Contested against the clock, this is the traditional biathlon discipline, the one used in the first competitions. Twenty kilometres of racing for the men, which takes around 55 minutes, interspersed with four series of five shots (prone, standing, prone, standing). Each missed shot incurs a one-minute penalty, making accuracy extremely important. For women, the distance is 15 kilometres.
Ten kilometres for men, 7.5 for women, with two shooting rounds, one prone and one standing. For each target missed, competitors must complete an additional 150 metres on a penalty loop located near the shooting range. On average, the penalty adds around 30 seconds to the race time. Speed on skis is very important.
A recent discipline, which appeared at the World Championships in 1997, the pursuit, 12.5 km for men and 10 km for women, is very spectacular and telegenic. The gaps from the previous day’s race (a sprint) are used to determine the starting gaps for the pursuit. Four series of shots (two prone and two standing) add excitement to the race, and each miss is penalised with a penalty lap. The first to cross the line is declared the winner. The number of participants is limited to sixty.
Also known as the inline race, the mass start is another recent discipline, added to the World Championships programme in 1999. It was the favourite discipline of Raphaël Poirée, who finished on the podium seven times, including four times on the top step, in eight editions. The thirty competitors selected start at the same time for 15 km for the men and 12.5 km for the women, with four shooting rounds (two prone and two standing). Shooting errors are penalised with a 150 m penalty lap.
The other original biathlon discipline. Four participants per team compete in races of 7.5 km for men and 6 km for women, with two shooting rounds, one prone and one standing. The teams start at the same time. At the end of each series of five shots, if not all targets have been hit, the biathletes have three additional bullets, known as ‘penalty shots’, which give them three more chances. If, after these three shots, which require reloading each time, not all targets have been hit, the competitor must complete a 150m penalty lap.
A mixed relay team consists of two women and two men. The female members of the team complete a 6 km ski course, and their male partners complete a 7.5 km course with two shooting ranges at 2 km and 4 km respectively. The mixed relay competition starts with the first member of each team. The next member takes over in the transition zone when the first member touches their successor. The shooting rules are identical to those for the relay. The starting order for the mixed relay is: woman, woman, man, man.
The team consists of one woman and one man. The women take the first group start to complete two 1.5 km loops with two shots, one prone and one standing. For each target missed, the competitor must complete a 150 m penalty lap. The men then complete two 1.5 km loops with two shooting rounds, one prone and one standing, with the same penalty applied for each missed target. The women then take over the relay for two more 1.5 km loops with two shooting rounds, and finally the men finish the race with three 1.5 km loops with two shooting rounds.
