How does the biathlon sprint work?
B · Beginner · The competitions · 2 of 6The sprint is 10 km for men and 7.5 km for women, over three loops with one prone and one standing bout. Each miss means a 150 m penalty loop. The fastest time wins and sets the pursuit start. The super sprint is a short qualification and a mass-start final on the same day.
How it works
- Men: 10 km; women: 7.5 km; three loops.
- Shooting: prone, then standing.
- Penalty: a 150 m loop per miss, skied straight after the bout.
- Start: single starts, normally 30 seconds apart; group starts allowed.
- Result: the fastest time; it sets the pursuit start order.
- Super sprint qualification: 4.5 km, 15-second intervals; the best 30 go through.
- Super sprint final: 7.5 km mass start, four bouts, 75 m penalty loops.
- Ties for 30th: the better World Cup total score goes through.
The glossary has the sprint, the super sprint, the penalty loop, the pursuit, the competition time and the mass start.
Tricky cases
A biathlete misses two targets in the sprint. What do they do?
Ski two 150 m penalty loops straight after the bout.
Can they ski the loops later?
No. They must ski them immediately after the bout, before the next one.
What is the super sprint loop?
A 1.5 km loop, with a 75 m penalty loop.
How many go through from the super sprint qualification?
The best 30.
Why the rule exists
Two bouts make every shot count in a short race. Using the sprint to set the pursuit links two races into a weekend contest.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint | Two bouts, 150 m loops | IBU Table 1 |
| Super sprint final | Four bouts, 75 m loops | IBU 1.4.11 b |
| Youth women | 6 km sprint | IBU 1.4.8 |
From the rule book
International Biathlon Union, Event and Competition Rules (version 2026), Articles 1.4, 1.4.11, 6.1.2, 7.1.5 and Table 1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the IBU Event and Competition Rules, amended by the IBU Congress every two years.