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ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — Biathlon, a challenging winter sport that merges the endurance of cross-country skiing with the precision of target shooting, demands athletes dedicate hundreds of hours to rigorous training each year. Success at the Olympic level not only requires peak physical performance but also the ability to push the body to its limits.
Competitors in the sport utilize specialized and costly equipment to reach the pinnacle of success. This includes an arsenal of thousands of bullets, a wide array of skis and poles, and the support of a dedicated team of coaches and technicians who ensure everything operates seamlessly.
Let’s delve into some of the essential numbers that illustrate the intricacies of preparing for biathlon competitions.
4 to 8
During events like the World Cup, World Championships, and the Olympics, a team of skilled technicians works tirelessly to prepare numerous skis. They apply specialized waxes and perform unique grinds to optimize the skis’ glide on race day. This process involves extensive testing on the snow, consuming countless hours before the skis are ready for competition.
10 to 30
Each biathlete arrives at a race equipped with multiple pairs of skis, each tailored for specific snow conditions. These skis vary in flexibility to suit hard or soft snow and are treated with waxes designed to repel moisture or withstand cold, abrasive snow crystals. The ski bases are meticulously prepared with various grinds to adapt to the ever-changing snow conditions they may encounter.
700 to 1,000
The number of hours a World Cup biathlete will train each year, according to Finnish head coach Erik Torneus-Kulstad. That’s in addition to time spent practicing shooting, both inside without ammunition — called “dry fire” — and at the range. German biathlon head coach Tobias Reiter said his athletes train 700 to 800 hours per year.
10,000 to 20,000
The number of bullets a top biathlete will shoot each year, both in training and at competitions. Each rifle carries four magazines that hold five bullets each. The sprint and relay races use two magazines, while the longer individual, pursuit and mass start races require 20 bullets. They also go through multiple magazines when zeroing the rifle before a race.
4,000
That’s how much a biathlon rifle generally costs in U.S. dollars. The most popular biathlon rifle, the German-made Anschütz, is specially designed to withstand cold temperatures. It’s light but strong, includes a harness for carrying, snow covers over the front and rear sights and a handpiece for standing shooting. Each rifle stock is crafted to fit the biathlete’s body — much like a racing bike.
190
The maximum heart rate a biathlete will reach while climbing a difficult hill in a race. That number will drop to about 160 when they come into the range and start shooting.
20 to 40
The number of races a top biathlete will compete in each year. Racing on the World Cup means a lot of travel. Racing keeps biathletes sharp, as long as they’re able to recover properly between events.
70 to 80
The maximum kilometers per hour a biathlete might hit while skiing downhill in a race.
3
The number of ski poles a biathlete might break each year. Biathletes don’t often bump shoulders like cross-country skiers in sprint races, but they’ll sometimes break a pole in a fall or when interacting with others on the ski track.
0 to 10
That’s the number of firing pins an athlete will break each season in their .22-caliber rifles. The firing pins are encased inside the bolt. The pin strikes the edge of the rimfire cartridge to send the bullet down the range. They can break during a misfire on the range or when the athlete is practicing shooting without ammunition. Changing a firing pin can take three or four minutes. German coach Reiter said his athletes will break five to 10 firing pins each year, mostly during dry-fire sessions. Finnish coach Torneus-Kulstad said his team might break one or two.
“If they don’t break one, then I’m a little bit disappointed,” Torneus-Kulstad said. “I want them to dry fire. I want them to just go for it. If it breaks, it breaks. It’s part of everything here. It’s equipment you need to use. If it’s not breaking, the question is more like have you even dry-fired?”