• Table of Contents
• Rules
• Categories
• Events
• Equipment
• Location
• History

Overview

This event combines the endurance of cross-country skiing with the concentration and steady nerves of marksmanship. Athletes with varying degrees of disability compete in the biathlon. Vision-impaired athletes use a laser rifle and acoustic sensor while shooting and a guide while skiing.

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Rules

Biathlon combines freestyle cross-country skiing with small bore rifle shooting. Competitions are held on tracks of varying lengths according to speciality.

Athletes stop for two series of five shots during the race. Each competitor must ski a penalty circuit for every missed target. The rifle range has at least 10 positions for the visually impaired athletes and 10 for sitting and standing competitors. The entire racing field must be organized and marked for all the different categories (see below). Athletes take aim 10 metres from the target. The firing line is between 2.5 to three metres.

Athletes compete in standing, sitting or visually impaired events, depending on their disability.

A special scoring system is used to ensure athletes with lesser disabilities within each of these categories do not enjoy an advantage over those with greater disabilities in their event. For example, in a visually impaired race, a totally blind skier isn't expected to perform at the same level as an athlete who has partial vision.

A percentage factor is used to level the playing field. It operates on the same principles as a golf handicap. A skier's actual race time is multiplied by the percentage factor to arrive at the official adjusted race result.

The final race standings are determined by adjusted times, not the raw clock time. Results are calculated using a formula based on the functional abilities of athletes according to disability degree and type.

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Categories

Results are calculated based on the functional abilities of athletes according to disability degree and type. All athletes compete with a predetermined degree of disability. Athletes with a similar degree of disability compete within the same group.

The athletes are divided into three categories:
Standing (athletes with a physical disability, LW 2-9)
Sitting (athletes with a physical disability, LW10-12)
Visually impaired (B1-3 classes)

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Events

Men's 7.5 km – Standing
Men's 7.5 km – Sitting
Men's 7.5 km - Visually Impaired
Men's 12.5 km – Standing
Men's 12.5 km – Sitting
Men's 12.5 km - Visually Impaired
Women's 7.5 km – Standing
Women's 7.5 km – Sitting
Women's 7.5 km - Visually Impaired
Women's 10 km – Sitting
Women's 12.5 km – Standing
Women's 12.5 km - Visually Impaired

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Equipment

For the most part, the equipment used by Paralympic biathltes - skis, poles, boots, goggles and suits - is similar to that used by able-bodied nordic skiers. However, there may be some modifications to accommodate any special needs of individual skiers.

For example, sit-skiers, who rely entirely on their poles for their forward motion, use longer poles that reach well above their heads when they're on their sledges.

The sledge used by sit-skiers is a customized chair fixed to a pair of skis with a regular cross-country binding. The skis are very similar to standard skis, but a little shorter.

The rifles used by Paralympians are similar to those used by Olympic biathletes with the exception of those used by visually impaired athletes.

Blind athletes use an electronic rifle that allows them to aim by sound. The athlete hears different tones as they move the rifle around so they can tell when they've found the centre of the shooting target.

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Location

Pragelato will host the cross-country and biathlon events. It's in Val Chisone, at the foot of the Albergian mountain.

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History

Biathlon was introduced as a full medal event for men and women at the 1994 Lillehammer Paralympic Games.