The 2015 Australian Biathlon Championships were held on 15/16 August 2015 at Whiskey Flat Range, Mt Hotham, on a course that had the best snow conditions, with the temperature around 1 degree C with sunshine for most of the weekend.
The Australian Championships had the largest and strongest field in many years. As well as Australian Biathlon members, participants included junior athletes from ITA and SUI, who all participated in the Open races. Also from overseas, Barbara Teyton (FRA) took part in her first Australian Biathlon Championships, participating in Women Sport class. Canadian-based Aussie Angus Martin travelled from North West Territories to take part, thereby qualifying for the gold medal for “person who travelled furthest to the Championships”. Jon Hoiles strapped on the classic skis to take part in Championship events for the first time, having been fired up by participating in the Australian Defence Forces annual “Exercise Coolshot” during the fortnight prior.

3 generations of Australian biathletes: Lynn-Maree Cullen (nee Cranage, left), Jorja Cullen (centre), Bob Cranage OAM (right)
Three generations of Australian Biathlon founding family, the Cranage/Cullens from Wodonga, VIC, took part in Saturday’s Individual events, each taking a gold medal in the process; Bob Cranage OAM took part in the Men Veteran Class, with daughter Lynn-Maree Cullen in Women Masters, and her daughter Jorja Cullen in Women U13, who shot clear.
The Laser class of events were dominated by the Wilkinson family from Albury, NSW; Abigail, Nicholas and for the first time James, all donned bibs and took aim.
The Blue Ribbon events, the Open races, were hotly contested, placings were:
Saturday 25 August Individual:
Open Men:
- Damon Morton (Marlo, VIC) 0:46:29.29 (1+0+2+2)
- Daniel Walker (Sydney, NSW) 0:48:00.0 (1+1+0+0)
- Paolo Rodigari (ITA) 0:48:57.57 (2+0+2+1)
Third Australian Man Dyllan Harmer
Open Women:
- Camilla Bormolini (ITA) 0:41:09.9 (1+1+1+0)
- Laura Caduff (SUI) 0:42:34.34 (1+3+2+1)
- Jillian Colebourn (AUS) 0:48:35.35 (1+2+0+2)
Sunday 16 August Sprint:
Open Men:
2nd Australian Man Daniel Walker, 3rd Australian Man Dyllan Harmer
Open Women:
In other race groups, top three placings for Saturday’s Individual races were:
Saturday 15 August Individual:
Men Masters:
- Frank di Martino 0:48:33.33 (1+3+2+4)
- John Joyce 0:49.29.29 (0+2+1+4)
- Russell Croser 0:51:23.23 (1+1+2+3)
Women Masters:
- Lynn-Maree Cullen 25:07.7 (1+3+0+3)
- Rachel McKay 28:11.11 (1+3+2+2)
- Emma Croser 0:30:35.35 (0+3+1+2)
Men Open B:
- Scott Anderson 1:04.50.50 (4+2+4+2)
- Jon Hoiles 1:11:36.36 (2+4+1+2)
Men Under 21:
- Grigorii Kazantcev 0:50:47.47 (0+1+1+0)
- Jeremy Flanagan 1:02:06.6 (3+3+1+3)
- Taylor Field 1:08:24.24 (0+1+2+2)
Women Under 21:
- Ruth Healy-McFarlane 1:03:44.44 (2+2+2+2)
Men Veterans:
- Bob Cranage 0:22:49.49 (0+1+1+3)
Men Sports:
- Michael McKernan 0:51:18.18 (2+2+2+5)
Women Sports:
- Barbara Teyton (FRA) 0:24:21.21 (1+0+0+1)
Men Under 19:
- Harry Jacobs 0:37:33.33 (2+2+1+0)
- Matthew Wright 0:46:58.58 (2+3+2+4)
- Jethro Mahon 0:48:45.45 (2+3+2+1)
Women Under 19:
- Darcie Morton 0:34:39.39 (3+0+2+1)
- Sabrina Howell 0:38:50.50 (1+1+1+2)
Women Under 17:
- Gabrielle Mahon 0:38:12.12 (2+3+3+2)
Men Under 15:
- Thomas Wilkinson 0:32:30.30 (1+1+2+4)
Women Under 13:
- Jorja Cullen 0:09:50.50 (0+0+0+0)
- Amity Marantelli 0:14:06.6 (0+2+0+2)

Abigail (bib 25), Nicholas (bib 26) and James (bib 27) Wilkinson, laser biathlon participants 2015 and laser event officials Neil Richardson (left), Norma Cranage (centre) and Symonn Wilkinson (right)
Full results, including for the Sprint results from Sunday 16 August, will be published in due course.
Tagged: Australia, Australian Biathlon, australian olympic committee, Australian Sports Foundation, biathlon, Bob Cranage, CAN, cross country ski trails, Cross-country skiing, FRA, France, fun, inspire, ITA, Italy, laser biathlon, Mount Hotham, Mt Hotham, news, Nordic, Olympic sports, Ski, Skiing, snow, sport, Sports, SUI, Switzerland, Victoria, Whiskey Flat, winter, winter olympic games, Winter Sports
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