In search of straight shooters
Mammoth Biathlon returns after a one-year hiatus.
The Mammoth Winter Biathlon returns this March after a year’s hiatus. Last year was the second time in ten years that the race was canceled due to insufficient snow pack. This year’s event will occur over two days with the help of over 100 volunteers, according to Chris Thompson of the Eastern Sierra Nordic Ski Association. It is a collaboration between ESNSA, Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and the Mammoth Lakes Police Department.
Volunteers are in the process of setting up a temporary course at Reds Lake at Mammoth Mountain. “It’s a wonderful spot, with the mountains in the background,” said Thompson. ESNSA is grooming a temporary 1.5 kilometer course that includes a 12-lane shooting range. For those new to biathlon, athletes will ski a total of three laps around the course, entering the shooting range once per lap. Once they enter the shooting range, they will have a total of 5 (rifle) shots to hit five targets. A 75 meter penalty lap is incurred for each missed target. “It gets tricky when you enter the range out of breath.” Thompson also noted that spectators are more than welcome, but will need to ski or hitch a ride on an MMSA cat or snowmobile to get to the event, which is about a mile into the backcountry.
The biathlon schedule will look a lot like past events. On Saturday, March 19, there will be separate races for young kids, wounded warriors and beginner adults. On Sunday, March 20, there will be races for elite athletes and older kids, as well as a masters’ race. Shooting clinics will be held in town on Sunday March 13, Thursday March 17, and Friday March 18. These clinics will be run by volunteers from the Police Department and will be open to the public.
