Ready, aim, fire: Youth meet in Gimli, Man., for national marksmanship competition

More than 100 cadets are giving it their best shot in Gimli, Man., this week.

Cadets from across Canada are in the Interlake townto compete in a national marksmanship competition.

The 2017 National Cadet Marksmanship Championship began on Monday, bringing 124 youth aged 12 to 18 together to compete in two separate competitions for marksmanship: standing and prone that is, lying down.

"It feels amazing," said Sarah King, a chief petty officer first class for the cadets in Manitoba.

It's King's last year in the youth program, and the first time she's ever competed in the national competition.

"It is important for me to compete because it teaches so many disciplines," she said. "It teaches self-discipline, focus, time management, stress management, so many essential tools for future life aspirations."

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King is one of five members of her team, and they practice every week for two hours, she said.

So far in this competition, they've met cadets from all over Canada, she added.

"There are a couple more teams from Ontario and Quebec just because it's such a large area, but we have been spending a lot of time with the Nunavut cadets and we've met some of the Alberta cadets and some of the Ontario ones as well," she said.

"I love meeting new people. To meet new people from different parts of the county, you get a little bit of flavour of everything, right? It's not only Manitoba."

The competition's finals will be held on Thursday.