Biathlon words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 20 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Biathlon

A competition of cross-country skiing loops and rifle shooting bouts. In each bout the competitor fires five rounds at five targets, and misses are penalised by an extra 150 m (or 75 m) loop or by added time, depending on the competition.

Course

The marked ski track, skied as loops of 1.5 to 4.0 km (by format), with the shooting range between loops. The maximum height difference is 80 m, the longest climb without a flat part or a 200 m descent is 50 m, and the steepest grade is 25 per cent.

Shooting range

The area where the athlete stops to shoot, with shooting lanes and mats on a ramp and the targets in front. The muzzle must be over the forward edge of the firing line from the beginning to the end of a bout. All shooting in training and competition must take place there.

Rifle

A .22 inch (5.6 mm) rifle, at least 3.5 kg without magazines and ammunition, carried on the back in a carrying harness with the barrel pointing up. The sights may not magnify, the magazine holds at most five rounds and the trigger resistance must be at least 0.5 kg.

Shooting terms

Prone position

Shooting lying down. The rifle may touch only the hands, shoulder and cheek, and the lower side of the wrist of the supporting arm must be distinctly raised from the snow. The prone target aperture is 45 mm across.

Standing position

Shooting without any support. Only the hands, shoulder, cheek and the area of the chest next to the shoulder may touch the rifle, and the arm may be held against the chest or propped on the hip. The standing target aperture is 115 mm across.

Target

A white face plate with five apertures and five black knock-down (or electronic) plates, a hit shown by a white indicator disc. The scoring area is 45 mm in prone and 115 mm in standing; the aiming circle is 115 mm for both.

Miss

A target left standing after all rounds of the bout have been fired. In Individual competitions it adds a time penalty, and in other competitions the athlete skis a penalty loop for each miss.

Penalty loop

A 150 m loop for each missed target (75 m in the super sprint and single mixed relay), skied immediately after the shooting bout and not later or before the finish. A skater on or leaving the loop has the right of way. Not skiing a loop costs a two-minute penalty.

Penalty minute

In the Individual competition each miss adds 1 minute to the competition time (45 seconds in the Short Individual and in some junior and youth Individuals).

Race formats

Individual

Men 20 km, women 15 km, with four bouts (prone, standing, prone, standing) and a 1-minute penalty per miss. Starts are single, normally 30 seconds apart, and the competition time is skiing time plus the penalties.

Sprint

Men 10 km, women 7.5 km, three loops and two bouts (prone then standing), with a 150 m penalty loop per miss. Starts are single at 30-second intervals.

Pursuit

Men 12.5 km, women 10 km, five loops and four bouts (prone, prone, standing, standing). Each start time is how far the competitor finished behind the winner of the qualifying race, rounded to the second; the first across the finish line wins.

The ruleHow does the biathlon pursuit work?

Mass start

Thirty athletes start together over 15 km (men) or 12.5 km (women), with four bouts (prone, prone, standing, standing) and 150 m penalty loops. In the first bout each athlete shoots from the lane of their bib number. The first across the line wins.

Relay

Teams of four (men 4 x 7.5 km, women 4 x 6 km), each leg with a prone and a standing bout and a 150 m penalty loop. Each competitor has three spare rounds, loaded by hand, and the hand-over is a touch in the hand-over zone. The team's time is that of its last member.

Technique terms

Skate skiing

All skiing techniques are permitted in biathlon, with no technique required. The skating technique is allowed in simultaneous and group starts once the start signal is given.

Also called: freestyle technique
See also: Biathlon, Double poling

Heart rate management

Calming heart rate and breathing after skiing to shoot accurately. The rules do not define it.

Zeroing

Testing and adjusting the sights on paper targets at the range before a competition. Zeroing time is 45 minutes ending at least 5 minutes before the first start (30 minutes, ending 15 before, for pursuit, mass start and relay), and metal targets may not be used.

Rules and penalties

Competition time

In Individual competitions, elapsed time plus the shot penalty time; in Sprint, the time between start and finish; in pursuit, mass start and super sprint final, the order of finish after penalties; in relays, from the first start to the last finish.

Passing

A competitor who wishes to pass shouts 'Track', and the one about to be overtaken must clear the course at the first call, except in finish corridors, and in pursuit, super sprint finals, mass starts and men's and women's relays.

See also: Course, Sprint, Pursuit, Super sprint

I · Intermediate · 40 wordsNext: Intermediate words