The regional biathlon championships were held at the Grey Mountain Biathlon Range on Saturday and Sunday. There were 135 youth cadets from the three territories including a strong team of local Air Cadets from 551 Whitehorse Lions.

Run by the air and army corps the weekend competitions were the third stage and were to determine who from the territories would get the opportunity to compete in the stage four nationals in Brookvale, P.E.I. in March.

The temperatures at the range were just warm enough for the event to be held.

The cheers from the biathletes who were waiting to compete rang through the air drowning out the noise of the rifles as those racing fired at the targets.

On Sunday, the biathletes completed four loops of 1.1-kilometres. They shot on the range three times, twice in prone, where you lay on your stomach and shoot, and once in standing. The biathletes shot five times, each miss for a senior athlete was a one-minute time penalty, it was 45 seconds for the juniors.

Saturday’s races were sprint format, so the biathletes did three loops, shooting twice.

According to Lt. Thomas Hopkins, the race on Sunday was a shooters race, compared to Saturday, which he referred to as a skiers race. When a biathlete missed a target on Saturday they were required to ski extra laps for the penalty instead of being assessed a set time penalty.

Hopkins said it was special that the three territories come together to compete with each other. It is the only part of Canada that combines to do the competition.

Aidan Lindsay Henri Hupe from the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron (RCACS) 551 will get the opportunity to compete at the nationals in Brookvale.

He has been a cadet for four years but has been doing biathlon for nine. From Whitehorse, Hupe said it was nice to compete on the range he practices on.

“Just knowing the course, where to tuck and where I can take a bit of a break and where not to definitely helped,” said Hupe.

Comparing his performance on Sunday to the day prior, Hupe said he did not have a great day on the shooting range.

“I really pushed myself on my skiing because my shooting wasn’t that good today so I tried to go as hard as I could,” said Hupe. “I think I need to take more time for shooting, make sure I get that accuracy in.”

Hupe’s aim for the weekend was to make it to the nationals, a goal he achieved.

“Oh yes it’s a goal,” said Hupe. “It’s a lot of fun going to P.E.I. You get to meet a bunch of cool people all doing biathlon.”

Before Hupe heads to the nationals he will first be going to the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta. Leaving on Thursday, he said having one more competition before heading to the Games will definitely help in getting him prepared to represent the Yukon.

His sister Isla Mhairi Josette Hupe, also of RCACS 551, competed in the races on the weekend. She too will be attending the stage four national competition in Brookvale.

Isla, who is in her second year with the cadets, said she didn’t have her best race and like her brother, she wants to improve upon her shooting but thought she skied well.

“My shooting has always been a hard thing for me,” said Isla. “My skiing went pretty well. The hills were difficult.”

When Isla crossed the finish line she laid down in the snow after pushing herself to the end. To continue improving her shooting she said she just needs to work on her breathing when she makes it to the range.

In the senior girls’ race Sunday, Isla had the quickest time finishing with a time of 28:36 with six-minutes of penalty time. Isabel Leona Grace Levesque came second with a time of 44:16 with nine-minutes added due to penalties.

Sharon Sara Pauloosie rounded out the top three finishing with a time of 44:54.

Effie Grace Lockhart took the junior females’ race with a winning time of 18:07, with only 40-seconds of added penalty time. Haley Cassie grabbed the second spot in a time of 18:53. Cheryl Tilley had the third fastest time coming in at 29:38.

Hupe took the senior males’ race with a winning time of 22:20 including five-minutes of penalty time. Lloyd Willie had the second fastest time of 29:45.

He was assessed three minutes of added time. Sanaeah Allen completed the top three coming in just after Willie in a time of 30:09.

Gordon Ho Kwong topped the 18 competitors in the junior males’ race finishing with the winning time of 18:45. Kwong had an accurate day at the shooting range missing once for a 40-second penalty.

Alexander Hugh Ketchum got the second spot in the junior males’ race. Ketchum had the second-best time of 20:16 including 4:40 of penalty time. Owen Reitsma took the third spot completing the race in 21:21 only receiving 2:40 in penalties.

The youth males, or 18 plus, category was one by Clifford Tatty who completed the race in a time of 39:49 including seven-minutes of penalties.

Shaun Nauyuk had the second quickest time of 44:33. He had some trouble on the shooting range racking up 11-minutes of penalties. Jack Kopak rounded out the top three finishing in with a time of 47:54. He too had a tough shooting day also with 11-minutes of added penalties.