Biathlon shortly

The biathletes are shooting with small-bore rifles (22 inch in caliber), the target diameters are 45 mm (prone) and 115 mm (standing), shooting distance is 50 m. Minimum weight of the rifle: 3,5 kg.
By the way: Biathlon World Cup competitions take place sind 1977/1978 (men) or 1986/1987 (women).

A little bit more detailed about the different types of competitions

Individual:

• the oldest type of competition in biathlon: first world championships in 1958 (men) / 1984 (women), olympic event since 1960 (men) / 1992 (women)
• longest distance: 20 km (men) / 15 km (women)
• for times shooting: prone-standing-prone-standing
• one additional minute penalty for each miss, which means, that shooting has a little higher priority in that competition than in others
• start interval: 30 seconds (usually)

Sprint:

• world championships since 1974 (men) / 1984 (women), olympic event since 1980 (men) / 1992 (women)
• shortest distance (except for the relay): 10 km (men) bzw. 7,5 km (women)
• two times shooting: p-s
• one penalty loop of 150 m per miss
• start interval: 30 seconds (usually)

Pursuit:

• in order to make biathlon more attractive pursuit and mass start competitions were admitted to the competition programme. They both have in common, that they are much more clearly for spectators (and athletes), in addition to that the duration of these competitions is much shorter (which is very welcome with regard to television broadcast).
• part of the world cup programme since 1996/97, first world championships in 1997, olympic event since 2002
• distance: 12,5 (men) bzw. 10 km (women)
• four times shooting: p-p-s-s
• one penalty loop of 150 m per miss
• eligibility to compete is based on a previous qualification competition (usually sprint, sometimes individual)
• start order and intervals also depend on the qualification competition (in case the qualification competition was an individual, the intervals are divided in half)

Mass start:

• the youngest type of competition, part of the world cup programme since 1998/99, first world championships 1999, will be olympic event from 2006 on
• distance: 15 km (men) or 12,5 km (women)
• four times shooting: p-p-s-s
• one penalty loop of 150 m per miss
• the best 30 athletes of the current world cup total score are allowed to participate in the mass start competition. There are different rules of nomination for world championships and Olympic Games.

Relay:

• since 1966 (men) bzw. 1984 (women), olympic event since 1986 or 1992
• distance: 4 x 7,5 km (men), from 2002/03 season just  4 x 6 km for the women
• two times shooting: p-s
• three spare rounds per shooting which have to be used if not all five targets are hit. In case there are still any targets left after that: one penalty loop (150 m) per miss.

Team:

• though the rules for that type of competition were changed a few times, it was never really accepted and therefore took place for the very last time in 1999

The rules can be read up on www.ibu.at/rules/index.html. Unfortunatley the IBU's homepage is not updated regularly.