Ariens Nordic Center Hosts 80 Athletes for Masters Nationals and NorAm Championships

The first-ever U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals and NorAm Masters Championships took place in Brillion, WI at Ariens Nordic Center February 14-16, 2025. The weekend featured a sprint, individual and mass start for masters athletes, as well as an Open category race, biathlon shoot out and social event for the community. 80 athletes from the U.S. and Canada traveled to Brillion to take part in the racing and festivities. 

The event saw a mix of conditions throughout the weekend: sun, wind, cold temperatures, more wind, and even a snow storm! According to U.S. Biathlon Director of Sport Development John Farra, “it was REAL winter most of the time,making clean shooting an even greater challenge, but the energy and enthusiasm was palpable throughout the weekend!” 

Medals were up for grabs in five different Masters age categories (30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+), for both U.S. Biathlon Masters Nationals and North American Masters Championships. There was also a U30 “Open” category, which included athletes under 30 years of age racing for Ariens Nordic Center Biathlon Festival podium prizes. In addition to racing, Ariens Nordic Center held a biathlon shootout, where local athlete Matt Meyers emerged victorious. 

RACE RESULTS:

February 14 - Sprint Results (U.S. Nationals)

February 14 - Sprint Results (NorAm Championships)

February 15 - Mass Start Results (U.S. Nationals)

February 15 - Mass Start Results (NorAm Championships)

February 16 - Individual Results

A special thanks to Ariens Nordic Center and the Ariens team for hosting such a great inaugural event, to Chief of Range Gregg Pattison, the IBU officials, all the event volunteers, athletes, fans, and to U.S. Biathlon partner RAIN Pure Mountain Spring Water for keeping attendees hydrated all weekend long. 

It is evidently clear that this was the largest gathering of Masters biathletes ever in North America, making this pilot event a great barometer on the growth of biathlon in the Masters community and the desire to have events that provide Masters athletes the opportunity to compete and socialize amongst friends. Many of the participants provided instant positive support and feedback for the event in general and for “the venue being ideal for this”, and will have the opportunity for additional specific feedback with a digital survey that has gone out post event to help determine the future of events of this sort.

This event served as the official U.S. Biathlon National Championships for Masters athletes, however, all athletes are encouraged to gather again at the 2025 U.S. Biathlon Senior Nationals & Spring Festival March 26-30 at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center in Bozeman, MT. Looking forward, Ariens Nordic Center will be playing host to the 2024 Midwest Regional Summer Biathlon Championships, July 20-21, welcoming all Youth, Junior, Senior & Masters biathletes for two events on roller skis and additional running biathlon events. Visit AriensNordic.com for more information. 

ABOUT ARIENS NORDIC CENTER

Ariens Nordic Center is located on 200 acres at the outskirts of Brillion, Wisconsin. The center is a year-round trail network for recreation, training, and competition for cross-country skiing, biathlon, roller-skiing, running, hiking, and more. The facility is open to the public and includes a 5k lighted trail network for cross-country skiing designed by Morton Trails, 20-point Kurvinen Biathlon Target System, a robust snowmaking system, 3k paved roller-ski loop for off-season training, and a 10-million-gallon pond for swimming and snowmaking purposes. Visit AriensNordic.com for more information.