Biathlon – the most popular winter sport at a glance
If there’s one winter sport that Germans love to watch on weekends in front of the TV, it’s biathlon. Millions of people eagerly follow along as the DSV athletes fight for World Cup points week after week. But how exactly does biathlon work?
Biathlon is predominantly a winter discipline that combines the components of cross-country skiing and shooting. The combination of endurance and coordination demands a lot from the athletes. Especially in the summer months it is time to create the basics for the season in winter. This means tough conditioning units as well as shooting training.
The history of biathlon
Believe it or not, biathlon has been around for many thousands of years. Historians believe that around 1050 there were first signs of the sport. The sport only really came to the center of attention after the end of the Second World War. In the mid-1950s, the Olympic Committee designated biathlon as a sport in its own right and promoted the holding of the first world championships in 1958. Just two years later, the first biathletes were allowed to compete at the Olympic Games in Palisades Tahoe. First only men, until 1984 also the female biathletes strapped the weapon on the back. Then in 1992 also for the Olympics.
What equipment do biathletes need?
Two items that every biathlete carries around are obviously skis and a gun. The skis are cross-country skis, which are much thinner compared to downhill skis. The boots were also different from the ordinary ski boots. These are fixed in the middle of the ski and allow the athlete greater freedom of movement, which is also ensured by the fact that the shoe lifts off the back.
For the small bore rifles, all athletes actually need a gun license. Competition judges additionally take a look at the weapons before each competition to also guarantee the safety of all participants.
The rest of the equipment is also very similar to that of cross-country skiing. Only recently, Deutsche Sporthilfe published a post about the costs of biathlon equipment, among other things. At the professional level, around €9,000 for everything is not uncommon.
The competion itself
A typical biathlon race always consists of a mix of a running lap with upcoming shooting – both prone shooting and standing shooting. The length of the course depends on the competition and varies between 3-20 kilometers. In addition, the athletes sometimes compete individually and sometimes as a team. A special highlight of each biathlon weekend is the team relay, when a total of four biathletes from one nation compete for the trophy.
In most of the individual competitions the athletes shoot four rounds. Two of them include standing shooting and two are prone shooting. To have a chance of winning a medal, it is wise to hit all five targets. For each missed target, the athlete has to run a penalty loop. Only in the relay race, whether mixed relay or team race, the athletes have three reloads per unit and can thus avoid a possible penalty round.
The most famous biathletes
The current top nation in biathlon is definitely Norway. It is not uncommon for World Cup victories to go to the biathlon delegation from Scandinavia. With the Öberg sisters, Sweden also has two representatives who like to have a claim on the medals. In addition to the two countries, France, Germany and Italy also have strong teams.
One of the most famous international biathletes is Martin Fourcade. The Frenchman has dedicated his life to the sport of biathlon for more than ten years – and with success. He was the first biathlete to win the overall World Cup 7 years in a row. In addition, there are countless world championship titles and Olympic victories.
On the German side, everyone should be familiar with Magdalena Neuner. The former biathlete had a remarkable career. During her active time she won 47 World Cup races and twelve World Championship titles. She also crowned her career with two gold medals at the Olympics.
Statement
Biathlon is an exciting sport. Especially the component of shooting has so often influenced the race for the gold medal. So it’s worth tuning in.
Source Cover Image: Unsplah / KD
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