Summer Biathlon
The combination of running and rifle marksmanship is a spin-off of the winter Olympic version of cross-country skiing and shooting. In the past, virtually all summer Biathletes were winter crossovers looking for a way to stay in shape during the off-season. This is no longer true. People of all sizes and ages, who are not interested in just skiing, are participating in summer biathlon. With events taking place in New Mexico, Georgia, and California, it is clear that summer biathlon isn't just for skiers. A new sport has emerged.
In Summer Biathlon the standard race distance is 5 kilometers. The rifles are .22 caliber and the standard shooting distance is 50 meters. Summer Biathlon races use the same format as the Winter Olympic sport, except that running is substituted for cross-country skiing.
Competitors, starting in waves of 2 or 3 per minute, begin by running a loop that brings them to the shooting range. They lay down, pick up the rifle, shoot 5 shots at the metal knock-down targets, walk to the end of the range, and continue the running. They run another loop and come back to the range. This time it is five shots from the standing position. The race ends with a dash to the finish. Scoring is based on the competitors' total time, which includes the number of penalty loops run for each miss.
