Biathlon Orienteering

Biathlon Orienteering is a combination of orienteering and shooting. It works just like the Biathlon you may have seen on TV, but with orienteering instead of cross-country skiing. You begin with an orienteering course then come to the range, try to get your breathing and heart rate under control, and take 5 shots - with penalties of running loops or time if you miss. You then go and do another orienteering loop return to the range and shoot a further 5 shots. The same type of rifle is used, where five targets at a distance of 50 meters should be hit. Some smaller competitions will use air rifles or electronic/laser rifles. Targets are, in simple terms, the size of a golf ball for prone, a tennis ball for standing.

The rifle is not carried in a harness on the back but is placed in a rifle rack at the shooting range and is picked following an orienteering loop. Shooting accuracy is important as time penalties are quite severe. They are:

Classic distance: two minutes time penalty for each missed target

Sprint, mass start and relay: one penalty loop for each missed target.

We will have a demonstration of the sport on days 1-3 at the 2024 JK. Some of you may recall that we did this in 2018 and it was very popular. Our colleagues from the Swedish Multisport Federation have again kindly agreed to come over and do this for us. It will be a simplified set up with laser rifles and a small course/penalty loop, so that as many of you as possible - juniors and seniors - can have a go. There will be no charge for this so do have a try. It will be in the Assembly field on days 2 and 3 and nearby assembly on day 1.

Anyone who want to know more please feel free to contact Bob Dredge at: bob_dredge@hotmail.com

A fuller explanation of the sport is available here: Information on Biathlon Orienteering

Biathlon Orienteering - your new challenge at JK 2024