EGBC head coach Damon Morton is currently in Vuokatti, Finland, coaching with the Vuokatti Sports Academy and Finland for three weeks over June. On 6 June Damon graduated from the Level 2 IBU Academy Course after completing three intensive weeks of coach education over 2024/25 and 135 recognised hours of online education. Following this Damon travelled up to Vuokatti, Finland, to undertake the coach exchange.
The opportunity arose from Damon having three free weeks between graduating from the IBU Academy Level 2 course until when he will lead a Biathlon Australia squad to the IBU / IOC summer training camp in Lillehammer, Norway, from the 29 June until 5 July. The invitation for the exchange came from Ilkka Jarvis who is Finland's IBU Cup Team's Head Coach. Damon worked closely with Ilkka in February in Martel, Italy, on an Australia / Finland IBU National Federation partnership to prepare for the Open European Championships. Ilkka recently had hip replacement surgery and in a talk with Damon encouraged him to undertake the exchange.
Damon first worked on a camp assisting Ilkka and has just concluded working with Nastassia Kinnunen ‘Ana” on a Youth National camp. Biathlon Australia has arranged with Finland for Ana to lead camps in Australia from the 13 July to 13 August at Hotham. It was a fantastic opportunity for Damon and Ana to work together and get to know each other.
Please see photos of athletes involved in a 3000m time trial and Ana coaching athletes who are rollerskiing the fine points of the offset technique.
We look forward to Ana coming to Hotham and would like to thank Biathlon Australia for their work in arranging this wonderful opportunity.
