Biathlon is a spectacular and very exciting sport. Two disciplines were closely intertwined in it - shooting and skiing. We can safely say that biathlon is speed and accuracy.
The first championship in this sport was held in 1958, and in 1960 it was included in the Olympic program. Over time, the basic principles and regulations of the biathlon competitions were formed. At first, they consisted only of an individual race, to which other disciplines began to join over the years.
We will talk about what is grazed in biathlon (this is one of the new types of ski races), and try to penetrate into some of its subtleties.
Biathlon Competition Rules
But before we move on to the solitaire, let's clarify what are the general rules for conducting all types of biathlon races.
To the start command The judge submits the participants. Moreover, in individual disciplines, for example, in a mass start, athletes start all together, and in some - at fixed time intervals (sprint, graze or individual race).
After passing the given distance, the skier will also have to show accuracy by shooting at 5 targets. In the case of a miss, different types of biathlon races offer different fines - this may turn out to be completing an additional circle, getting a penalty time or using extra cartridges.
Athletes during the race do not have the right to interfere with other competitors, cut circles, and also ignore the passage of penalty distances.
At the firing line, the biathlete must be extremely careful, since he cannot shoot at targets of other people. Even if he hits the target for sure, it will still count as a miss.
The winner in the race is the athlete who has shown the best time, but it nevertheless directly depends on the results of the shooting.
About the rules of shooting in biathlon
No matter what competition is held - biathlon sprint, graze, individual race or mass start - the shooting conditions remain the same.
The distance to the target is 50 m, and the targets themselves (there are only five), located in the recess, have a diameter of 115 mm, are painted black and are located on a common white plate. If the shot is accurate, the target closes with a white valve, which helps the athlete see the result of the shooting.
If the biathlete shoots standing, then he is counted as getting into any segment of the circle, and when shooting while lying down - only getting into a circle with a diameter of 45 mm, located on the main target. In the case when the hit is ricocheted from the edge of the plate, the result is still counted.
Sprint in biathlon
In sports, sprint, as you know, is overcoming a short distance. And biathlon - sprint - is a 10 km run (for men) and 7.5 km (for women). At the same time, athletes pass 2 firing lines - 1 standing and 1 lying.
A miss in shooting is punished by completing an additional 150 m. By the way, in a ski sprint, athletes run in turns, and those who start the race in the last rows, often already at the start know the results of the first ones.
By the way, the results of a sprint for biathletes are largely dependent on the results of a fairly young Olympic discipline - pursuit (pursuit). It was introduced into the program of the Olympic Games only in 2002, but won great interest among all sports fans.
What distinguishes grazing in biathlon
This contest can be called exceptional, not like other biathlon disciplines. And the main difference between the pursuit race is that the athletes do not start all together, and not one after another, every 30 seconds, as in other disciplines, but according to the indicators of the previous sprint race, and in the same order. This makes grazing a certain continuation of the sprint, which took place the day before.
So, the classic biathlon graze (women) represents overcoming a distance of 10 km, while for men it is 12.5 km (this distance is covered in no more than 37 minutes).
Rules: graze in biathlon
In the pursuit race, 60 athletes compete who showed the best results in the previous race - sprint (and, by the way, if any of them refuses to participate in the competition, then his remaining biathletes will not take his place).
Grazing in the biathlon is also 4 firing lines (twice - shooting lying down, twice - standing), which athletes must pass in 5 laps. Each miss is punished with a 150 m penalty loop. So it can be repeated - accuracy for biathletes is a determining factor.
At the shooting range, athletes take places in accordance with the time of arrival there. And if the lag behind the leader is equal to the full circle (this is 2.5 km for men or juniors, 2 km for women and 1.5 km for junior girls), then the athlete is removed from the race.
Pursuit Features
Grazing in biathlon is in many ways an unusual discipline. And one of these qualities can be called a way to determine the winner of the pursuit.
At the start, as already mentioned, athletes take places that correspond to the indicators of the previous qualification race. By the way, if the athletes at the same time demonstrate the same results, then in the pursuit they get different numbers, but they start at the same time.
And the result of the pursuit race is the time corresponding to the absolute order of arrival at the finish line. It is counted from the start of the leader, and the fact that others start with a delay is not taken into account. Therefore, the winner in the pursuit is often not the one who overcame the distance faster than anyone.
What is the relay in biathlon
As in cross-country skiing, biathlon has team and individual types of competitions. The relay biathlon belongs to team competitions. Each team has 4 participants, and the relay has 4 stages. Distances for women are 6 km, and for men - 7.5 km. The start is simultaneous, and in the process of racing, biathletes go through 4 firing lines.
The relay biathlon entitles athletes to additional shots (there are three), but they charge the rifle manually. After 8 shots for each miss - 150 m of the penalty distance.
By the way, the results of the relay race have a direct impact on the decision of the Nations Cup on how many athletes from the country can be declared for participation in competitions or put up for start.
Biathlon of Russia is a priority sport
All biathlon disciplines found their fans both in Europe and in Russia, gradually becoming one of the priority sports here. The history of its development proves that the Russians are among the most successful athletes, together with representatives of the USSR, East Germany, Germany and Norway. True, athletes from France, Austria, Sweden, Ukraine and Belarus have significantly improved their skills. This means that competition is becoming tougher, and competition is becoming more spectacular.
We hope that the biathlon of Russia will not give up its position!