The races are the same except that the distances are shorter and the penalty lap is shorter. Snowshoe is very much a northern aboriginal sport. What is more natural than a trapper coming out of his tent, putting on his snowshoes, grabbing his gun and then looking for game to shoot at. Snowshoe biathlon became part of the Arctic Winter Games in 1978. Because of the traditions of hunting and trapping as a valued part of northern lifestyles it is hoped that snowshoe biathlon will remain popular among northern people.
Competitions There are three basic competitions in biathlon.
Skis another set distance and shoot again. This is repeated 3 -4 times depending on the age group. For every target missed there is a 1 minute penalty added to the total time. Because the athlete is shooting 15-20 times, the Individual race is know as the shooter's race. When they have completed 5 shots they have to ski around a 150 m loop once for every miss.