El biatln It is one of the most classic winter sports, as it is born from activities of daily life. It consists of cross-country skiing and shooting, and derives on the one hand from the need to have to move with skis to hunt in the Nordic countries, and on the other, of the need military of the infantry to move in the same way during wars in winter period.
OLYMPIC MODALITIES
Although biathlon has a summer modality, archery or even laser gun shooting, the best known modality and the one accepted in the Olympic Games is the winter modality. Are 11 the events in which medals will be awarded and Pekn: En mens10 km sprint, 12.5 km pursuit, 20 km individual, 15 km mass start and 4×7.5 km relay. Between the women the only difference is the length of the tests: 10km pursuit, 7.5km sprint, 15km individual, 12.5km mass start and 4x6km relay. The mixed relay It is 4×6 kilometers.
BIATLN RULES AND EQUIPMENT
Basically, it is in a cross country ski race, in which all the techniques are admitted -with what is always competed in freestyle, which allows more speed-, in its modalities of time trial, pursuit, relay or mass start, in which are interspersed shooting zones. Each shooting error penalizes: in the individual mode (against the clock), with a minute added to ski time. In the others, with a extra lap to a small circuit of 150 meters before rejoining the race, which is a disadvantage of 25 to 30 seconds over those who achieve a full number of targets.
The rifle, the distinctive element of this modality, is bolt and caliber 22 although before military weapons were used, and only with optical sight. Depending on the modalities, there are two or four shooting zones, in which you have to hit five targets in each one, being determined in which position you have to shoot, standing or lying down. The targets are located 50 meters away from the shooter, it cannot be fired before being completely still and the gun must be loaded before starting each series. The targets for standing fire are ms big than the prone position, but in these the difficulty is usually greater since it is more difficult to fix the weapon (weighing 3.5 kilos). To complete the five targets of each station, the participant has eight bullets.
HISTORY OF BIATLN
The first antecedents of the sport are military competitions disputed above all in Norway over the centuries XVIII and XIX. It is from the 50s of the last century when the sport passes from the military to the civilian sphere, although its main impulse was still that of pseudo-military preparation for civilians. Biathlon was present at the first Winter Olympics, Chamonix 1924, referred to as military patrol. It came back later in a few more editions as an exhibition sport, but it was not officially accepted again until Squaw Valley 1960, already in its civil modality, incorporating the feminine competition in Albertville 1992.
Before, the biathlon had established as a sport in 1948, supported by the International Federation of Modern Pentathlon and is accepted by the IOC in 1954. In 1958, the first World Championships, although the women did not join them until 1984. In the 1977-78 season, the first world Cup, in the masculine modality, adding the feminine one in 1982-83. In 1993 the International Biathlon Union is founded, now independent of the Modern Pentathlon. At present, 69 countries are affiliated to it.
