifice performance for not doing permanent damage to your face or lungs.  Skimpy nylon/lycra buffs are insufficient at warming enough air which is the main reason that spandex is not used in the making of traditional Inuit clothing.

 ·        make sure that your rifle is ‘clean as a whistle’. If there is too much buildup of residue it with effect bolting and accuracy.

 ·        and the most important rule – never eat yellow snow!

 The Saskatchewan Advantage

Often Saskatchewan athletes tend to deal with the cold better than athletes from warmer places. This is a competitive advantage and helps to balance the fact that we have to wax with Start Green for three quarters of the season. 

Officials Development

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Volunteers Officials are a very important part of hosting fun and safe races for all participants. Officials play many roles during a race.  Biathlon Saskatchewan supports Officials training.

Entry Level Official

To be licensed as an official, (parent volunteers are still encouraged to help out at races) there is a training program for introductory officials. The training program includes both the completion of modules offered on the internet and competition experience. 

You may study each of the modules on your own time at your own pace. A multiple-choice test follows each module. Competition experience can be gained through hosting a race at your own club and helping with races at other clubs. 

To be licensed as a biathlon official, you must complete at least five of the eight study modules and achieve satisfactory performance during competition in each of the five areas. 

Biathlon Saskatchewan encourages you to successfully complete all eight modules and related competition experience.  This will help you have the knowledge and skills needed to volunteer in any of the numerous, non-supervisory officiating positions at a biathlon competition.

The 8 modules are:

  • Course
  • Timing
  • Results
  • Start-Finish
  • Stadium-Support
  • Equipment Check
  • Penalty Loop
  • Range

Quick Facts about the Modules

  • Each module is a stand-alone qualification for work in a particular area.
  • The modules can be studied in any order.
  • You may take as much time as desired to complete each module, but it is expected the average time needed will be about 1 1/2 hours.

Competition Experience

After completing a module and test, you need to gain practical, competition experience in that particular area. You must serve as an official in each module study area for at least one full day of competition. For a weekend, two-day biathlon event, you may work each day in a different area to satisfy the requirements for competition experience in two modules. Your experience as an official in competition will be assessed by your Supervisor (Provincial Coach).

Getting Started

To access the Entry Level Officials Development Program, you require a username and password issued by Biathlon Canada. Please send the following information in an email titled “Officials Password” to aholmwood@biathloncanada.ca

  • Full Name
  • Address
  • City & Province
  • Postal Code
  • Email address
  • Club Name
  • Division Name

For More Information

http://biathloncanada.ca/sport-development/officials/entry-level-program/
 

Advanced Officials Development

To become an official that takes on one of the more important roles at a biathlon race such as Chief of Range, Chief of Course, Chief of Timing and Chief of Competition you must attend more in-depth training, which normally takes place over a weekend. 

To host a major race such as Nationals or Western Canadian Championships, these officials are required. Normally, a learning facilitator is brought in to give the weekend clinic with costs being covered by Biathlon Saskatchewan. To hold a clinic in your community, contact doug.sylvester@sasktel.net (Provincial Coach) for more information.

Dryfiring

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What is Dryfiring?

Dryfiring is practicing shooting your rifle without live ammunition, usually in your own basement aiming at small black dots. (It is much cheaper than real bullets!) 

Most serious athletes dryfire five days a week or even every day.

One of the best things to practice while dryfiring is learning how to get into and out of your shooting position superfast!


How Do I Become a Better Shot?

Dryfire!!!

How Long Do  I Dryfire For Each Day?

Dryfiring is easy to do and it takes ten to fifteen minutes each day. 

Tips for Racing at Canmore

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Tips For Racing In Canmore Dec. 19, 20

If you have never been to Canmore for a race here are a few tips that might help make your weekend more enjoyable.

The races happen on Saturday and Sunday and usually families travelling from Saskatchewan travel on the Thursday. Often there will be a short, fun ski practice (no shooting) at 7:00pm(meet at the Nordic Center) that is optional.

Each athlete must be registered ahead of time using “zone 4”. Enter “Saskatchewan” for your club (which helps to coordinate firing lane assignments for official practice) and remember to register before the deadline passes.  

Official Practice

Friday is the “Official Practice” day which means that you can ski your loops for the race and practice shooting. Athletes practice at the same times as they race. Junior Men and Women always practice in the morning and Senior Boys and Girls are sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon.  Dev 1 and 2 races along with air rifle races are always in the afternoon. Bring a recovery snack and drink!

Club coaches will be there to work with younger athletes while the Provincial Coach will manage the older athletes who are on the Provincial Team.

Wax

The snow in Canmore is fast and hard and usually it is best to wax before you travel. Usually Toko Pink or Start Green over a layer of soft yellow wax is a good bet.

Rifles And Ammo

Make sure your rifle has a trigger lock and note that all rifles must be in a soft or hard case in the parking lot. Usually 300 rounds are more than enough to last a weekend and try not to switch bullets during the weekend. Make sure the bedding bolts on your rifle are tight and the action is smooth and clean. This is the responsibility of the athlete. 

Where To Stay?

Places where some families have stayed before include the following:   

Windtower - http://windtower.ca/   - may have a special Biathlon Sask room rate for 1 bedroom suite at $99 and 2 bedroom suite at $149

Canadian Rocky Chalets - http://www.canadianrockieschalets.com/ - variety of 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom accomodations

Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge - http://www.rockyski.ca/

Econo lodge - http://www.canmoremountainlodge.com/

Quality Inn - http://www.chateaucanmore.com/

Am I Ready???

If you are not sure whether you are ready to tackle the tough ski trails at Canmore, ask the provincial coach to get a sense of where you fit.