Calgary brothers happy to embrace biathlon, but not so much each other
Gow boys had their own way of celebrating world relay bronze
The occasion fairly demands displays of affection.
After all, Canadian men had just grabbed their first relay medal — ever — at the world biathlon championships.
To boot, this is Oslo, Norway, the thumping heart of the sport.
So it figures that emotions are going to run high on this historic day in March. That there will be hand-shaking, back-slapping, hairruffling, high-fiving, fist-bumping. And, of course, embracing. Especially since two of the four racers — Calgary’s Scott and Christian Gow — are brothers. Family ties and all that, right? Matching bronze keepsakes in hand, the Gow brothers are asked by a reporter to describe their feelings. Scott and Christian deliver appropriate sound bytes.
But one trouble-making teammate pipes up: “Yeah, right, you guys. You won’t even hug.”
(Background: “The running joke is that Christian and I haven’t hugged each other … that it’s been years,” Scott says, before adding, “It’s just not my thing and I don’t need to.”)
The reporter quickly piles on: “Oh, you guys don’t hug? Well, we need a hug for the cameras.” Cringingly, Scott obliges. “I did indulge him,” he says. “It was a good moment.” Which is captured on video. Which Christian, laughing, describes as “very awkward” and
I’m definitely a more sensitive person and Scott’s the guy who’s like, ‘Men don’t cry.’ He’s always the tough guy.
“reluctant looking,” a scene that, of course, finds its way onto the Internet.
“I have no problem giving my family a hug, but he’s against that,” he says. “I’m definitely a more sensitive person and Scott’s the guy who’s like, ‘Men don’t cry.’ He’s always the tough guy.”
Scott — in a phone interview a couple of hours before his little brother’s — broaches the topic of fraternal comparisons.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call myself an introvert — but relatively introverted compared to Christian,” he says. “He loves to talk — that’s the first thing people notice. I don’t seem to have that problem, not that it’s a bad thing.”
Christian is definitely a little more in touch with his emotional side, where I am definitely a little more distant.”
By now, you may have guessed (correctly) that despite remarkably similar progressions in the sport — a dastardly blend of cross-country skiing and target shooting — these siblings are not carbon copies.
“But we have more in common than we don’t,” says Scott. “If you ask our friends and family, they’d probably say we’re a little different, but I think we’re a lot the same.” He is right. Take their introduction to biathlon.
In 2002, Mark and Cathleen enrolled their oldest boys — Scott, then 11, and Christian, then eight — in a Sports Of All Sorts summer camp at Canada Olympic Park.
Despite being in different age groups, despite trying everything from luging to ski-jumping, they independently arrived at identical conclusions.
“We got home,” recalls Christian, “and I said, ‘Mom, Dad, I’ve signed up for biathlon this fall.’ And Scott said, ‘Oh, yeah, I did that, too.’ And we didn’t even know each other had done it.
“Obviously, something just struck a chord with us.”
Obviously, because 14 years later, they live in Canmore, they race full time, they have been pre-selected for the national team, which means competing on the World Cup circuit, which opens later this month in Sweden.
With relay teammates Brendan Green and Calgary’s Nathan Smith, they’d love to improve their world standing — and to do it together.
“It’s always nice when you can participate in something with your brother, right?” says Scott. “For some people, that may not be the case. But for us, it’s just really worked out well that way. It just makes it more worthwhile.
“I’m a little older, so everything I accomplished, he accomplished two years after me. He basically followed the exact same trajectory.”
Christian appreciates those guiding footsteps, not to mention the familiar vibe, especially during tough times.
“Throughout the year, maybe there’s days when you don’t really want to see anyone, but it’s a lot different with your brother,” says Christian, who, like Scott, attended the National Sport School.
“You’ve lived with him your whole life, so it’s harder to get annoyed with him. We’re very comfortable with each other. It’s nice to have a permanent training partner. It’s been cool.
“It would be very different for me if I wasn’t doing this with him.”
For those wondering, there is another brother.
Liam, 17, hasn’t devoted his life to biathlon, but the three siblings bond over video games.
Gears of War 4, these days, is their online thread.
“Now that we’re all living in different places,” says Christian, “that’s been a lot of fun and an easy way to keep in touch.”
Speaking of keeping in touch, Scott turned 26 on Sunday, a birthday celebration that featured a get-together and a barbecue.
But zero you-knowwhats.
“No, definitely no hugs,” says Christian, laughing. “Apparently, he saves those for world championship medals ... and they come around about as often.”