At first glance, biathlon looks like a sport invented by the X-Games brain trust to make two distinctly different, distinctly unexciting skill sets feel cooler. After all, cross-country skiing and target shooting boast roughly the same natural, symbiotic relationship as fishes and bicycles, and neither discipline features fast-and-furious action.
But as much as the sport might feel like a modern invention, it’s actually an old-school, no-nonsense affair. Norwegian art dating back more than 4,000 years depicts men hunting while on skis, and soldiers even skied into battle during 18th century conflicts such as the Great Scandinavian War. By the time biathlon was introduced as a medal event in the 1960 games in Squaw Valley, the sport had an established history, one decidedly low on bells and whistles.
Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/shoot-ski-record-biathletes-use-tech-stay-target/#ixzz2tEVp90mK
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