Skiing a Biathalon with a Visual Impairment
Blog Vol 7.13. Skiing a Biathalon with a Visual impairment.
One of my patients with bioptics cross country skis for Canada in the Paralympics, recently competing in the 2026 Milano Cortina games, and continuing to train for upcoming world cup events and for Paralympics 2030.
Bioptics are mini telescopes mounted on glasses that allow people with restricted vision to see well enough to drive and engage in other sighted activities.
At a recent appointment, we discussed the Biathlon, where a skier races a course and then fires a rifle at several targets. The fastest time with the most accurate shot wins gold. How does a visually impaired person fire a weapon at a target with accuracy?
Sight substitution. My patient is going to work on shooting and hopes to add the biathlon to their roster for the 2030 games. The whole event is not easy or for the faint of heart, sighted or not. First, the competitor skis a 7.5-12.5 km course, with a guide that skis ahead and gives vocal directions for those with visual challenges.
Then, the shooting. The rifle for the para-athlete is supplied at the range, unlike the sighted event where the racer carries their own rifle. The first competitor in grabs slot one and puts on a provided pair of headphones which are connected to a speaker that emits a sound frequency as the aim gets closer to the centre of the target. The competitor must train their ears and audio-perception to be on target. The noise levels at the competition are controlled to allow for concentration.
The sights on the rifle are composed of an infrared (IR) beam that is linked with a target 10 metres away (sighted athletes’ targets are 50 m away). This beam of IR is collimated (made parallel) so that it can be precisely pointed at the target. This is similar technology to the guns used in laser tag, not really lasers but still using light. My guess is that like in laser tag, the IR beam is encoded so that judges in the event would know what beam you fired. The sighting is so sensitive that it can point the rifle to the very centre of the target, with the athlete tuning in to the frequency and firing when it reaches its peak. A company out of Helsinki Finland called Ecoaims specializes in this equipment.
After exerting yourself skiing long distances, shooting accurately is a serious challenge. The dedication and perseverance required by athletes is impressive and inspiring.
‘til next week
the good doctor
