Paul Schommer: Ariens Nordic Center
December 12 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
SAVE THE DATE!
Join us for a presentation with U.S. Olympic Biathlete and Ariens Nordic Center employee Paul Schommer! Paul will introduce the sport of biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. He’ll share his experiences as an Olympic athlete, provide an overview of the Ariens Nordic Center, and demonstrate Nordic biathlon simulation equipment. You’ll even have the opportunity to give it a try yourself using a laser rifle or ski erg!
Ariens Nordic Center offers recreational and competitive opportunities for all ages and skill levels. The center features a 5K lighted trail, 3.5K of paved trails, a snowmaking system, and a 20-point Kurvinen Biathlon Range.
About Paul Schommer: Paul Schommer is a two-time U.S. Olympic biathlete from Appleton, Wisconsin. A 2010 Kimberly High School graduate, he represented Team USA in biathlon, the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship, at two Winter Olympic Games: Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026.
His route to biathlon was anything but orthodox. He didn’t grow up skiing and shooting, but had the goal of becoming a state champion wrestler, and that’s where his unlikely path to biathlon began. At the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, he joined the cross-country ski team and found a mentor in coach Chad Salmela, a former biathlete who taught him what it meant to be one.
After retiring, Schommer returned to Northeast Wisconsin, and the Ariens Nordic Center added him to its staff, a move that strengthens its commitment to outdoor sports and community programming with a focus on the region’s youth. Paul now has set his sights on cultivating a vibrant outdoor community in NE Wisconsin, with a strong focus on healthy living that takes care of the environment and the people who call it home.