Running and Shooting, It's a Family Thing

FORT KENT- For some people, summer biathlon is a family-oriented sporting event.

Last week, the seven-member Saucy family came to Fort Kent so that three of them could compete in the National Summer Biathlon competition at the 10^th Mountain Ski Lodge.

According to Master Bi-athlete Stephanie Saucy, the culture surrounding the sport encourages total participation in all aspects of family life, including quality time, training, warm-ups, and the competition itself.

For the Saucys, summer biathlon involves the whole family.

Kathy Mayo, director of the National Summer Biathlon in Fort Kent, says, "With them it's total family time. They travel together, they stay together, and they train together."

"It's very much a family sport," says Stephanie, the mother of five children, with one still in diapers. She says the biathlon community is also like a family. She said, "It's such a tight knit family-oriented group. That's what keeps us coming back."

During a recent interview on Thursday, one of her children, just past the age of a toddler, clutched to her knee while she answered questions and recovered after the rigorous event.

That is life for the Saucy folks: a normal family that flourishes in a world-renowned sport.

They also get the benefit of traveling as a family. This weekend the Pennsylvania family is camping in Fort Kent for the first time, and they are impressed with the location. Stephanie Saucy says, "I like it." She also complimented the 10^th Mountain Ski Lodge for a friendly atmosphere and a relatively simple course.

While in Fort Kent, three members of the family competed in multiple biathlon events: Stephanie Saucy, in the Master Women's division; Hilary Saucy, 15, in the Youth Women's division; and Nathan Saucy, 13, in the Youth Men's division.

On a humid Thursday evening, the Saucy family competed in the Sprint Competition.