About Biathlon
Biathlon was originally a tactic of survival rather than a sport. Northern Europeans skied to hunt for food and, later, skied with weapons to defend their countries. The word "biathlon" stems from the Greek word for two contests. Today it is interpreted as a joining of two sports: cross country skiing and rifle shooting.
In 1960, Biathlon joined the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM). But in 1993, an agreement was made to retain the Union as an umbrella body under which the UIPM and the IBU could act autonomously. It took effect in 1998, but the two sports maintain relations in various projects.
Biathlon Disciplines
Biathlon consists of eight events in the Olympic program. Men and women compete in a sprint, pursuit, individual and relay.
Although all biathlon disciplines combine skiing and marksmanship, the sport features several distinct events.
Sprint
During the sprint, women race 7.5 km and men race 10 km. Competitors stop twice and must hit all five targets with five bullets. For each target missed, athletes take a lap around the 150m penalty loop. The top 60 finishers of this competition qualify for the pursuit.
Pursuit
In the pursuit, the competitors start at intervals based on their finishing time in the sprint competition. Women race 10 km and men race 12.5 km. Competitors stop four times and must hit all five targets with five bullets. For each target missed, athletes take a lap around the 150m penalty loop.
Individual
In the individual event, women race 15 km and men race 20 km. All competitors stop four times at the firing range and must hit all five targets with five bullets. For each target missed, one minute is added to their total time.
Relay
The relay is a fast-paced team event in which four-person teams tackle four 7.5 km legs for a total of 30 km. It begins with a mass start by the first skiers of their respective teams. Each team member has two firing sequences and is allowed three extra bullets (a total of eight) to hit five targets, yet must load the three extra bullets one by one. For each target left standing, competitors ski a lap around the 150m penalty loop.