United States Sports Network

Alpine Skiing
Archery
AutoRacing
Badminton
Ballooning
Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Biathlon
Biking
BMX
Boating
Bobsleigh
Boxing
Canoeing
Cross Country
Cross Country Skiing
Curling
Cycling
Darts
Decathlon
Fencing
Field Hockey
Figure Skating
Flying
Football
Gymnastics
Handball
Hang Gliding
Horse Racing
Ice Dancing
Ice Hockey
Kayaking
Lacrosse
Luge
Marathon
Marathoning
Mixed Martial Arts
Motorboat Racing
Motorcycle Racing
Mountain Biking
Mountain Climbing
MX
Nordic Combined Skiing
Orienteering
Paint Ball
Parachuting
Pentathlon
Power Lifting
Racquet Ball
Rafting
Rock Climbing
Rodeo
Running
Sailing
Scuba Diving
Skate boarding
Skiing
Ski Jumping
Sky Diving
Soccer
Softball
Speed Skating
Spelunking
Squash
Surfing
Synchronized Swimming
Table Tennis
Tennis
Track
Track And Field
Triathlon
Walking
Weightlifting
Wind Surfing

Biathlon Rules

Basic concepts

A biathlon competition consists of a race in which contestants ski around a cross-country track, and where the total distance is broken up by either two or four shooting rounds, half in prone position, the other half standing. Depending on the shooting performance, extra distance or time is added to the contestant's total running distance/time. As in most races, the contestant with the shortest total time wins.

For each shooting round, the biathlete must hit five targets; each missed target must be "atoned for" in one of three ways, depending on the competition format:

by skiing around a 150 metres (490 ft) penalty loop, typically taking 20-30 seconds for top-level biathletes to complete (running time depending on weather/snow conditions),
by having one minute added to a skier's total time, or
by having to use an "extra cartridge" (placed at the shooting range) to finish off the target; only three such "extras" are available for each round, and a penalty loop must be made for each of the targets left standing.

In order to keep track of the contestants' progress and relative standing throughout a race, split times (intermediate times) are taken at several points along the skiing track and upon finishing each shooting round. The large display screens commonly set up at biathlon arenas, as well as the information graphics shown as part of the TV picture, will typically list the split time of the fastest contestant at each intermediate point and the times and time differences to the closest runners-up.

Skiing details

All cross-country skiing techniques are permitted in biathlon, which means that the free technique is usually the preferred one, being the fastest. No other equipment than skis and ski poles may be used for moving along the track. Minimal ski length is 4 centimetres (1.6 in) less than the height of the skier.

Shooting details

   The biathlete carries the small bore rifle, which weighs at least 3.5 kilograms (7.7 lb), including ammunition in magazines on her/his back during the race. The rifles use .22 LR ammunition and are bolt action or Fortner action.

   The target range shooting distance is 50 metres (160 ft). There are five circular targets to be hit in each shooting round. When shooting in the prone position the target diameter is 45 millimetres (1.8 in), when shooting in the standing position the target diameter is 115 millimetres (4.5 in). On all modern biathlon ranges, the targets are self-indicating, in that they flip from black to white when hit, giving the biathlete as well as the spectators instant visual feedback for each shot fired.

   This text is from Wikipedia.

United States Biathlon

History
Hall of Fame

Biathlon Books
Biathlon Videos

Shop for Biathlon Trophies at Dinn Trophy