RED DEER—Biathlete Mackenzie Turner of Gore Bay is well known to many Islanders as a very remarkable individual—at this year’s Canada Winter Games held in Red Deer, Alberta, her outstanding example was held up for all the nation to see as she was chosen to carry the Ontario flag during the opening ceremonies.
“It was very cool, definitely an experience I will remember for the rest of my life,” said Ms. Turner when contacted following the Canada Winter Games by The Expositor. “When I got the email I had to re-read it five times. I just couldn’t get my mind around it.”
Ms. Turner said that she does not know exactly how the flag bearer is chosen. “I suspect each coach puts forward someone from their team,” she said.
The biathlete’s progress is quite remarkable considering a serious health setback, unrelated to her athletic career, which derailed her training regimen for seven months.
“It has definitely been a long season,” admitted Ms. Turner. “It has been a real eye-opener. I didn’t get back into the field until the end of July, beginning of August.” It has now been just about a year since the “fluke” injury and Ms. Turner describes herself as being “back to 100 percent.” But in competitive sports the loss of training time presents a serious challenge—reaching her level in a highly competitive sport like the biathlon requires more than raw talent, much more.
Ms. Turner’s Canada Winter Games definitely started out on a positive note, as she came in as the top Ontario biathlete in the 7.5 kilometre Pursuit Female category at the biathlon competitions that took place at the River Bend Golf and Recreation Area in Red Deer, Alberta.
Ms. Turner was sixth out of a field of 34 athletes from across the country in the 7.5 kilometre Pursuit Female category with a time of 28:37.6, less than three minutes off the top time.
In the six kilometre sprint final standings Ms. Turner came in 12th overall with a time of 25:04.6 and in the three by six kilometre relay Team Ontario, of which Ms. Turner is a member, the team came in just out of the medals at fourth with a time of 1:02.56.4. Ms. Turner also led the Ontario pack in the 10 kilometre Individual Female division.
Another biathlete on the Team Ontario roster has an Island connection. Natasia Varieur (granddaughter to Turtle Creek Lodge owners Jack and Joyce Varieur) is also on the Ontario biathlon contingent.
It takes a lot of practice and determination to make it to provincial and national championships, but Ms. Turner said there is a lot to be said in taking up the sport just on its own merits.
“It is honestly,” she said. “Even just cross country skiing is great. Getting out on a trail, I know there are a couple of golf courses on the Island who set up courses, getting out with the family and going slowly at the start. I definitely have some great memories. Cross country skiing is something you can do when you are three years old until you are past 90.”
As for the biathlon community, Ms. Turner notes that it is a close knit crew across all of the sport. “Especially biathlon,” she said. “It is not that big a community and we all help each other out.”
Ms. Turner’s next competition will take place at the Nationals in Whistler, British Columbia March 24 to 31.
We have definitely not heard the last of this remarkable young Haweater. Stay tuned for great things in the future.
