Tawingo College hosted its first ever invitational biathlon on Thursday, February 15. Students in grades 3 through 8 at local schools were invited to participate and almost 150 of them took up the challenge.
“Cross-country skiing is a hugely popular activity in the area. Look at all of the students who attend the Arrowhead Nordic Ski events,” says Tawingo College principal Tia Pearse. “We thought we might open students up to yet another fun, winter activity. With it being an Olympic year, it was meaningful to offer an Olympic event. We didn’t realize until it was all over that two biathlon events happened in Pyeongchang on the same day — the 15km Women’s Individual and the 20km Men’s Individual races — a very cool coincidence.”
The racers skied a 1.5-kilometre course through the sprawling Tawingo grounds — the grade 3/4s skiing it once while the 5/6s and 7/8s made two and three laps respectively — before reaching the shooting range where they used paintball markers to try to hit a target three times in a row. For each shot they missed they had to ski a lap on the 50-metre penalty loop. Patience paid off for the students who took their time to aim well.
“The biathlon, as an event, is a great leveler,” notes Pearse. “Fast skiers can get held up by penalty loops if they aren’t good shots, good marksmen can get ahead even if they aren’t fast skiers.”
Tawingo hopes to make the biathlon a biannual event.
Top results
Grade 3/4 boys:
James Laughton, Tawingo, 9:17
Gabriel Nakamoto, Montessori, 11:15
Sterling Boothby, Riverside, 11:26
Matthew Hochfellner, Tawingo, 12:31
Daniel Gamper, HPS, 12:43
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- Henry Leeder of HPS takes a downhill corner with ease
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- Carson Vallentin of Riverside eyes up the competition ahead
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- Noah Hollingshead of Riverside is focused as he heads into the shooting range
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- James Laughton from Tawingo crosses the finish line with a first place time in the grade 3/4 race
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- Gabriel Nakamoto of Muskoka Montessori School skis hard to the finish line
Grade 3/4 girls:
Joan Foxcroft, HPS, 12:52
Braunwyn Strickland, Riverside, 13:27
Kristen Marshall, Riverside, 14:58
Tyne Walker, Riverside, 15:37
Hailey Plant, Riverside, 15:59
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- Skylar Gottlieb of Tawingo College pushes hard to the shooting range
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- Joan Foxcroft of HPS takes careful aim, which contributed to her first place finish in the grade 3/4 girls race
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- Dakota Quigg (front) of HPS and Kristen Marshall of Riverside take a lap around the penalty loop
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- It’s a race to the finish for Ella McClung (left) of Riverside and Leah Maxwell of HPS
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- Emma Cole of Tawingo enjoys a well-earned meal after the race
Grade 5/6 boys:
Miles Carreau, independent, 21:24
Phoenix Varieur, Tawingo, 21:46
Adam Yungblut, Spruce Glen, 23:18
Noah Galt, Riverside, 24:37
Noah Bell, HPS, 25:43
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- Tawingo Biathlon 14 Adam Yungblut of Spruce Glen sprints off the start line on his way to a third place finish in the grade 5/6 boys race
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- Miles Ruvenkamp (left) of HPS and Shai Platts-Boyle of Irwin take successful shots at the target
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- Damon Buttis of Spruce Glen has his penalty laps marked on his arm
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- (From left) Damon Buttis of Spruce Glen, Nathan Wuori of Spruce Glen, and Elijah Quigg of HPS give it their all at the finish line
Grade 5/6 girls:
Carolyn Yungblut, Spruce Glen, 22:52
Millie Langlais, HPS, 25:11
Kiera Marshall, Riverside, 26:31
Mackenzie Martin Padfield, HPS, 26:45
Maeve Young, HPS, 26:55
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- Mary Jibb of Tawingo shows her best form right off the start line
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- Anaielle Gray of HPS is off to a determined start in the grade 5/6 girls race
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- Mackenzie Martin Padfield of HPS races to the shooting range on her way to a fourth place finish
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- Sophia Markham of Irwin gets some direction for the target
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- Millie Langlais of HPS takes aim at the target on her way to a second place finish in the grade 5/6 girls race
Grade 7/8 boys:
Aiden Spiers, HPS, 27:45
Blake Punchard, HPS, 32:38
Charlie Maslin, Tawingo, 33:15
William Laughton, Tawingo, 34:22
Will Tempest, HPS, 36:38
Grade 7/8 girls:
Maya Marshall, HPS, 28:22
Dale Graham, HPS, 32:38
Eve Carreau, independent, 34:11
Laura Yungblut, Spruce Glen, 35:05
Nadia Parsons, Spruce Glen, 36:03
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