North Vancouver

Ages 13-17

Program Description

The Sea to Sky Biathlon race development program is designed for youth with previous skiing and race experience. This program aligns with the Train to Train/T2T and Learn to Train/L2T pathway. 

Program requirements include:

• Previous cross country ski experience
• Previous shooting experience is recommended, but not a requirement. 
• Athletes in the program should work to obtain their Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL)
• Commitment to race (see below)

WINTER SCHEDULE 2025-2026

December 7, 2025 – March 15, 2026
No sessions December 24, 29, January 1, February 16. On December 31 there is a club race in the morning. 

Monday night ski
5-6:30pm, Mondays, December 8-March 2
Location: Whistler Olympic Park

6:30-8pm, Mondays, start time dependant on snow-March 9
Location: Cypress Mountain

Wednesday night range
5-7pm, Wednesdays, December 10-March 4
Location: Whistler Olympic Park

Wednesday night ski
6:30-8pm, Wednesdays, start time dependant on snow-March 4
Location: Cypress only

Thursday night ski
5-7pm, Thursdays, Dates TBC based on snow
Location: Lost Lake

Sundays ski and range
Sundays, December 7-March 15
10am-12pm: Range
1pm-2:30pm: Ski
Location: Whistler Olympic Park

Athlete equipment required

• Skate ski and classic* XC equipment (skis, boots, poles) 
• Rifle cuff
• Rifle and ammunition: If you don’t own your own rifle, you can rent these from the club for the season. Ammunition may be purchased from the club.
  

* Yes, we do classic technique as well. It helps your skate skiing! 

Racing
Athletes are expected to compete in local biathlon club, regional, and BC Cups Biathlon races, as well as local BC Cup cross country (CX) races. Some travel within BC is expected, as schedules allow. These trips are fantastic opportunities to round out athlete experience and build connections with teammates and the broader biathlon community.

Senior athletes are encouraged to compete at regional and national competitions. 

Parent participation
It takes a community to run our club – and parent involvement is an important requirement of our  programming. There are lots of ways to help. Parents can chip-in by doing setup and takedown at practices, assisting on the range, coaching, volunteering at events, and/or by assisting behind the scenes with program administration.

Parents who are interested in coaching or volunteering at events are encouraged to take a Community Coach course for biathlon. Ask us about these classes.

PROGRAM FEES

Range sessions

• Sundays: $455
• Sundays + 1 Weekday: $755

Ski sessions

• Sundays: $200
• Sundays + 1 Weekday (Cypress): $310
• Sundays + 1 Weekday (WOP): $350
• Sundays + 2 Weekdays (Cypress) : $420
• Sundays + 2 Weekdays (WOP) : $500

A valid day ticket or season pass is required for Whistler Olympic Park and is not included in program fees. You must also be an active member of Biathlon Canada and BiBC, as well as Sea to Sky Nordics.

REGISTER Starting Sept 17

1. Become a member of Sea to Sky Nordics
2. Register for Biathlon BC and Biathlon Canada membership, select the Dev, U17 stand, or Youth category
3. Register for the Race Development program 
4. Rent a rifle (if you don’t own one). Review and sign the rifle rental agreement.

Explore our fall options for dryland and range sessions:

• Recreational, ages 8+, including adults
• Race development, ages 13+ (T2T/L2C)
• Masters, adults

Recreational (ages 8+, 13+/adults)

Our recreational biathlon program is for beginner youth and adults who want to try biathlon before the snow falls. We have two options, one midweek in Squamish and one on Sundays at Whistler Olympic Park.

Athletes must be a Sea to Sky Nordics member, and Biathlon BC membership is required. Note program cost is lower to help subsidize the Biathlon membership costs.

Midweek in Squamish

September 16 – October 14 (no session September 30)
Tuesdays, 4:30pm-5:30pm (ages 8-12), 6-7pm (13+/adults)
Location: John Heilig Squamish Legacy Sports Park
Focus: Intro to biathlon, skill development on the range
Equipment: EcoAims (optical rifles) and .22s

Cost: $100

Weekends at WOP

September 21-October 19 (no session October 12)
Sundays, 10am-11:30am, ages 13+/adults
Location: Whistler Olympic Park, biathlon range
Focus: Intro to biathlon, skill development on the range
Equipment: EcoAims (optical rifles) and .22s

Cost: $125

Athlete equipment required:

• Weather appropriate clothing
• Running shoes
• Gloves (if weather is cold)

Register now

1. Become a member of Sea to Sky Nordics
2. Register for Biathlon BC and Biathlon Canada membership, select the Recreation category (for EcoAims)
3. Register for the Recreational program

Race Development (Ages 13+)

Get ready for the biathlon season ahead with Sea to Sky Nordics Biathlon dryland and range sessions. This program is for those athletes who are interested in racing biathlon in the season ahead. This is part of the T2T and L2C pathway.

Note: Depending on weather and arrival of snow, some sessions may shift to training sessions on skis in November.

September 14 – November 30
No sessions October 12 & 13

Monday dryland
Mondays, 5pm-7pm, subject to slight adjustments as the light changes
Locations*: North Vancouver | Squamish | Whistler
Focus: Dryland–running, strength, games, agility, team building
Equipment: Runners, weather appropriate clothing

* Location subject to change based on demand.

Wednesday rollerski
Wednesdays, 5-6:30pm
Locations: North Vancouver | Whistler Olympic Park
Focus: Roller ski session
Equipment: Skate roller skis and poles

Note that location and sessions are TBC on October 29/November 2, pending roll-out of the Callaghan Gold loop. Transition to snow likely by November 9.

Thursday range
Thursday, 5pm-7pm, subject to slight adjustments as the light changes
Location: John Heilig Squamish Legacy Sports Park
Focus: Range/shooting
Equipment: Rifle, cuff, runners, weather appropriate clothing

These sessions will end October 23rd as they are light dependent. Will switch to a shorter online dryfire session.

Sundays rollerski + range
Sundays, Morning 10am-12pm: Roller ski, run/hike | Afternoon 1-3pm: Range
Location: Whistler Olympic Park

Athlete equipment required

• Runners and weather appropriate attire
• Roller skis (can be borrowed from club), poles, boots
• Rifle cuff
• Rifle and ammunition: If you don’t own your own rifle, you can rent these from the club for the season. Ammunition may be purchased from the club.

Cost:
Monday dryland: $150
Wednesday dryland: $150
Thursday range: $150
Sunday dryland: $200
Sunday range: $350

Athletes must also be a Sea to Sky Nordics and Biathlon Canada/Biathlon BC member.

Register now

1. Become a member of Sea to Sky Nordics
2. Register for Biathlon BC and Biathlon Canada membership, select the Dev, U17 stand or Youth category
3. Register for the Race program

Masters

These fall range sessions are for returning Masters athletes aged 18+, including both recreational and competitive athletes.

Note: Depending on weather and arrival of snow, some sessions may shift to range sessions on skis in November.

September 14 – November 24
No session October 12

Thursday range
Thursday, 5pm-7pm, subject to slight adjustments as the light changes
Location: John Heilig Squamish Legacy Sports Park
Focus: Range/shooting
Equipment: Rifle, cuff, runners, weather appropriate clothing

These sessions will end October 23rd as they are light dependent.

Sundays range
Sundays, 1-3pm
Location: Whistler Olympic Park
Focus: Range/shooting

Athlete equipment required

• Runners
• Roller skis, poles, boots
• Rifle cuff
• Rifle and ammunition: If you don’t own your own rifle, you can rent these from the club for the season. Ammunition may be purchased from the club.

Cost:
Thursdays: $150
Sundays: $400

Athletes must also be a Sea to Sky Nordics and Biathlon Canada/Biathlon BC member

Register now

1. Become a member of Sea to Sky Nordics
2. Register for Biathlon BC and Biathlon Canada membership, select the Adult category)
3. Register for the Master’s program

About our Whistler biathlon programs

Our primary base of operations for our on-snow biathlon and dryland training sessions are at Whistler Olympic Park (WOP) in the Callaghan Valley. We also hold some mid-week dryland training at Squamish’s Legacy Park, as well as ski training at Cypress Park.

We offer biathlon programming for adults and youth starting at age 8. These programs are designed to support: 

• Beginner and recreational athletes interested in developing their skills, love the sport of biathlon, but are not necessarily interested in competing
• Competitive athletes who are interested in racing programs and pursuing biathlon as their winter sport of choice.

Biathlon program FAQs

Do athletes need to own a rifle?

No, Sea to Sky athletes do not need to own a rifle. 

For our youngest athletes, we have a fleet of EcoAims (optical rifles, sometimes called laser rifles) and .22s for use depending on their level of experience.

If you are a Master beginner, interested in recreational biathlon, rifle usage is included as a part of our program. 

For our biathletes in a competitive track, you can rent a rifle from the club if you do not have your own. The cost of rifle rental is $350 per season.

Do athletes need a gun license (PAL)?

You do not need to have a gun license to participate in a Sea to Sky biathlon program. We, do however, strongly recommend it for anyone 12 and over, especially for those who are interested in pursuing the sport competitively.

Having a firearm license is a requirement for the program if you plan to handle (e.g., move a rifle from the range to storage) or volunteer for the program (e.g., as a coach). By law, if you plan to own or transport a rifle, you need a possession and acquisition licence (PAL). Information about the process and required safety courses are available on the RCMP website. 

What safety precautions are in place to ensure athlete, coach, and safety of those near the range?

We have mandatory safety sessions for all athletes at the outset of our biathlon programs. We have cease fire protocols in place. We take these training sessions – and range safety – very seriously, and there is zero tolerance for horseplay or joking of any kind on the range. 

What are EcoAims (optical laser rifles)?

EcoAims are optical rifles, commonly referred to as “laser rifles”, though they are not actually lasers. This technology facilitates safe, economical, and precision shooting during training and racing for both competitive and amateur athletes. 

Sea to Sky Nordics now has a small fleet of EcoAims (6). These rifles are primarily being used by our beginner and younger athletes, as well as for biathlon demo and recruitment purposes.

I’m left handed, will I need a left handed rifle?

If you’re left handed, you do not necessarily need to use a left-handed rifle, though it may feel more natural to you. The rifle you need actually depends on whether you are left or right eye dominant. There is an easy way to determine this – it’s called a dominance eye test, try it home! We’ll work with new athletes to determine the right set-up for you.

Do athletes have to know how to cross country ski to join a biathlon program?

Yes, athletes entering our beginner programs should have one season of cross country skiing experience. For all our other programs, we recommend at least two years of cross country ski experience. 

What’s the parent volunteer commitment? 

Sea to Sky Nordics is a volunteer-run organization. We need parent involvement to keep the programs and events going. There’s lots of ways to get involved, and we have a lot of fun doing it. You’ll meet a passionate group of people in this sport, who get very nerdy about biathlon.

We encourage you to get involved. Email to ask us how you can get involved.

What is the structure of a typical biathlon weekend practice?

A typical Sea to Sky Nordics biathlon practice typically consists of a cross-country ski practice and a range practice separated by a lunch break at our flex space in the Whistler Olympic Park (WOP) Biathlon building. 

Depending on the range schedule, you may ski either in the morning or after lunch. Athletes will ski during a range practice, but the focus will be on intensity of skiing and shooting. These sessions also include drills and games to improve shooting efficiency and precision. 

In the 2025-26 season, our programs will be run on Sundays to better collaborate with our XC skiing programs.

What weather do you practice in?

All kinds! If the weather is particularly wet or unusually cold, we have access to heated spaces (in wax trailer and flex space) for athletes to warm-up. 

In the event of arctic weather, Sea to Sky Nordics follows BC Cross Country, Nordiq Canada, and Biathlon Canada guidelines for cold weather.

• We cancel ski and range practices or events when the temperature is -20C or colder.
• The coach will make the final decision to cancel the biathlon session and replace it with a ski only session when air temps are between -15 and -18 C.

Cancellations are typically made the night before practice and communicated through email and TeamSnap. Windchill is a factor in our decision to cancel practice. And we do also adjust practice plans when it’s cold out, but not yet at -20C threshold.

When it starts to get chilly out (-15 through to -20 C) consider the following:

• Athletes must arrive properly fueled and hydrated. Athletes must wear extra layers, with a hat (not a headband) and have a buff over their mouths. Athletes will need appropriate gloves, mitts or hand warmers. 
• Training will be in Zone 1. If available, a warm up will be conducted indoors before the ski session. Options to shorten the session and warm up indoors will be available. 
• Tips for migrating the cold for athletes and parents can be found on BC Cross Country risk management page 

What’s the Talent Squad?

The Talent Squad is a Biathlon BC race team program designed to prepare athletes for competition at BC Cup races, and to progress to the next level of race development, the  Development Squad. Athletes are invited to the program each year, which typically consists of a dryland training camp, and two on-snow camps across BC. 

What’s the Dev Squad? 

The Development Squad is a Biathlon BC race team program designed to prepare athletes for competition at National level races, and to progress to the highest level of race development, the Performance Squad. 

What’s the Performance Squad?

The Performance Squad is for older athletes (typically post-secondary) and is the highest level of a Biathlon BC race team program. This program supports those who are training at Biathlon Canada approved centers (such as the Whistler Nordic Development Center) and high-performance clubs – racing at a national and international level. 

Can’t find your question and answer?

Contact us with your question today.