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| Biathlon |
The biathlon combines free cross country skiing with target shooting using a small calibre rifle. The athletes ski loops of the course, stopping each time to fire a prerequisite number of shots at the target. Participants incur either a time or distance penalty for missing a target depending on the event.
The sport demands great physical stamina and strength, but also a capacity for concentration and considerable technical abilities. Originally a hunting technique that combined skiing with shooting, biathlon (from the Greek word meaning 'two tests') was also incorporated into military strategy in northern Europe. |
| Olympic History |
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The men's 20km individual event was first introduced onto the Olympic program in 1960 at Squaw Valley, USA. A men's relay was added at Grenoble 1968, and a 10km sprint event at Lake Placid 1980. Women’s biathlon did not make its debut until 1992 with the 7.5km, 15km and relay events. At Lillehammer 1994 the women's 7.5km relay increased from three legs to four. At Salt Lake, the men's 12.5km and women's 10km pursuit events were added for the first time.
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| The Sport |
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In all biathlon events, athletes have to combine cross-country skiing with small bore rifle shooting from both a standing and prone position. The athletes ski loops of the course, stopping each time to fire a prerequisite number of shots at the target. Participants incur a penalty for missing a target in all events and the athlete with the fastest time wins.
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| The Events |
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Biathlon consists of ten events on the Olympic program, five for men and five for women. The sport features several distinct events across the sprint, pursuit, individual and relay. Competitors get five shots, either prone or standing, in each round of shooting to hit five targets. Target size varies depending on the shooting position - 11.5cm for standing and 4.5cm for prone. The distance between the shooting position and the target is 50 metres.
Sprint (7.5km women / 10km men)
Competitors start at 30-second intervals and stop twice to shoot. There is one prone and then one standing round of shooting with five bullets each time. 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 (10km women / 12.5km men)
In the pursuit, the 60 competitors start at intervals based on their finishing time in the sprint competition. Competitors have four rounds of shooting - prone, standing, prone, standing - during the course of the event. For each target missed, athletes take a lap around the 150m penalty loop.
Individual (15km women / 20km men)
Competitors start at 30-second intervals and have four rounds of shooting - prone, standing, prone, standing - during the course of the event. For each target missed, one minute is added to their total time.
Relay (4x6km women / 4x7.5km men)
The relay is a fast-paced team event in which four-person teams tackle four legs of 6km and 7.5km for women and men respectively. 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. The team whose fourth athlete completes the course first is awarded the gold medal.
Mass start (12.5km women / 15km men)
The best 30 athletes contest the last event on the program, made up of all medallists in the individual, sprint and pursuit events, plus the leading competitor in the World Cup overall points table.
The athletes cover five circuits of 2.5km for women and 3km for men. They stop four times at the firing range, the first two prone, the second two standing, to hit five targets. For each target missed the athlete does a 150m penalty loop. The winner is whichever athlete passes the finishing line first. If a competitor is lapped they must withdraw from the race. The winning time is usually around 35 minutes.
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| Equipment |
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Competitors use skis which are designed for cross country skiing. These are narrower and shorter than their alpine skiing counterparts. They have upturned tips and taper towards the rear. Choosing the right wax for the snow conditions is imperative.
There are also special cross country skiing boots which clip into bindings on the ski by the toe only. This leaves the heel free to move. The boots cover the ankle, however are not as rigid as alpine ski boots. Most skiers wear some form of head-gear for protection from the extreme cold.
Each skier carries a .22 calibre rifle, weighing between 3.5 and 4.5kg, on their back with a special harness. Biathletes fire at black targets from a shooting “ramp”, made of solidly-packed snow. The targets are electronic and are covered by a white disc if hit. Target diameters are 45mm for the prone position and 115mm for the standing position.
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| Australia in this Sport |
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Australia does not have a strong presence in biathlon. The first representative was Andrew Paul, who competed in both the 10km and 20km at the Sarajevo Games in 1984 and the Calgary Games in 1988. His best result was placing 47th in the 20km at Sarajevo 1984.
His wife Sandra Paintin-Paul competed at Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994 with a best result in 1994 placing 40th from a field of 69 in the 7.5km sprint.
Kerryn Rim (Pethybridge) is the only Australian athlete to compete at three Games in Albertville 1992, Lillehammer 1994 and Nagano 1998. Her best finishes were 21st in the 7.5km sprint and 8th in the 15km individual event in 1994.
Cameron Morton has been selected to be Australia's fourth Olympic biathlon representative when he contests the 20km individual and 10km sprint in Torino.
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Biathlon Events
Men
15km Mass Start
10km
12.5km Pursuit
20km
4 x 7.5km Relay
Women
12.5km Mass Start
10km Pursuit
15km
4 x 6km Relay
7.5km
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