Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Biathlon: Shooting with Stars

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

http://youtube.com/v/diGL8PTaZSY

Biathlon, an exciting mix of target shooting and cross country skiing, is the Number One winter sport in Europe and its popularity is increasing. Scottish biathlete and Eurosport commentator Mike Dixon says that between 100,000 and 300,000 Brits tune in to their coverage. It is easy to understand the popularity. Lycra clad gods and goddesses gliding around pristine snow covered forests and pastures, reaching speeds of up to 70km/h descents on skinny skis while carrying a 4kg long rifle. A single missed shot means a penalty loop, 150 meters of pain and shame that can turn a race on its head.



However Biathlon is not so easy to get into, even in the Alps it is generally restricted to skiers on the elite competition track. That’s not surprising. You are shooting an expensive target rifle which fires rounds at supersonic speeds that can punch through wood, and bone!



At the end of August I got the chance to spend 3 days training with current Olympic relay gold medalist Marie-Dorin and her husband Lois Habert (a European champion) at Correncon en Vecors. Marie has now retired and is expecting her second child in the New year. Obviously in August we were not on skis but on roller-skis. Roller skiing is the dry land equivalent of cross country skiing on snow. Skis are replaced with a shaft that is 53cm or longer with wheels at either end. They come in both skating and classic varieties. Classic skis having a clutch to stop them rolling backwards. The big difference with snow skiing is that, if you fall over, it hurts a lot more!


Marie-Dorin, baby on board

If you are interested in knowing more about this sport I've put an article up on my website.

http://pistehors.com/biathlon-training-with-the-champions-25611633.htm


http://youtube.com/v/ygaG7kaWxzA

How to learn

http://www.canmorenordic.com/programs/biathlon/ - Canmore Canada
https://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/cat-29-biathlon/course-132-biathlon-beginner/ - Glenmore Lodge Scotland
https://zecamp.fr/coming-soon/ - Marie and Lois' new sporting hotel in the Vercors
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@davidof, I think you can do Biathlon on Megeve too, there is a firing range at Cote 2000. The posters for Biathlon that I have seen in Villard de Lans said that kids could do it too but using air rifles.
snow conditions
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
As a skier & a shooter I have always had the greatest admiration for anyone who can ski like that then hold a rifle even remotely steady.
snow conditions
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@McKenzie, Me too.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rjs wrote:
@davidof, I think you can do Biathlon on Megeve too, there is a firing range at Cote 2000. The posters for Biathlon that I have seen in Villard de Lans said that kids could do it too but using air rifles.


Indeed. Most of the ESFs offer a biathlon taster, frequently with laser rifles on 10 meter ranges (esp. for kids) as they don't need a proper range. Sometimes on 10 meter ranges with air rifles or compressed air rifles and some do offer live round shooting. I don't expect there is much difference between shooting with a compressed air and a live round .22 rifle except cost (a .22 round for training costs about 25 cents).
snow report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
my experience with Biathalon is with Winter Games on the C64
Left & right on the flat, up & down on the hill with fire to shoot the target
latest report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hmmm... I'm sure I could improvise with all mountain skis, a frame binding and a 30-06.
snow conditions
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@davidof,

You lucky man ! Probably my favourite winter sport for watching. Keep threatening to go out and watch some but the stadium tickets get snapped up so quickly and whilst one can go out on the track it would be nice to also see what's happening elsewhere on the circuit
snow conditions
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
The crashes on rollerskis can be nasty, I filmed this with my phone at Aix les Bains a couple of weeks ago


http://youtube.com/v/MkMBIDiwi3c

the guy who crashed said it was due to the leaves on the left hand side but I think he just made an error, he had some nasty cuts and bruises after that little collison with the curb.
snow conditions
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Mrs M would be up for that. She likes a bit of violence with her XC.
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
La Clusaz are pushing Biathlon this year too, looks like there are 'have a go' sessions
ski holidays
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
if youre interested in trying this in the uk, look up http://www.rollerski.co.uk/biathlon_course.html

I've done a couple of sessions with them. my xc technique is lousy, but i can still shoot.
it is probably one of the purest sports, based on hunting principles and contradictory in extreme... as others have pointed out, trying to shoot straight whilst absolutely pumped is the absolute challenge.
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thought I'd resurrect this thread as I've just discovered this group in the South West: http://www.wessexbiathlon.org/index_files/Page415.htm

I'm not an x.c skier, but thought it would be fun to try, for general summer fitness & balance training so met up with them for the first time at Odd Down (Bath) cycle track on Monday

They also train at Castle Combe, and apparently have access to laser-rifles for the shooting element
snow report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Good for you Geoffers.
On the rollerski front Andrew Musgrave got a podium at Telemark in their Sommarland summer festival a couple of weeks ago and Jimmy Clugnet got into the quarter finals of their sprints.
snow report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Did some of this in the Army, 30 something years ago. It's harder than it looks.
snow report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
They do tasters session in Les Carroz in the summer months. Always makes me laugh to wonder how the UK would react to a car park full of kids with air rifles.
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think Cairngorm Biathlon Club has an active kids section? They don't do it in a car park AFAIK.

I have seen it offered as a tourist activity in both Ruhpolding, and Ramsau am Dachstein.
snow conditions
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Sad day for biathlon with death of halvard hanevold. Great biathlete but in the era of bjoerndalen was maybe a bit overlooked. Thoughts to his family and RIP.
snow conditions



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy