Emma Lunder first tried biathlon through the Cadet Program in Vernon. Now, she’s in PyeongChang, Korea for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Cadet Jacob Laser, 15, of Vernon, has aspirations of one day representing Canada in the same sport.
Laser took on the provincial Cadet Biathlon competition last weekend at Mt. Washington in Comox, along with teammate cadet Katie Finlayson.
Jacob is a cadet with 63 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps in Vernon. This is his third year as a cadet, and a biathlete, and his second time at the provincial competition.
“I love that biathlon is a challenging combination of two really great sports,” said Laser. “I like travelling, meeting people and seeing places I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. I’m especially lucky to have a really great coach, this is a team sport as well as an individual sport.” says Jacob.
More than 80 cadets competed, testing their fitness, skiing, teamwork and marksmanship skills against the best cadet biathletes in the province in hopes of achieving a spot on the BC National Cadet Biathlon Team and attending the National Cadet Biathlon Championship, March 5-10 in Charlottetown, PEI.
The Cadet Program aims to develop in youth ages 12-18 the attributes of good citizenship and leadership, promote physical fitness and stimulate the interest of youth in sea, land and air activities of the Canadian Armed Forces.