Biathlon at Crosscut
The thrill, the challenge, and the fun — skiing meets target practice!
Biathlon is unlike anything else in modern sports — target shooting and skate skiing are combined to create a uniquely thrilling sport. Crosscut is proud to promote this fun, historic sport through a welcoming, safe, and enjoyable environment where people of all ages and abilities can participate. Crosscut makes biathlon accessible and approachable for all participants through private lessons, clinics, community biathlon races, and teams.
Private Biathlon Lessons
Crosscut offers private biathlon lessons for individuals and groups up to three. Biathlon rifles and ammo are provided and lessons take place at our 30-point state-of-the-art biathlon range. Because lessons involve skiing from the Nordic Center to the Biathlon Range and skiing in between bouts of shooting, to join a lesson participants must be confident skiers. Skate skiing is preferred (fun fact: biathlon is a skate skiing sport), but confident classic skiers can sign up as well.
Our Biathlon Program
Crosscut host Youth, Elite and Masters teams that offer biathlon training, coaching, and competition for a wide range of participants all year long. Our Youth Program has three age classes — U12, U14, & U16-18 — and is offered year-round. Our Masters Program has two groups — competitive group and novice/recreation group — and is offered during the winter. Our competitive Elite Team is composed of athletes competing at the highest levels.
Additional Opportunities & Offerings
We host Community Biathlon Clinics 3-4 times a year. These clinics are for absolute beginners and one of them is held in the spring or summer to allow for folks who don’t ski to participate. We also host 2-3 Community Biathlon Races each year. These races include a novice category for folks who are not certified by the U.S. Biathlon Association. Finally, in the summer we host a 3-day Masters Biathlon Camp for experienced adult biathletes to hone their skills. Check our community events calendar for upcoming opportunities.
What is biathlon, anyway?
Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting into a unique type of race. Biathlon contestants ski through a course carrying a .22 rifle on their back, and must stop at shooting stations throughout the course to hit metal targets. Missed shots and time are added up for each contestant’s total score. Most Paralympic athletes shoot .177 caliber air rifles, and visually impaired athletes use audio rifles with a laser-like system to hit the targets.
Biathlon’s roots go back centuries, but the first known contests to combine shooting and skiing were held in Norway in the 1700s. Biathlon was first showcased at the Winter Olympic Games in 1924, and became an official event in 1960. In 1988, Biathlon was first introduced to the Paralympic Winter Games.
An ancient sport with a rapidly-growing community, biathlon attracts a wide range of athletes and recreators looking for a different kind of winter season challenge. Crosscut is proud to support the training of biathlon teams comprised of up-and-coming and reigning elite US and World Champions.
With amazing support and generosity from our community, in November 2021 we opened our new biathlon stadium. It features 30 biathlon target points and 12 para biathlon target points. This new home for our programs also serves as the homebase for the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Team and the U.S. Junior National Biathlon Team. This facility makes us one of the best training facilities in the country. Learn more about the Crosscut Vision.
New to biathlon? Let us show you how!
Shooting and skiing might sound like an intimidating combination, but we encourage you to try it out in a welcoming, safe, and encouraging setting at one of our first-timer clinics. No gear or experience required! Check our Community Calendar for upcoming clinics.