Ailsa Harvey

This olympic winter sport is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Taking place in race format, the biathlete with the shortest total time wins.

Racers ski accross hilly terrain, stopping at fixed targets in order to shoot. If a shot is missed in the shooting, either extra time is added to the contestant’s result or a further distance is enforced.

There are many challenging aspects to be considered in the sport, such as the control in breathing required to shoot the target following the demanding ski course.

The sport is not to be confused with duathlon or biathle.

Did you know…
– In Norway, one of the exercises used for military training was shooting a target whilst skiing at high speeds. It was this activity which lead to the creation of biathlon.
– Biathlon is said to have links to the early inhabitants of Scandinavia who worshipped the Norse God, Ullr. Ullr was both the ski God and the hunting God.
– When competing in the sport, the skis can only be 4cm shorter than the competitor.

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