Biathlon

Biathlon

Biathletes in the shooting area of a competition
Highest governing body	International Biathlon Union
Characteristics
Team members	Single competitors or relay teams
Mixed-sex	Yes
Equipment	Skis, poles, rifle
Presence
Olympic	1924 (military patrol) 1960 (officially)

The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not timed per se, but depending on the competition, missed shots result in extra distance or time being added to the contestant's total.