how far is a biathlon

A biathlon is not a single fixed distance; it describes a type of race (cross‑country skiing + rifle shooting) that comes in several different lengths depending on the event.

Standard Olympic‑style distances

For elite international races , you typically see these base distances:

• Women
  • Sprint : 7.5 km

* **Pursuit** : 10 km

* **Individual** : 15 km

* **Mass Start** : 12.5 km

• Men
  • Sprint : 10 km

* **Pursuit** : 12.5 km

* **Individual** (longest classic format): 20 km

* **Mass Start** : 15 km

Relays and short formats

Because many fans also ask “how far are team biathlons?”:

• Relay (women) : 4 × 6 km = 24 km total
• Relay (men) : 4 × 7.5 km = 30 km total

• Super‑sprint and short‑individual : Around 6–12.5 km depending on gender and exact format.

What people usually mean

In casual talk, when someone says “how far is a biathlon?”, they often are referring to the Individual race because it’s the classic, longest event: roughly 15 km for women and 20 km for men on the looped course.

If you tell me whether you meant Olympics, juniors, or a recreational club race, I can narrow it down further and even break it into laps and shooting stations as well.