Biathlon

The strength and stamina of cross-country skiers combined with the lucidity and concentration of a marksman.

The symbolic re-enactment of a primordial activity: hunting in the snow, the long treks on skis, glimpsing the prey, the coolness of a marksman.

Power and precision, the ability to slide on the snow and aim looking the target in the eye: the sum of all this constitutes the very soul of the biathlon event.

The biathlon is an Olympic Winter sport that combines freestyle cross-country skiing and small bore rifle shooting. This discipline requires strength and endurance, as well as the ability to concentrate and technical skills.
The events take place on circuits of various lengths (2 km, 2.5 km, 3 km, 4 km) depending on the speciality. After each circuit the athletes have to complete a shooting session at the rifle range, each one consisting of five shots.

The penalties are deducted by having to cover an additional 150 m circuit for each target missed, or with the addition of one minute to the total time for each target missed in the individual events. The time taken for the four shooting sections is deducted, therefore each athlete tries to reduce their time in the rifle range to a minimum: the best arrive at 30", and are able to hit the five targets in approximately 15" from the first shot. The winner is the one that manages to complete the entire circuit in the best time (including the time taken for shooting) with the addition of possible penalties.

There are ten events in the Olympic Sport Programme, five men's and five women's.

Individual

The 20 km is the oldest of the biathlon disciplines. The athletes start at 30" intervals and must cover a course which has an overall rise and fall between 600 and 750 metres and shoot 20 shots during four shooting series. The competition is carried out with a series of five shots at as many targets over a 4 km section of course, and so on for another three series, covering another last round of 4 km before passing the finishing line. Shooting is carried out in sequence: from the ground, standing, from the ground, standing.
For each target missed there is a penalty of 1', to be added to the total race time. The time taken to complete the 20 km generally varies from between 53'-55', with 0' or 1' penalty; the time for the 15 km individual women's tends to be around 46'.

Sprint

The Athletes start at 30" intervals and must cover an overall circuit of 10 km which has an overall rise and fall between 300 and 450 metres: the length of the women's course is 7.5 km.
There are two shooting series each of five targets: in sequence from the ground-standing. For each target missed the athlete has to carry out a penalty loop of 150 m. The best finish the race in approx. 27' without any penalty rounds.

Pursuit

The first 60 athletes take part to this competition based on their position in the qualifying heats (which could be either the sprint or individual).
The winner of the qualifying shooting competition starts and the remainder follow in the order and time that finished behind. The men race over a course of 12.5 km, the women 10 km, with 4 shooting series every 2-2.5 km, the first two prone, the next two standing.
The event is quite spectacular because the public, even if they are not experts, are able to follow and understand the event, and are updated at all times on who is leading.

Relay

Each of the four athletes that make up the team must cover the entire distance foreseen before changing over to their team mate and must complete two shooting series of five targets each: from the ground-standing.
The athletes have available, in addition to their five shots, another three in reserve, which have to be loaded individually for security reason. After the first shooting phase the athletes line up at the shooting range on the basis of their position in the race, the first in line one and so on. If, despite the three reserve shots, they fail to hit all the targets, they must enter the penalty round on the basis of the missed targets.

Mass Start

The top 30 athletes are accepted in this event as well as those who have won a medal in the individual, sprint and pursuit events, the leader of the World Cup and the best placings in the World Cup until all places have been filled.
The men must complete 5 circuits of 3 km for a total of 15 km, and the women must complete 5 circuits of 2.5 km for a total of 12.5 km. A series of five shots must be completed after each circuit, the first two from the ground and the last two standing. A penalty circuit must be completed for each target missed.
The event lasts for about 35' and is the simplest and easiest to follow. This discipline will enter the Olympic Programme for the first time during the Torino 2006 Olympic Games.

Source: www.torino2006.org

Event schedule