VESPA Mission Statement
“To provide a platform to support adaptive athletes from the ADF, the Veteran community, Emergency Services personnel, and their families, in learning, mastering and enjoying the connection and wellbeing opportunities within the sports of Biathlon and Cross-country Skiing.”
“Transitioned ADF who were medically discharged were more likely to report poorer mental and physical health compared with those who were not medically discharged.” (Van Hooff et al, 2019).
Biathlon is the combined sport of Nordic (Cross-country) Skiing and rifle-shooting. Shooting can be with .22 calibre live ammunition, .177″ air-pellets or with electronic rifles, while skiing is practiced both on traditional (narrow!) snow skis and on roller-skis. Adaptive skiers may use a sit-ski frame and Visually Impaired skiers utilise a guide and simple communication technology.
The sport of biathlon is rooted in military origins and is difficult to master; highly suitable for military veterans, while Emergency Services such as Police, Firefighters and Paramedics often endure similar health predispositions as those quoted above. Veterans & Emergency Services Parabiathlon Australia was conceived and registered as a wellbeing vehicle for members and their families to provide an opportunity to take part in and/or master an incredibly challenging sport.
Our partners at the University of South Australia’s Wellbeing for Australian Veterans & Emergency Services (WAVES -formerly the Invictus Pathways Program), are a sports science entity providing a training program for Veterans. It was the brain child of ARA veteran Mark Reidy and designed to provide a training and wellbeing package with a view to participation in The Invictus Games. They have offered VESPA not only cross-publicity opportunities but also give our biathletes access to their gym, Physio- and Occupational therapists and initial mental health screening, to help ensure the safety of our members.
We are also proudly supported by Military and Emergency Services Health Australia, or MESHA, who provide us with a Q-account, which ensures that any donations and expenses are managed appropriately & transparently, and can be claimed against tax.
More recently, with VESPA having been bridging the gap between novice parabiathletes and elite training for two years, Biathlon Australia have now taken on the parabiathlon pathway to elite training; finally allowing VESPA to return to our roots of Parabiathlon for wellbeing.
This is of importance as, having witnessed VESPA’s proof of concept in 2019 (see separate page for details), we were approached by the Board of then Australian Biathlon Association (now Biathlon Australia) to recruit a base of Veterans with a view to elite adaptive Nordic ski training, laser and biathlon air-rifle training and competition; up to and including one of our initial goals of providing a veteran-based team to compete in the 2026 Paralympic Games in Isolaccio, Italy, and Parasnowsports World Cup events.
Through lobbying and collaboration with these organisations, assisted hugely by the Great Britain Armed Forces Para-Snowsports Team and a seed-funding grant from Defence SA through Veterans South Australia, we have been able to directly progress two parabiathletes to elite training and a third, indirectly. All have completed international classification and their compulsory “Rookie Race” at a World ParaNordic Event, which means they can now join World ParaNordic events with a view to International Biathlon Union (IBU) ParaNordic World Cup and ParaNordic World Championship races.
Incredibly, our anchor parabiathlete, Matt Brumby, secured Australia two places at the 2026 Games with his performances in the 2024/25 northern hemisphere season. We now wait in hope that he can repeat his efforts this coming season and claim one of those places his efforts earned.
Please read on to discover how VESPA remain pioneers in this niche-of-a-niche sport and are bringing a hardcore sport to hardcore people and their families.
WE ARE PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY OUR COLLABORATORS…
VESPA are grateful for support by means of a grant from the Government of South Australia
Reference: Van Hooff, M., Lawrence-Wood, E., Sadler, N., Hodson, S., Benassi, H., Daraganova, G.,
Forbes, D., Sim, M., Smart, D., Kelsall, H., Burns, J., Bryant, R., Abraham, M., Baur, J., Iannos, M., Searle, A., Ighani, H., Avery, J., Hansen, C., Howell, S., Rosenfeld, J., Lawrence, A.,
Korgaonkar, M., Varker, T., O’Donnell, M., Phelps, A., Frederickson, J., Sharp, M., Saccone, E., McFarlane, A. (2019). Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme Key Findings Report. Canberra: Department of Defence and Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
abn 52 936 877 433
VETERANS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PARABIATHLON AUSTRALIA 