Para biathlon words · Beginner

Cross-country skiing combined with shooting an air rifle at targets 10 m away, for athletes with an impairment. It is run by the IBU; at the Paralympic Winter Games the IPC has jurisdiction, but the IBU rules apply unless it says otherwise. Athletes ski in categories for sitting, standing and vision impaired skiers.

Athletes compete as vision impaired (classes NS1 to NS3), standing (LW2 to LW9) or sitting (LW10 to LW12). The class decides the percentage used, the shooting position allowed, the penalty loop length and the course. Classification itself follows the FIS Para Nordic classification rules.

The factor for an athlete's class that turns real skiing time into calculated time, so that athletes with different impairments can be ranked together. The percentages are set with the FIS Factors Expert Group and approved by the IBU Technical Committee and FIS Para Nordic, and can change; the valid list is on the FIS website.

The real time between start and finish, calculated with the athlete's class percentage. Results show the real and calculated ski times, the shooting penalties and the total time.

The skier who guides a vision impaired athlete by voice (radio and an amplifier are allowed, nothing else). A guide is compulsory for NS1 and allowed for NS2 and NS3. The guide is responsible for the athlete's safety and is treated like a competitor, so the athlete takes any penalty the guide earns. A guide may be changed if they have an accident or cannot keep up.

The sledge-like ski seat used by LW10 to LW12 athletes. They may not use their legs to steer or brake it during the competition. The front of the binding is the reference point at the start line and the finish, and each side must have a clear 15 cm by 15 cm area for the start number.

A 7.5 km race of three 2.5 km loops with two prone shooting bouts, started singly at 30-second intervals. Each missed target means a penalty loop.

A 10 km race of five 2 km loops with four prone shooting bouts, started singly at 30-second intervals. A miss means a penalty loop.

A 12.5 km race of five 2.5 km loops with four prone shooting bouts, started singly. A missed target adds a 60-second time penalty instead of a penalty loop.

A 10 km race of five 2 km loops with four prone bouts, in which athletes start at times set by their sprint result and the first across the line wins. A miss means a penalty loop. The jury may change it to an Individual or Middle race if conditions differ from the sprint.

A two-race format: a short qualification and then a final started at times based on the qualification. Standing and vision impaired athletes ski 3.6 to 4.2 km, sitting athletes 2.4 to 3.0 km, with two shooting bouts of five shots in each race.

A mixed relay for teams of two (two men, two women or one of each) with a qualification round and a final for the top ten teams. There are two events: sitting (LW10 to LW12), and standing and vision impaired combined (LW2 to LW9 and NS1 to NS3).

A visit to the range in which the athlete fires five shots at five targets, after a section of the course. There is no shooting after the last section.

Athletes in LW2 to LW9 and NS1 to NS3 must shoot prone; LW10 to LW12 athletes may choose prone or sitting. Prone, the rifle may touch only the hands, shoulder and cheek, and the wrist of the supporting arm must be clearly raised from the snow, with no pads or cushions.

The 30 minutes before a race in which athletes zero their rifles on paper targets, beginning 45 minutes before and ending no later than 10 minutes before the first start. Metal targets may not be used. NS athletes' testing round is limited to 5 shots or 2 minutes.

The compressed-air or gas rifle used in para biathlon, .177 calibre (4.5 mm), at most 850 mm long and 5.5 kg, with a trigger of at least 0.5 kg. It must not exceed 8 joules, which means 170 m/s with a .547 g pellet, and cannot be automatic or semi-automatic. Sights may not magnify, but polarised filters are allowed.

The oval trail beside the range that an athlete skis once for each missed target, straight after the bout. It is 150 m for standing and NS athletes and 100 m for sitting athletes in sprint, middle and pursuit, and 75 m in sprint pursuit and team sprint. It cannot be skied later, though an athlete who forgot may go back without obstructing others. An athlete on or leaving the loop has right of way.

The time that decides placing: the elapsed time calculated with the class percentage plus any penalties and time adjustments. Penalties and adjustments are added after the percentage is applied, with no percentage applied to them.