Biathlon

Biathlon is a winter sport that is made up of the shooting and cross-country skiing disciplines together. The major competitions are supported by the International Biathlon Union (IBU). However, biathlon is not the only kind of sport that is regulated by the Federation of International Skiing (FIS).

The equipment for the biathlon consists of skis, cross-country skiing poles, racing suits, rifle and ammunition. The skis should weight about 1.25 kg and 5 cm wide, while the length still depends on the body size of an athlete. In accordance with the instructions the rifle cannot be either automatic or semi-automatic and it usually consists of 3 to 6 kg small caliber, and the target range shooting distance should be 50 meters. A biathlete should hit 5 targets for each shooting round. If a target is missed than there is a penalty of 150 m in its wake. The running track should be also varied and designed from both levels as well as gradients and descents.

Perhaps, the most famous competitions are the Olympic Winter Games, the Biathlon World Championships and the World Cup Biathlon. Biathlon belongs to the European winter classic games in such countries as Russia, Scandinavia and, of course, in the Austrian Alps. The layman can biathlon almost anywhere where the snow is. Besides, biathlon is a good kind of sports for vacationers as it has a good winter vacation combine. Especially during the winter vacations one can book the famous winter sports which is the most cost-effective for vacationers. In particular, Austria, with its beautiful scenery, offers perfect conditions for the winter sport.