Status active Date(s) February–March Location(s) various | Genre sporting event Frequency annual Inaugurated 1958 (1958) | |
The first Biathlon World Championships (BWCH) was held in 1958, with individual and team contests for men. The number of events has grown significantly over the years. Beginning in 1984, women biathletes had their own World Championships, and finally, from 1989, both genders have been participating in joint BWCHs. In 1978 the development was enhanced by the change from the large army rifle calibre to a small bore rifle, while the range to the target was reduced from 150 to 50 meters.
Contents
BWCH venues
The season's BWCHs takes place during February or March. Some years it has been necessary to schedule parts of the Championships at other than the main venue because of weather and/or snow conditions. Full, joint BWCHs have never been held in Olympic Winter Games seasons. BWCHs in non-IOC events, however, have been held in Olympic seasons. In 2005, the then new event of Mixed Relay (two legs done by women, two legs by men) was arranged separately from the ordinary Championships.
Arranged Championships:
Individual (20 km)
This event was first held in 1958.
Sprint (10 km)
This event was first held in 1974.
Pursuit (12.5 km)
This event was first held in 1997.
Mass start (15 km)
This event was first held in 1999.
Relay (4 × 7.5 km)
This event was first held unofficially in 1965. It was a success, and replaced the team competition as an official event in 1966.
Team (time)
This event was held from 1958 to 1965. The times of the top 3 athletes from each country in the 20 km individual were added together (in 1958 the top 4).
Team
This event, a patrol race, was held from 1989 to 1998. 1989-93: 20 km. 1994-98: 10 km.
Individual (15 km)
This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988 the distance was 10 km.
Sprint (7.5 km)
This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988 the distance was 5 km.
Pursuit (10 km)
This event was first held in 1997.
Mass start (12.5 km)
This event was first held in 1999.
Relay (4 × 6 km)
This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988, the event was 3 × 5 km. 1989-91: 3 × 7.5 km. 1993-2001: 4 × 7.5 km. In 2003, the leg distance was set to 6 km.
Team
This event, a patrol race, was held from 1989 to 1998. 1989-93: 15 km. 1994-98: 7.5 km.
Relay (2 × 6 km + 2 × 7.5 km)
This event was first held in 2005, at the Biathlon World Cup finals in Khanty-Mansiysk. In 2005 the women biathletes did the first two legs, and the men did the following two, while in 2006 the sequence was woman–man–woman–man. At the Biathlon World Championships 2007 in Antholz, the sequence was women–women–man–man. The men ski legs of 7.5 km (in 2005-06: 6 km) and the women ski 6 km each. From 2007 only one team per nation is allowed to compete.