Get ready to cheer on racers this weekend for the Timmins Biathlon Club's first local race.
The organization is hosting its first-ever invitational Saturday, March 17 at Porcupine Ski Runners.
More than 20 athletes from the age of eight will be competing.
Angele Caporicci, head coach and president of the Timmins Biathlon Club, said most of the racers are from Timmins, with people also coming in from Iroquois Falls and Englehart.
The club has been around for about five years. Caporicci said the sport in the city has finally been built up enough to host the event, but noted they still have a way to go to hold an officially sanctioned race.
Biathlon combines cross country skiing and shooting
“The goal is to ski as fast as fast as you can, but at the same time once you come into the range to shoot you have to be able to control your breathing and your heart rate so that you can slow down enough to actually hit a target and it’s small, it’s the size of a dime. It combines this cardio with this precision ability and it’s one of the tougher sports to do,” she said.
A spectators’ area will be set up so that people will be able to catch the athletes skiing and see the shooting component as well.
The races start at Porcupine Ski Runners at 12:30 and run until 3 p.m.
More details on the race are available on here.
