Biathlon words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 40 words · Step 2 of 2

Shooting terms

Sight adjustment

Aligning the sights on the rifle. Competitors may zero rifles on paper targets for 45 minutes before most competitions (30 for pursuit, mass start and relay).

See also: Rifle

Shooting mat

The mat in each shooting lane. Skis stay on the feet on the mat: removing one or both skis, or placing any object under them, is forbidden and brings a disqualification.

Rifle sling

A strap, at most 40 mm wide, that the competitor may use with an arm cuff in prone and standing. The rifle must also have a carrying harness.

Trigger discipline

A controlled, deliberate trigger squeeze. The rules do not define it, but set a minimum trigger resistance of 0.5 kg.

Wind flags

Flags along the range of a highly visible colour, 10 by 40 cm, of thin silk and at most 5 g, free to turn through 360 degrees.

Race formats

Short individual

Men 15 km, women 12.5 km, four bouts and a 45-second penalty per miss. IBU's Individual rules apply and the points count towards the Individual score.

Super sprint

A qualification (4.5 km, three loops, P-S, single start every 15 seconds) and a final (7.5 km, five loops, P-P-S-S, mass start) on the same day, on a 1.5 km loop with a 75 m penalty loop. The best 30 from the qualification go to the final.

Mass start 60

Sixty athletes start together over six loops with four bouts, a 150 m penalty loop, and bibs 1 to 30 and 31 to 60 shooting their first bout on different loops. After that it is organised like a pursuit.

Mixed relay

4 x 6 km with two women and two men (in the order men first or women first), each leg of three 2.0 km loops with a prone and a standing bout.

Single mixed relay

A team of one woman and one man on a 1.5 km loop with a 75 m penalty loop. Each competitor skis four bouts (prone, standing, prone, standing) over legs of 6 and 7.5 km, handing over in a zone just after the penalty loop.

Race terms

Anchor leg

The last leg of a relay. Relay start numbers within a team are red for the first competitor, green for the second, yellow for the third and blue for the fourth; the finish of the last competitor sets the team's result.

Spare round

In relays each competitor has three spare rounds in addition to the five. They are used only if targets remain standing after the first five, and must be loaded one at a time by hand, not from a magazine.

Course profile

The climbs and descents of the loop. The rules limit height difference to 80 m, the longest climb to 50 m and the grade to 25 per cent, and set a minimum and maximum total climb per competition and per loop for each format.

World cup points

Points for places in World Cup competitions, shown in the results with the Nations Cup points. Equal times get equal places and points. The World Cup rules (Article 15) were not read.

Technique terms

Double poling

A skiing technique using both poles together. All techniques are permitted in biathlon.

Also called: biathlon
See also: Biathlon

Transition time

The time between skiing and shooting. The rules do not define it, but intermediate times are recorded after each shooting bout at the major events.

See also: Rifle

Recovery breathing

Controlled breathing to calm the body before shooting. The rules do not define it.

Rules and penalties

Start window

In single starts, a competitor starting within 3 seconds before or after the start time gets the time recorded. More than 3 seconds early is an early start; more than 3 seconds late is a late start and the clock starts from the listed time.

Hand-over zone

The area in which a relay hand-over takes place. The incoming competitor touches the body or the rifle of the outgoing one, and both times change when the incomer crosses the timing line into the zone. Leaving without a valid touch is penalised.

Lapped athletes

At the Olympic Winter Games, World Championships, World Cups, IBU Cups and Open European Championships, athletes overtaken by the leader in pursuit, mass start, super sprint final or relay must move to the side and stop competing. Failing to stop is a disqualification.

See also: Sprint, Pursuit, Mass start, Relay, Super sprint

Photo finish

A photo-finish camera is required for pursuit, mass start, super sprint final and relay at the major events. The order is by the first part of the first foot crossing the line; if it cannot be determined, a tie is declared.

See also: Sprint, Pursuit, Mass start, Relay, Super sprint

Thirty-second penalty

For starting up to 3 seconds early in a pursuit, starting outside the window without returning, shooting from a wrong lane (unless caused by another competitor or an official), shooting from a wrong position or sequence, and leaving the relay hand-over zone before the hand-over.

See also: Pursuit, Relay, Hand-over zone

One-minute penalty

For not giving way at the first request by an overtaking competitor in Sprint and Individual, for impeding others, and for a very minor breach of fair play.

Two-minute penalty

For every penalty loop not skied immediately after the bout, every round not fired when restarting skiing before firing all five (or eight in a relay), starting a relay without a tag, cross-fire, firing more than five (eight) rounds, or a rifle without the IBU control sticker.

See also: Rifle, Penalty loop, Relay, Cross-fire

Disqualification

Includes leaving the marked trail, using any propulsion other than skis, poles and muscle, not carrying the rifle correctly, serious obstruction, exchanging a ski that is not broken, applying substances to change glide, receiving prohibited assistance, safety violations, exchanging the rifle away from the range and removing skis while shooting.

See also: Rifle

Reserve rifle

A damaged rifle may be exchanged for the team's reserve rifle, at most three per team, marked at the equipment check and kept in a rack on the range. A rifle may be exchanged only on the range, and there is no time adjustment.

See also: Rifle

Misfire

A round with no ignition at all. Competitors may replace misfired or lost rounds if carrying spares, or get them from a range official, loading by hand.

Cross-fire

Shooting at a target not in the competitor's lane. Hits on the wrong target are not scored, the competitor may fire the remaining shots at the correct target, and the offence costs a two-minute penalty.

Shooting lane selection

In Individual and Sprint the competitor chooses any ready lane; in pursuit lanes are taken in order from lane 1; in mass start the first bout is shot from the lane of the bib number, and later bouts by filling the range from the right.

See also: Individual, Sprint, Pursuit, Mass start

Safety marker

A coloured flag or lock in the chamber that shows no cartridge is loaded, required on all rifles entering the stadium until the athlete reaches the range, and reinserted afterwards.

Loading and unloading

After the start, the bolt may be opened and the magazine removed only on the shooting mat. Rifles are loaded with the barrel pointing at the targets or up, and unloaded after each bout. If rounds are lost after the first shot, a new magazine may not be inserted.

Target malfunction

If a target fails to work, the competitor is directed to another target and the defective one is blocked. The Competition Jury makes a time adjustment if time was lost through a target or range issue, but not for the athlete's own error.

Ski and equipment exchange

Skis may be changed only if broken or damaged by accident, and the jury must accept it. Poles may be exchanged repeatedly. No substance may be applied to change glide, and equipment passes to the athlete on the range only through officials.

Start numbers

Competitors wear a bib with their number and the number on both thighs. Starting with the wrong number or colour is a start prohibition or a disqualification.

Weather limits

A competition must not start if the air temperature at the coldest part is below minus 20 degrees C (minus 15 for youth and junior), and wind chill must be considered below minus 15 (minus 10).

Protest

Made in writing with a fee of EUR 100, refunded if upheld, from the start of zeroing until 15 minutes after the unofficial results are posted. Final results are subject to protest only to the Jury of Appeal.

Competition Jury

The body that makes time adjustments, decides penalties and disqualifications, and can repeat or annul a competition if the sporting merit is in doubt. The Technical Delegate signs the results.

Ammunition

Only international standard .22 inch (5.6 mm) long rifle rim-fire, with a lead bullet of 2.55 to 2.75 g, a muzzle velocity of at most 360 m/s and limits on hit impact momentum.

See also: Rifle

Magazine

A detachable magazine holding at most five rounds, each loaded manually. Double or side-by-side magazines are prohibited.

Age classes

Men and Women, Junior (U21), Youth (U19) and U17, by year of birth for the season (1 July to 30 June). Junior and youth athletes can start in higher classes but only one class per event.

All Biathlon words