BIATHLON
Biathlon is any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
A biathlon competition consists of a race in which contestants ski around a cross-country trial system, and where the total distance is broken up by either two or four shooting rounds, half in prone position, the other half standing. Depending on the shooting performance, extra distance or time is added to the contestant's total running distance/time. As in most races, the contestant with the shortest total time wins.
For each shooting round, the biathlete must hit five targets; each missed target must be "atoned for" in one of three ways, depending on the competition format: by skiing around a 490 ft. penalty loop, typically taking 20–30 seconds for top-level biathletes to complete; by having one minute added to a skier's total time; or by having to use an "extra cartridge" (placed at the shooting range) to finish off the target; only three such "extras" are available for each round, and a penalty loop must be made for each of the targets left standing.
In order to keep track of the contestants' progress and relative standing throughout a race, split times are taken at several points along the skiing track and upon finishing each shooting round. The large display screens commonly set up at biathlon arenas, as well as the information graphics shown as part of the TV picture, will typically list the split time of the fastest contestant at each intermediate point and the times and time differences to the closest runners-up.
Stage 1 to stage 2 will have you "skiing" only 2 tenths of a mile to stage 2. Once at stage 2 you will see the projection point where you need to "shoot your gun" to find the large container final.
WE HAVE PERMISSION TO PLACE THIS CACHE. IT IS ON FAMILY PROPERTY. PLEASE BE RESPECTABLE WHEN FINDING ALL STAGES
The theme for the 2014 Cold Cache Series involves WINTER SPORTS of various types, both Olympic and not. These caches will only be available from January 1st through March 31st. Get 'em while they're ho--err--COLD!