Rules

A biathlon competition consists of a race which includes skiing through a cross-country trail system whose total distance is divided into either two or four shooting rounds, half in prone position, the other half standing. Depending on the shooting performance, extra distance or time is added to the contestant’s total skiing distance/time. The contestant with the shortest total time wins.  

For each shooting round, the biathlete must hit five targets or receive a penalty for each missed target, which varies according to the competition rules, as follows:

• Skiing around a 150 m penalty loop—typically taking 20–30 seconds for elite biathletes to complete, depending on weather and snow conditions.
• Adding one minute to the skier’s total time.
• Use of an extra cartridge (placed at the shooting range) to hit the target; only three such extras are available for each round, and a penalty loop must be done for each target left standing (that is the case in the relay).

In order to keep track of the contestants’ progress and standing throughout a race, split times are taken at several points along the skiing track and upon finishing each shooting round. The large display screens commonly set up at biathlon arenas, as well as the information graphics shown as part of the TV picture, will typically list the split time of the fastest contestant at each intermediate point and the times and time differences to the closest runners-up.

The minimum ski length is the height of the skier minus 4 cm. The rifle has to be carried by the skier during the race at all times. The biathlete carries a small-bore rifle, which must weigh at least 3.5 kg, excluding ammunition and magazines. Each rifle holds 4 magazines with 5 rounds each. Additional rounds can be kept on the stock of the rifle for a relay race. The target range shooting distance is 50 m. There are five circular shooting targets to be hit in each shooting round. When shooting in the prone position, the target diameter is 45 mm; when shooting in the standing position, the target diameter is 115 mm.

On all modern biathlon ranges, the targets are self-indicating, in that they flip from black to white when hit, giving the biathlete, as well as the spectators, instant visual feedback for each shot fired.