A group of local air cadets are taking on a two-pronged challenge in a far from mainstream alpine sport.

Brendan St. Martin, 16, and David Barr, 17, members of the 828 Hurricane Squadron, both tried more traditional field sports and found they were limiting. They opted for biathlon which was originally developed to help train Norwegian soldiers.

“Soccer didn’t do it for me,” says St. Martin who is in his second year with the team and combined his love for cross-country and downhill skiing with an interest and knack for target shooting.

The same was true for Barr—top marksman with the cadets—who sees the attraction to biathlon a logical and natural progression.

“I tried soccer as well, but found it pretty limiting because if you’re a goalie, you know you’re never going to score a goal,” he says.

Biathlon is a sport where competitors rely on themselves to achieve the best time on a course where they ski cross-country then come in to a shooting range and train their sights on hitting five targets.

Biathlon course lengths vary, and junior competitors only fire their .22 calibre rifles from the prone—lying down—position.

If they miss a target, a time penalty is tacked on.

Senior and Olympic biathletes usually have to ski a penalty loop for each miss.

Another difference has the younger biathletes ski the course without carrying the 22 pound rifle strapped to their shoulder—they have it handed to them when they reach the range.

The toughest part of the competition is to lower your heart rate and keeping your body as still as possible when taking aim—quite a feat after being out on the ski portion of the course.

Barr says they are taught to take a slow, deep breath before lining up to shoot.

“We also clear our minds and close our eyes for a short time before shooting to get better focused,” he says, adding the relatively slow exit of the rifle’s round from the barrel means they also need to keep the rifle still after firing.

A slow, smooth and steady trigger pull is another key, adds St. Martin.

During the fall and winter months the team trains at a shooting range in Chilliwack. And in the warmer months the South Delta Recreation Centre is the site for brisk sprints around the building and then a turn at air rifle shooting inside one of the rooms for target practice.

Both St. Martin and Barr say they enjoy the uniqueness of the sport and see themselves competing and possibly coaching in the future.