What are the para biathlon events?
I · Intermediate · Events and classes · 1 of 3The sprint is 7.5 km with two prone bouts; the middle is 10 km and the individual 12.5 km, each with four. All three start singly and rank by calculated time. The pursuit is 10 km with four bouts, started from sprint results so the first across the line wins. An individual miss costs 60 seconds, elsewhere a loop.
How it works
- Sprint: 7.5 km, three loops, two bouts.
- Middle: 10 km, five loops, four bouts.
- Individual: 12.5 km, five loops, four bouts.
- Pursuit: 10 km, four bouts.
- Single starts: 30 seconds apart.
- Pursuit start: sprint gaps.
- Individual miss: 60 seconds.
- Other misses: penalty loop.
The glossary has the sprint, the middle, the individual, the pursuit, the shooting bout and the single start.
Tricky cases
Is the shooting all prone?
Yes, except that sit-skiers may shoot sitting.
Why no penalty loop in the individual?
A time penalty replaces it.
Can the jury change the pursuit format?
Yes, to an individual or middle, if conditions change.
Do sit-skiers ski the same loops?
The same distances, on sit-ski courses.
Why the rule exists
Each event shifts the balance between skiing and shooting, from the fast sprint to the long individual.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 60 seconds | E 1.4 Table 1 |
| Sprint, middle | Loop | E 1.4 Table 1 |
| Pursuit | First across the line | E 9.2.2.2 |
From the rule book
IBU, Para Biathlon Event and Competition Rules (version 2025), articles 1.4 (Table 1), 6.1.2, 6.1.4 and 9.2. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: IBU Para Biathlon ECR 2025.