What is a skiathlon?
I · Intermediate · The races · 1 of 7In a mass start everyone starts together from a grid, and the first across the line wins. The Olympic distance is 50 km. The skiathlon is a mass start in which skiers race the first half in classic technique, change skis in a pit box in the stadium, and race the second half in free technique.
How it works
- Grid: an arrow-shaped or flat grid; bib 1 has the best place.
- Start: instructions two minutes before; the signal once all are still.
- Classic start tracks: skiers stay in their tracks for the first part of the start zone.
- False start: the race is restarted.
- Skiathlon: classic first, a ski change in the pit box, then free technique.
- Pit box: one per skier; no help; the old skis stay in the box.
- Lapped skiers: must stop and are ranked by their last split.
- Interruption: the race stands if at least six skiers are ranked.
The glossary has the mass start, the skiathlon, the pit box, the equipment exchange, the lapped skier and the stadium.
Tricky cases
Can a coach help with the ski change in a skiathlon?
No. The skier changes alone, inside their own box.
A skier false-starts in a mass start. Penalty?
The race is restarted; officials down the track turn the skiers back.
A skier is lapped by the leaders. Do they finish?
No. Lapped skiers must stop, and are ranked by their last intermediate time.
Can a skiathlon skier keep their classic skis?
No. The change is mandatory, and the exchanged skis stay in the box until the skier finishes.
Why the rule exists
Mass starts give head-to-head racing that spectators can follow. The skiathlon tests both techniques in one race, with the ski change as part of the contest.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Olympics | 50 km mass start; 10 km + 10 km skiathlon | FIS 310.3.1 |
| Mass start pit boxes | Only skis may be left | FIS 322.2.2 |
| Skiathlon pit boxes | Poles may also be changed | FIS 343.12.1 |
From the rule book
FIS, ICR Book II: Cross-Country (June 2026), articles 315.3, 315.7.2, 322, 323, 343.12 and 343.14. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the FIS ICR, revised by the FIS Council each season.