Para-Nordic skiing facts for kids

Para-Nordic skiing is an amazing winter sport. It's specially designed for athletes with disabilities. This sport includes two main types of skiing: cross-country skiing and biathlon. Both sports are open to athletes who are blind and those with physical disabilities. It's all about speed, skill, and determination!

What is Para-Nordic Biathlon?

Para-Nordic biathlon combines two exciting sports. Athletes ski cross-country and then stop to shoot a target. The rules are similar to regular biathlon. But some changes are made for para-athletes. These changes help make the sport fair for everyone.

There are different types of biathlon races. These include 7.5 km, 12.5 km, and pursuit races. During a race, athletes shoot their guns two to four times. Each time, they take five shots. If an athlete misses a target, there are consequences. They might get a points penalty. Or they might have to ski an extra penalty distance.

Athletes who are blind compete in biathlon. So do athletes with physical disabilities. Skiers with physical disabilities are in two groups. These are standing skiers and sitting skiers.

Blind athletes use a special electro-acoustic firing system. This system helps them aim. Their helmets connect wirelessly to their weapons. They wear headphones to hear the target. The closer they aim to the target, the louder the sound gets. This helps them know exactly where to shoot!

Para-Nordic Cross-Country Skiing

Para-Nordic cross-country skiing has rules similar to regular cross-country skiing. These rules are changed a bit for para-athletes. This makes the sport fair for everyone. Athletes who are blind compete in this sport. So do athletes with physical disabilities.

Skiers with physical disabilities are in two groups. These are standing skiers and sitting skiers. Standing skiers have disabilities that let them ski upright. Sitting skiers use a special sit ski. This is like a sled with skis.

Blind athletes also compete. They use a guide skier. The guide skier skis in front of the blind athlete. They tell the blind skier which way to go. This helps the blind athlete navigate the course safely.

Because athletes with different disabilities compete together, a special system is used. This system makes the results fair. The person with the fastest time doesn't always win. Instead, each athlete's finishing time is multiplied by a percentage. This percentage depends on how challenging their disability makes skiing. The new time is called the calculated time. This calculated time decides who wins the race.

Images for kids

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  Olena Iurkovska of Ukraine competing in a cross-country sitting skier event at the 2010 Winter Paralympics.