Laser Biathlon sparks growing interest in Aspen’s Nordic Community

Scott Lacy, a former U.S. Biathlon athlete, Aspen native and now an Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club (AVSC) Nordic coach, recently hosted a training session for AVSC athletes — this time including members of the wider community. While the ski-and-shoot sport would not typically take place in an open public field such as those near the AVSC clubhouse and Aspen School District, advances in technology have made safe-to-use laser rifles possible.

“We’ve had one of the most successful programmes that U.S. Biathlon has run,” Lacy said. “I think it’s really exciting that we can be part of that. AVSC has always been at the forefront of winter sports, and this is the next step for Nordic. I think it could be really special.”

U.S. Biathlon has loaned a fleet of laser rifles to Nordic clubs across the country over the past two seasons.

This year, AVSC received all the necessary equipment on loan, free of charge, for around a month. During that time, Lacy has led training sessions for AVSC middle school athletes — and high schoolers, although he noted that older cross-country skiers are typically more focused on their competition season — as well as, for the first time on Saturday, members of the public.

While athletes were given the option to opt out of the sessions and focus solely on Nordic skiing, Lacy said more than 20 youth athletes attended each AVSC session, with around 50 people taking part in the community event over the weekend. Aspen’s strong Nordic heritage and general awareness of the sport, combined with his ability to “champion” it locally, made the area an attractive target for U.S. Biathlon’s strategy, he said.

“I think a lot of the community already follows biathlon quite closely,” Lacy said. “There is a really strong Nordic community, and it’s a closely related sport, so there’s already a lot of awareness. You’re not introducing something completely new. And it also comes down to having someone to champion it within the community. U.S. Biathlon is targeting areas where retired athletes can help lead the way.”

The former national team member won the U.S. Biathlon National Championships in the pursuit discipline in 2023. He came to the sport after experiencing burnout from competitive Nordic skiing, which ultimately reignited his passion for cross-country.

Now, a few years later, he has turned to coaching, aiming to pass his motivation on to the next generation.

“Scott has really been able to bring a wide range of Nordic athletes into this,” said Sarah Kuhn, mother of fifth-grade athlete Calvin Kuhn and a Nordic coach for AVSC and Spring Gulch in Carbondale. “The way he describes the focus it requires — being fully concentrated on shooting when you’re shooting, and on skiing when you’re skiing — is invaluable. For children in such a busy world, it’s amazing to have something where they can be completely present in the moment.”

Lacy said the sport is currently experiencing some of its strongest local momentum in years. He noted that AVSC has previously used air pellet rifles during Nordic training sessions, although not in recent years. He also acknowledged that there can be concern and resistance surrounding the sport, particularly given the broader national conversation around firearms.

However, with U.S. Biathlon working directly with clubs and demonstrating clear local interest, Lacy believes there could be a future for the sport in Aspen, including the possibility of a permanent facility.

“Officially, there are no future plans,” Lacy said. “But the level of interest we’ve seen is prompting discussions about how we might create something more permanent — an option where athletes can sign up and say, ‘I’m going to do Nordic with AVSC and learn biathlon.’”

AVSC Nordic Director Sophie Caldwell Hamilton said she is encouraged by the success of the training sessions, but emphasised that it is too early for any major decisions.

“We’re really encouraged by the enthusiasm, but we haven’t had any serious discussions yet about what a long-term future for biathlon here might look like,” Hamilton said. “It’s all very new. We didn’t know what level of interest to expect before the laser rifles arrived. Personally, I wasn’t thinking long term — I just saw it as an exciting opportunity for the children. But given the response, it’s something we’ll discuss and revisit in the spring to see whether there’s a place for biathlon within our programme.”