|
biathlon, n. a sport combining marksmanship with a simultaneous physical component
biathlete, n. one who competes in biathlon
The most prevalent form of biathlon today combines cross-country skiing with rifle marksmanship into a sporting event that is second to none in either difficulty for the athletes or excitement for the spectators. That any one of perhaps two dozen athletes on any given day can win a race underscores the drama that unfolds before spectators’ eyes.
Biathletes ski three to five loops of 2.0 to 4.0 kilometers utilizing the skate technique, stopping two or four times to shoot at five targets, either in the prone or standing position. Having missed a target, an athlete must either ski a 150-meter penalty loop or have one-minute added to the finish time, depending upon the race format.
The sport attracts a significant audience on European television; in fact, it is the most popular televised winter sport there. Competitions in Germany, Italy, and Norway attract up to 90,000 spectators, who are mesmerized by both the races and the festivities surrounding them. December through March, biathlon becomes a standard of national pride amongst European nations.
Biathlon is one of many sports in the program of the Winter Olympic Games. The International Biathlon Union is the international governing body for the sport, with its headquarters located in Salzburg, Austria. It organizes the Biathlon World Cup circuit, which travels to nine venues around the world during the winter. The annual World Championships are generally held in February and are nearly as important in the sport as the Olympic Games.
The IBU is also responsible for standardizing rules and guiding the progress of the sport. The organization is made up of 62 member national federations, who control and promote the sport within their respective countries, putting together teams and finding venues to host events. The U.S. Biathlon Association, based in Maine, and Biathlon Canada, based in Ottawa, are the two national federations representing North America. |
