Otway Nordic Ski Club

By Cheryl Jahn

Otway Nordic Ski Club

Tuition waiver for biathletes

Mar 4, 2026 | 4:02 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Preparations are underway for the Otway Nordic Ski Club to host the International Biathlon Union and the Biathlon Canada Western Canadian Championships this weekend. It involves athletes ranging across the age spectrum, including those in the youth, junior, seniors and masters calibre of athletes.

“It’s the International Biathlon Union, the IBU,” explains Kevin Pettersen with the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club. “It’s a regional event. Regional means ‘continental.’ So it covers North America. We’ll be having 150 athletes, from all across western Canada, but also into the U.S and the territories as well.”

And those athletes are eligible for special consideration from the University of Northern BC. The university is offering a $2,000 tuition credit. It is not the first time this relationship has been explored.

“It stemmed from the 2015 Winter Games when UNBC offered tuition credits to each of the participating athletes,” explains Pettersen. “So when we were hosting the world championship trials in 2023, we reached out to UNBC and asked if that would be something they would consider.”

“So how do we support them as a community and also support the broader Prince George community,” says Dr. Bill Owen, Interim President of UNBC. “And so throughout that time, we’ve had various provincial and national events here, in Prince George. And, we’ve been able to partner with the Caledonia to be able to offer potential students these tuition waivers.”

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With the past offers, not just with the Canada Winter Games, the endeavour has met with success.

“We’ve had 29 students who probably wouldn’t have known about UNBC without these types of community events, who have come to this institution and succeeded here is a no brainer of a relationship.”

And having a post-secondary educational facility such as UNBC a stone’s throw from an internationally-acclaimed sporting facility translates into a natural relationship.

“It very much having the facility that’s very close to us,” says Dr. Owen. “I know I’ve personally ran from here to Otway.

As for the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, does having the opportunity to get a scholarship add to the appeal for young athletes?

“We’re one of the only Nordic facilities that in Canada that’s so close to a post-secondary institution like UNBC, says Pettersen. “We’ve been able to draw UNBC and the Nordic Club closer and closer together. And it’s just a natural fit like for us.”

A UNBC student ambassador will be on site at the event to answer questions and provide program information.