Biathlon: basic rules. Biathlon. Description, history and rules of biathlon Biathlon as one of the Olympic sports

Biathlon- Winter Olympic ski view sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. Biathlon is divided into men's and women's.

History of the emergence and development of biathlon

For the first time, in 1767, border guards on the Swedish-Norwegian border organized competitions vaguely reminiscent of biathlon. Participants, descending from a moderately steep slope, had to hit a specific target with a gun at a distance of 40-50 steps.

At the Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924, the first ever “military patrol competition” was held - a sport very similar to modern biathlon.

In 1954, the International Olympic Committee officially recognized biathlon as a sport, and on November 17, 1956, the International Federation of Modern Pentathlon approved the rules for modern biathlon competitions.

Biathlon rules

Race participants start at the judge's command. Depending on the discipline, the start can be general or separate (athletes start at set intervals). After completing a certain distance, athletes will have to shoot at targets. In case of missing the targets, the athlete is punished with penalty loops or simply receives a time penalty.

During the race, athletes are prohibited from: cutting laps, ignoring penalty laps, and exerting deliberate physical influence on other athletes.

The winner of the race is the biathlete who showed best time at a distance.

Race stages

The cross-country skiing stage is clear and understandable, it is no different from the usual cross-country skiing. Athletes use a free style of skiing. Let's take a closer look at the target shooting stage.

Depending on the race, athletes can occupy the shooting lanes randomly (sprint or race) or strictly in order (pursuit, race and sprint with a group start), starting from the first available. In a mass start, at the first shooting range, the athlete shoots from the shooting lane, the number of which corresponds to his start number. In relay races, the shooting lane is determined by the starting number of the team.

In all types of races, except relay, a biathlete has 5 shots at each shooting range. In a relay race, you can use 3 additional cartridges at each turn.

Biathlon shooting positions

Lying position

When shooting from a prone position, athletes must follow the following rules: the rifle may only touch the athlete's arms, shoulders and cheeks. Inner side The hand (palm) that supports the rifle must be clearly raised from the surface of the ground (snow cover).

Standing position

Athletes stand without any support; only the arms, shoulders, cheek and chest (the side corresponding to the shoulder) can touch the rifle; the hand holding the rifle may rest on the chest or thigh.

Track and shooting range

The requirements for biathlon courses are the same as for regular cross-country skiing:

1. Biathlon competitions are held at venues that include the area of ​​a central stadium surrounded by a network of ski slopes. The stadium area usually includes a shooting range, a start and finish area, suitable for a mass start; A 150-meter penalty loop, a technical building, a testing area, team rooms for ski lubrication, an area for spectators and other necessary infrastructure.
2. The start and finish areas, shooting range, penalty loop and relay handover area should be located nearby, on the same level with a clear view of the competition for most spectators. These areas and critical sections of the course must be fenced off to prevent athletes from straying off the course during competition and to prevent access by non-participants. However, the height and number of barriers should be minimized to the greatest extent possible so as not to interfere with television broadcasts.
3. The starting line, located at right angles to the direction of the ski track, must be marked in red.
4. Starting tracks must be marked with numbers according to their number. The number of signs must correspond to the number of teams in the race. The sign should be located to the left of each ski track and show the number on the front and back sides. The numbers on the signs must be at least 20 cm high and clearly visible to athletes and television.
5. A board with a diagram and profile of the route must be installed in the start area. There must be a colored sign at the starting line that shows the sequence of the competition course.
6. The start area for individual and sprint races must have a start timer clearly visible from the start line. For the pursuit race there must be a start clock in each start corridor. There or next to the start area there is a clock with the current time of day, clearly visible to athletes from this area.
7. The track must be marked in such a way that the athlete does not doubt the correct movement at any time.

Shooting range- a place where shooting takes place during training and biathlon competitions. It should be located in the central part of the stadium so that both the targets and the shooting line are clearly visible to most spectators. The shooting range must be level and level and surrounded by safety ramparts on the sides and behind the targets. The location and equipment of the shooting range must ensure safety on the adjacent routes, in the stadium area and the surrounding area. The direction of fire, mainly to the north, should help create better conditions lighting during competitions. Safety equipment must not impede the visibility of the competition to spectators or television.

In front of the shooting range, an area of ​​at least 25 m wide must be fenced off for judges, technical staff and competition participants. During the competition period, in the area of ​​the finish line and the handover of the relay, there must be a catering facility and warm changing rooms for each team.

The biathlon target is a black circle in the recess of the plate, with a diameter of 115 mm. When shooting while standing, a hit in any zone of the circle is counted, and when shooting while lying down - only in a black circle with a diameter of 45 mm, the center of which coincides with the center of the 115 mm circle.

Equipment for biathlon

1. Biathlon weapons - small caliber pneumatic rifle. The biathlon rifle has a 22 caliber and weighs no more than 3.5 kg. It is equipped with a locking mechanism trigger, and recharging is done manually. In addition, the clips are designed to only hold five rounds.
2. Biathlon skis. The minimum length of skis must be at least 4 centimeters less than the height of the athlete. Biathletes' ski poles are longer than those of regular skiers; as a rule, they extend to the chin or mouth.
3. A special one-piece suit that maintains body temperature and reduces wind resistance.

Types of races in biathlon

Sprint. In this discipline, the course for men is 10 km, and for women 7.5 km. Athletes must overcome two firing lines - one standing, the other lying down. If a biathlete misses, he must go to a penalty loop (length 150 meters). In this race, athletes run in turns. The sprint is the very first stage in biathlon competitions.

Pursuit race (grazing). In this discipline, athletes start in the order in which they finished the sprint. The length of the track in the pursuit race is 12.5 km for men and 10 km for women. Unlike the sprint, there are 4 firing lines in the pursuit race - 2 in a prone position and 2 in a standing position.

Mass start. As the name suggests, this discipline has a common start. A distinctive feature of the mass start is that the 30 best athletes in the current ranking for the year take part in this race. The mass start distance is 15 km for men and 12.5 km for women (with 4 firing lines).

Individual race. This is the biggest race in biathlon. The distance in the individual race is 20 km for men and 15 km for women (with 4 shooting lines). In this discipline, athletes do not receive penalty laps for mistakes, but penalty minutes.

Relay race. This race involves teams of 4 athletes. Each of them goes through its own stage of 7.5 km and 2 firing lines. It is important that if the athlete misses, he can use additional cartridges (3 pieces), reloading occurs manually. The relay, like other types of biathlon, is held separately among men and women.

Cup competitions in biathlon

1. Biathlon World Cup. Consists of stages, each of which includes several men's and women's races. Competitions are held between men and women, and include performances in the individual race, sprint, pursuit, mass start, relay, mixed relay, single mixed relay. Based on the results of the World Cup, a ranking of the best biathletes is conducted, both in individual disciplines and in the overall standings.
2. European Open Cup ( IBU Cup). In terms of its importance and representativeness, the IBU Cup is second only to the World Cup.
3. North American Cup.
4. South American Cup.
5. Asian Cup.

Non-cup biathlon competitions:

1. The Olympic Games are the most prestigious international competition in biathlon.
2. The Biathlon World Championship (BWC) is the largest international biathlon competition, second only to the Olympic Games in prestige.
3. European Open Biathlon Championships.
4. North American Championship.
5. South American Championship.
6. Asian Championship.
7. Russian Biathlon Championship.
8. The Race of Champions is an annual commercial biathlon competition that has been taking place in Russia since 2011.

Commercial biathlon competitions include the World Team Challenge, better known as the Christmas Biathlon Star Race.

Winter sports have a large number of types, each of which is interesting in its own way. Let's look at one of the representatives - biathlon, what kind of sport is it, what are the requirements for athletes.

What kind of sport is this

One of the wonderful and interesting species sport is biathlon. Its popularity is quite high and during competitions, many people stay in front of the TV screens for a long time. It was also reflected in the electronic reference resource - Wikipedia . Being a winter type of competition included in Olympic program, it is a combination of classic, with shooting at specially designated firing lines.

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To win, athletes will need to walk certain distances to the line, then hit all the targets and continue running. In case of a miss, the athlete receives penalty laps or a penalty time is added to him.

To win the competition, you will need to not only ski quickly, but also shoot accurately from a small-caliber rifle.

History of appearance

Biathlon takes its history from hunters who hunted animals in winter time. And only starting from the 18th century, winter ski hunting began to turn into sports competition. So, in 1767, the first competition in which professional athletes took part took place in Norway at the official level. Border guards guarding the Swedish-Norwegian border acted as athletes. Naturally, such specific competitions could not attract attention large quantity participants.

However, as a sport, biathlon did not disappear and even since 1924 it has become a compulsory discipline in Olympic Games ah, which are held in winter. Since then, the popularity of this sport has been constantly growing.

What is the essence of the game

Considering what kind of sport biathlon is, it is worth studying the rules of this type of competition.

The Olympic program assumes the presence of 5 disciplines in which athletes can participate.

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These are types such as:

• individual race – divided into men's and women's. Moreover, men must overcome 20 km, and women – 15. There are 4 firing lines;
• a race with a general start - the second name is mass start. 30 biathletes who were identified as the best in the overall or Olympic standings will compete here. This competition uses the rules of the individual race. It is distinguished by the presence of such milestones as shooting 2 times while lying down and 2 times while standing;
• sprint - divided into men's and women's, respectively, the distances will be 10 and 7.5 km. In this case, you need to successfully hit targets at 2 firing lines: lying and standing;
• relay race is a team race in which 4 athletes per team take part. For men the course is 7.5 km, and for women – 6 km with 2 shooting ranges. The next participant will start only after touching the one who has completed his stage;
• pursuit race is the second name for pursuit. It is divided into men's and women's - 12.5 and 10 km, with 4 shooting ranges. The start takes place according to the results of the end of the sprint race, taking into account the lag time.

An athlete should start training with early age, starting to practice fast skiing. It's all available for children . And only then can you start practicing shooting.

Biathlon is generally considered one of the most difficult sports, requiring excellent physical fitness, focus and skill.

Results

We looked at such a complex sport as biathlon, what it is and what types of competitions it includes.

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Biathlon can rightfully be called one of the most popular winter species sports. In fact, this is one of the varieties of Nordic combined, but, one way or another, biathlon is considered an independent sport. Let's figure out what biathlon is, as well as what types of races exist in this sport.

History of biathlon

Biathlon is a Greek word that can be literally translated as a double competition or wrestling. Today, the word more often used is biathlon, which means combining two disciplines in one sport. In this case, it's skiing and rifle shooting.

Biathlon is most common in countries with harsh climates: Russia, Sweden, Finland and Norway. But since the end of the 20th century, Germany, Austria, and Ukraine have also actively participated in biathlon competitions.

It is believed that biathlon originated as a military patrol competition. Including in the Soviet Red Army in the 20s of the last century, biathlon was very popular. It is difficult to determine the exact year of biathlon’s creation, but the date of the first competitions in this sport is known. It is believed that the first official biathlon competition was held in the winter of 1767 in Norway. It was at this time that the basic rules of biathlon were announced, which have changed greatly today. So, initially, the winners were those skiers who, after skiing down a steep slope on skis, hit the target with a gun. Only two were awarded best athlete. But biathlon began to actively develop only in the mid-20th century, after the end of the Great Patriotic War.

Today the development of biathlon is carried out by International Union biathletes (MSB), and in the Russian Federation - the Russian Biathlon Union, created in 1992. Biathlon is also included in the winter sports program.

Biathlon rules

If you ask fans of this sport what biathlon is, then most of them will probably start talking about a ski race, accompanied by a stop at the shooting range. And this is indeed true.

Athletes start at the command of the judge. In some disciplines, participants begin the race at the same time, in others - in a certain order. After completing a certain distance, which includes both straight ski tracks and uphill descents, the race participant approaches the shooting range, where he will have to hit 5 targets. If the athlete misses, he runs to a penalty loop, receives a time penalty, or must use additional ammunition. All these nuances depend on the type of race. During the race itself, participants are prohibited from taking shortcuts, taking penalty laps, or exerting any physical influence on their opponents. In addition, you cannot shoot at other people's targets. The winner of the biathlon race is the participant who shows the best time, taking into account mistakes in the firing position.

Types of biathlon races

When answering the question of what biathlon is, it is important to consider the types of races, because the mechanics of the competition completely depend on them.

• Sprint. This is the very first stage in any biathlon competition. It is he who determines the position and bonuses for all other disciplines. In this discipline, men run 10 km and women 7.5. During the race, participants will have to overcome two firing lines - one standing, the other lying down. If a biathlete receives penalty points, then he goes to a 150-meter penalty loop. In this race, participants run in turns, so the last athletes will already know the results of the first.
• Pursuit. In this type of biathlon race, participants start in the order in which they finished the sprint. So, the winner starts the race first, the rest start with a delay equal to the time they lost to him. The pursuit race is 12.5 km for men and 10 km for women, in which they have to go through 4 shooting stages - 2 in a prone position and 2 in a standing position.
• Mass start. In this type of racing, all participants start at the same time. It is noteworthy that only the 30 best athletes according to the rating for the current year are accepted into the mass start. The distance in this type of race is 15 km for men and 12.5 for women. And for every miss the athlete goes to a penalty loop.
• Individual race. This is the most great view biathlon racing. The distance is 20 km for men and 15 for women, with 4 firing lines. It is distinctive that for each miss the athlete receives 1 penalty minute.
• Relay race. Each country nominates 4 of its best athletes for this race. Each of them goes through its own stage of 7.5 km and 2 firing lines. It is important that if an athlete makes mistakes, he can use additional cartridges (3 pieces), which must be loaded manually. The winner is the country that shows the best team time.

Types of biathlon

In addition to the classic form of this double event, in which athletes are equipped with skis, ski poles and an air gun, there are alternative types of this sport:

• Archery-biathlon – cross-country skiing, combined with archery;
• Snowshoe biathlon - snowshoe race and rifle shooting;
• Hunter biathlon – race for hunting skis and shooting from a hunting rifle;
• Summer biathlon - running or roller skiing and rifle shooting.

I hope you now know what biathlon is, where this sport came from, and what types of biathlon there are. Biathlon racing is a very exciting activity, which is why today there are more and more fans of this sport in the world.

In the article “Types of races in biathlon” we will look at the main types of races in biathlon, and also show a video “Types of biathlon”. So,

On major competitions There are six types of races:
1) Mixed relay

3) Relay race

5) Individual race

MIXED RELAY

Both women and men participate in the mixed relay.

True, the stages alternate, men run in the first, women in the second, then men again in the third, and the fourth stage, the final one, women. At each stage of four there are two firing lines: 1) Standing 2) Prone. At the firing line, 8 rounds are issued: 5 main and 3 additional. If, after additional rounds, the target is still not covered, then a penalty loop with a distance of 150 meters is assigned.

MASS START

The most spectacular race in biathlon is the mass start. The best 27 biathletes ranked in the World Cup qualify for the mass start. Why 27? This number is limited by the number of targets on the firing line, since more participants will inevitably lead to the fact that someone will not get a target. In the mass start, the distance is slightly shorter than in the individual race, and shooting is carried out sequentially: 2 times in a prone position and 2 times in a standing position.

RELAY RACE

The relay race begins with a mass start. 4 biathletes from each team take part in the relay. During the race, at each stage there are 2 firing lines: 1) From a lying position 2) From a standing position. At the shooting range, the biathlete selects a target according to the number assigned before the start of the race. At the firing line, 8 rounds are issued: 5 main and 3 additional. If, after additional rounds, the target is still not covered, then a penalty loop with a distance of 150 meters is assigned.

SPRINT

Sprinters will begin their start in intervals of 30 seconds to 1 minute. For sprinters, the distance is 10 km, and the elevation changes over the distance can reach 450 meters. The first shooting takes place after passing a 3 km track; naturally, shooting is carried out from a prone position. Second firing line after 7 km, standing position.

At the firing line, the athlete chooses the target independently. The shooting distance to the target is 50 meters. For each miss there is a penalty loop of 150 meters.

Based on statistics, it is possible to cover the distance in 24 minutes, provided that shooting was carried out without misses at the firing lines. As for the women's race, the distance is 7.5 km, shooting at a distance of 2.5 and 5 km. The distance can be completed in 23 minutes.

INDIVIDUAL RACE

One of the oldest disciplines in biathlon is the 20-kilometer individual race. In an individual race, elevation changes can reach 750 meters. The first firing line is possible after passing the 3 km route, and the last no later than 17.5 km. Milestones are repeated at intervals of every 3 km. The choice of target is up to the athlete. Each uncovered target on the firing line is punishable by a one-minute penalty. The targets on the lines are standard, 45 mm lying position and 115 mm standing position.

PURSUIT

The race begins with the participants starting in order of the final place with which they completed the sprint race. The pursuit race is an excellent chance to win back a loss from the leader and, moreover, to become the leader of the race yourself. Therefore, the race turns out to be exciting and is very popular among spectators and television viewers.

The number of participants depends on the competition. At the World Cups there are 60 biathletes, at the championships 45. Distance in the race: 1) Men 12.5 km 2) Women 10 km. The number of firing lines is standard, 2 times lying down and standing. According to the distance, each shooting starts after 2.5 km for men and 2 km for women. The race was included in the Olympic Games program in 2002.

Biathlon is a wonderful winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing and target shooting at certain shooting ranges. The word “Biathlon” was formed from two words - bis (twice) and athlon - (competition or fight). Athletes must cover certain distances and shoot from a small-caliber rifle. The winner will be the athlete or group of athletes who reaches the finish line first. Also, let’s not forget that for each mistake the athlete receives either a penalty time or additional laps.

History of biathlon

It all started in ancient times, when the northern peoples hunted the beast. It was difficult to walk on snow, so people had to put the first kind of skis on their feet. Only in the 18th century did this activity begin to be considered as a sporting competition. The first official biathlon competition took place in 1767. It was organized by border guards of the Swedish-Norwegian border. Even despite such an early origin, this type The sport has not gained much popularity in other countries. And only after biathlon was included in the program of the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924, they began to take it seriously. International Federation Pentathlon, which was created in 1948 on August 3, has been overseeing biathlon since 1953. And only in 1954 the International Olympic Committee Biathlon is officially recognized as a sport. After this, this sport is becoming more and more important every day. Biathlon has gained particular popularity mainly in northern countries. This is how this sport has survived to this day. Today, biathlon is developed in more than sixty countries around the world.

Biathlon rules

If we say a few words about the rules of this sport, here I would like to note some important points. For example, the competition program takes into account 5 disciplines. We are talking about an individual race, a race with a common start, a sprint, a relay race and a pursuit race. Let's look at each discipline a little closer:

The essence individual race consists of a male athlete covering a distance of 20 km, and a female athlete covering a distance of 15 km. As for shooting, it is carried out at 4 stages alternately from a lying and standing position. The shooting ranges for men are located at 4, 8, 12, 16 km, and for women - 3,6,9,12 km.

The sprint discipline includes distances of 10 km for men and 7.5 km for women. During the race, athletes need to cope with overcoming the route of two shooting lines: “prone” and “stand-up”.

Pursuit, or pursuit race, is a course (men - 12.5 kilometers, women - 10 kilometers), including 4 firing lines. Athletes start in the order in which they finished the sprint, with an appropriate lag.

The relay is a team race in which 4 representatives from each country participate. Men run 7.5 km, overcoming 2 firing lines along the way, and women run 6 kilometers with two firing lines. The baton is passed from one participant to another team member, and the obligatory condition is to touch your teammate.

A race from a general start, in other words a mass start - the 30 best biathletes participate in it, who are determined by the overall standings or Olympic standings, depending on what period the race is held. The rules of this discipline are similar to the rules of the individual race, the only difference is shooting, which is carried out in the following order: prone, prone, stance, stance.

Biathlon is a tough sport winter sports, which not every athlete can handle. Even if it looks simple from the outside, in reality it is hellish work that deserves special attention and respect.