History of Biathlon

Ancient History and Early Development

The word biathlon is of Greek origin and means "two tests". The combination of skiing and shooting used in the sport today is founded on a tradition of hunting, stemming back over four thousand years. Petroglyphs found in Norway depict hunters, with spears, traveling on skis in pursuit of game. Written descriptions of hunting on skis can be traced back to 400 B.C. and the Roman poet, Virgil. "Biathlon's" military uses have been subsequently noted by generals, writers, geographers, and historians such as Xenophon, Strabol, Arrian, Theophanes, Prokopius, and Acruni who described battles of warriors equipped with skis. Gradually, the techniques needed for survival and combat, developed into contests of skill. What could have been a more natural competition between the hunters in the Scandinavian forests, than that of marksmanship and cross-country skiing?

The first recorded biathlon race was organized near the border between Sweden and Norway in 1767 but regular competitions did not take hold until the early twentieth century.  As training for defense purposes, biathlon grew in popularity among military units, especially in Scandinavia. Known as the "military patrol", it was contested at the first Olympic Winter Games, at Chamonix, France, in 1924. The sport remained on the Olympic program until 1948, when post-war sentiments caused it to be dropped.

International History

During the 1950's, Swedish members of the Union Internationale Pentathlon Modern (UIPM) advanced the cause of biathlon. At the meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) held in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1957, the UIPM presented a motion concerning the introduction of "Individual Biathlon" as an official event in the Olympic Winter Games. The motion was approved and ratified one year later at the IOC meeting in Tokyo, Japan. Thus, biathlon was re-introduced to the Olympics at Squaw Valley, U.S.A. in 1960 and has remained ever since. The first Olympic gold medal for an individual biathlon race was presented to Klas Lestander (SWE).

The first World Championships for men were held in 1958 at Saalfelden, Austria, under the auspices of the UIPMB (Union Internationale Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon). It was an individual 20 km event using full-bore rifles. Five shots were taken from each of four shooting ramps with target distances of 100 m (standing), 150 m, 200 m, and 250 m (prone). For each miss, a 2 minute penalty was added to the skiing time.  Later, the shooting distances were standardized to 150 m for both prone and standing. The penalty system was also changed so that there was a non-penalty bulls-eye (125 mm for prone, 350 mm for standing), a one-minute penalty zone to a diameter of 250 mm for prone and 450 mm for standing, and a two-minute penalty zone beyond these diameters. Little changed in the 20 km individual event until the introduction of the small bore rifle.

In 1972, the UIPMB decided to change the calibre of rifles used at the World Junior Championships, in order to gain experience with new rules. The reasons for the change included the high cost of ammunition, the size and power of the rifles, noise and safety issues, and the difficulty in obtaining gun licenses. In 1976, at the Biathlon Congress in Seefeld, Austria, a proposal for the official introduction of the small bore, .22 calibre rifle was approved. Two years later in Hochfilzen, Austria, the small bore rifles were used for the first time in World Championships, a development that dramatically changed the sport of biathlon. As a consequence, the acceptance and popularity of biathlon grew rapidly. World Championships in 1978 doubled in size to 28 participating nations and that same year, a 5-stop World Cup tour was established for senior men. Currently, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) boasts 57 member nations from five continents. There are over 30 nations competing in the nine-event World Cup tour and more than forty attend World Championships and the Olympic Winter Games.

Women in Biathlon

Following the change to small bore rifles, interest in biathlon among women and girls began to rise. By 1982, the European Cup was established for women. This competitive tour followed the Men's World Cup throughout Europe. In 1986, by which time competitors from 3 continents had joined the tour, the events were elevated to the status of World Cups. Today, 120 women from 30 countries vie for the coveted title of World Cup Champion.

World Championships for women was inaugurated in 1984 as part of the World Junior Championships for men. Not until 1989 did women gain their rightful place at the combined men's and women's World Championships. That year, the World Junior Championships were opened for the first time to junior women. Despite the number of female competitors, the International Olympic Committee did not include women in the Olympic Winter Games biathlon program until 1992! In Albertville, France, the first Olympic gold medals for women's biathlon were presented to Antje Misersky (GER) in the Individual event and Anfissa Retzova (RUS) in the Sprint.

Biathlon is classed as a life sport because it has had, and still has, an application in everyday living. Cave drawings found in Norway, dating back some 5000 years, give us the earliest record of skiing and carrying a weapon for hunting or fighting.  Historical records from Asia also tell of "winged horses" on the feet of hunters in pursuit of game animals over snow. The first historically recorded Biathlon competition took place near the Swedish-Norwegian border in 1767, between companies of border guards from the two countries. Generally, development of Biathlon continued through hunting and warfare until it became a demonstration sport in the first Olympic Winter Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France under the name of Military Patrol. Since then, Biathlon has undergone many dramatic changes, including admission into the Olympic Games as Biathlon in 1960 in Squaw Valley and a change to small-bore rifles (.22 in) in 1978.  Although women competed in Biathlon for many years,  women's competitions did not become part of the Olympic Winter Games until the1992 Games in Albertville. Modern day highlights of Biathlon history are presented as follows:

Canadian History and Achievements

In Canada, the sport of biathlon began under the auspices of the Canadian Armed Forces.  In 1968, represented by an all-military team at Grenoble, France, Canada participated for the first time in an Olympic biathlon competition. Unfortunately, the sport declined in popularity. National championships, which had been held throughout the 1960's, were abandoned. It was not until 1978 and the rule changes regarding rifle calibre that biathlon enjoyed a resurgence in Canada. Under the auspices of the Biathlon Discipline of the Canadian Ski Association (which became incorporated independently as Biathlon Canada in 1985) Canadian Championships began being staged again and have included women since 1980.

One of the mandates of the national organization is to develop a national team and prepare them for international competition. Canada began sending teams to compete at the world level in 1982. By the end of the decade our athletes were beginning to post excellent results. In 1986, Lise Meloche (ONT) achieved four top-10 placings in World Cup and World Championship events and Charles Plamondon (QUE) was the first Canadian man to place in the top 20 at World Championships. Beginning in the 1990's, the world sat up and took notice of the Canadian biathletes with the 8^th place finish by Steve Cyr (PQ) in the Olympic Sprint event in Albertville, France in 1992. However, one Canadian name stands above all others - Myriam Bédard.

Born in December, 1969, Myriam began biathlon in the mid-1980's as a cadet. She excelled at the sport and joined the national team in 1989 when she placed 4th at the World Junior Championships held in Chamonix, France. She went on to win Canada's first ever World Cup medal, placing 2nd in Walchsee, Austria in 1990. Myriam continued to storm the world rankings and finished second overall in World Cup points in 1991-92. Demonstrating the depth of her ability, not only has Myriam repeated this feat, she also won an Olympic bronze medal in 1992 at Albertville, France. Thanks to a young biathlete from Loretteville, Quebec, Canada had won its very first Olympic medal in Nordic competitions. Amazingly, the best was yet to come. In 1992-93, Myriam won a string of World Cup medals, finishing 2nd overall, and she won two medals at the World Championships in Borovetz, Bulgaria, including the gold medal in the 7.5 km sprint. However, 1994 proved to be her crowning glory and a year we will never forget in Canada. On February 18th, at the Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway, Myriam Bédard won the gold medal for Canada in the 15 km individual event! Five days later, she struck gold a second time to accomplish what has never been achieved by any Canadian woman. Myriam had won two gold medals at one Olympic Games! For her spectacular results, Myriam was named Canada's female Athlete of the Year for 1994 and will most certainly be inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Since the Olympics in Lillehammer, Canadian results have been mixed at best. Some bright lights have garnered World Cup Points. Along with veterans Myriam Bédard, Glenn Rupertus, Steve Cyr they include Martine Albert (PQ), Tuppy Collard (BC) and Nikki Keddie (AB).

Recent Canadian junior athletes have made their mark on the international scene with top ten performance at the World Junior Championships; Ivan Phillion (ON) 1999, Barb Sharp (BC) 1999, Marÿke Ciaramidaro (AB) 2000, Zina Kocher (AB) 2003 was 11th. Furthermore Marÿke established herself in a World class athlete by virtue of her gold medal at the European Junior Championships. The future looks great!