The Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park will play host to the Eastern Canadian Biathlon Championships this weekend.

The competition is a Biathlon P.E.I. event, which will draw just under 60 athletes from mainly Atlantic Canada and as far away as Ontario.

"It's a fun opportunity for everyone to get together," said competition chief Stephen Hale. "We get to declare the champion of Eastern Canada in each one of the different age categories, but for most it's an opportunity to compete against their friends."

The competition centre at Brookvale was built to host the Canada Winter Games in 1991, and the range has undergone several upgrades in 2008 and 2010.

It is currently under the early development stages to receive significant upgrades in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Canada Games, which P.E.I. is hosting.

Range of ages

Competitors can participate in pursuit and sprint events.

The facility has a shooting range of 24 mechanical targets and a course layout that supports all the required lengths of trails and varying degrees of difficulty, according to biathlon P.E.I.

The events will feature athletes from diverse age ranges, from children who have been doing biathlon for less than a year, to masters competitors in their 60s and 70s.

Hale said volunteers have been busy preparing for the event for the last two or three days in order to have the course in the best possible shape for incoming athletes.

Island athlete Mark Arendz is a Paralympic gold medallist in biathlon. (Canadian Paralympic Committee)

The events are open to the public and start at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

"You'll get to see some kids tearing up the course at Brookvale," said Hale, who became involved in biathlon 35 years ago through the Canadian Forces.

Biathletes who do well this week, and throughout the season, may have the opportunity to attend nationals next month in Valcartier, Que.

The provincial park itself is named for Mark Arendz, an Island athlete who was named Canada's flag-bearer for the Paralympics closing ceremony in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018.

The para-nordic star won five medals in Pyeongchang, including biathlon gold.

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