Trailblazers finish 10th at Canadian Biathlon Championships

The Highlands Trailblazers biathlon team wrapped up its 2025-2026 season with a strong and competitive showing at the Canadian Biathlon Championships, held March 24-29 in Canmore, Alberta.

Hosted by the Bow Valley Biathlon Organizing Committee, the championships are the premier biathlon event in Canada, bringing together athletes from across the country to compete in a week of high-level racing. The event featured national championship races for IBU and U17 categories, festival competitions across development, masters, and EcoAims divisions, a national alumni race, and opportunities for junior and open athletes to earn IBU qualifying points toward international competition.

A small contingent from the Duntroon-based Highlands Trailblazers, one of the smallest clubs in attendance, travelled west to compete. Despite training in an eastern-based environment on a 10-lane range, the Trailblazer delivered a standout team performance, earning a club aggregate score of 692 points and finishing 10th out of 30 clubs nationally.

“Nationals was an absolute thrill,” said head coach Chris Skelton. “Not every athlete from our program was able to attend, but these results reflect the progress and potential of the entire team. After eleven months of training, our athletes showed determination,teamwork, and confidence on a national stage. We couldn’t be prouder.”

Representing Highlands Trailblazers at Nationals were Nolan Martin Mills, Calvin Curtis, Jean-Jacques Michener, Simon Harman, and Malcolm McCulloch, who competed under the Trailblazer banner while at the Biathlon Alberta Training Centre, along with masters athletes Paul Hudson and Steven Pedersen.

Earning Individual Aggregate Awards was Martin Mills (U17) and McCulloch (U21).

Biathlon combines high-intensity cross-country skiing with precision rifle shooting, requiring athletes to alternate between skiing full-speed loops and shooting five quarter-sized targets at 50 metres. Missed shots are penalized with additional ski distance, making both endurance and focus critical to success.