Para biathlon is a winter sport that combines target shooting and cross-country skiing. It is a race with contestants alternating between skiing through a cross-country trail and shooting at targets; missed shots result in a penalty of either extra time or extra distance. Para biathlon includes standing events, sitting events, and events for athletes with visual impairments, and has been a Paralympic sport since 1988.
Paralympic cross-country skiing is an adaptation of cross-country skiing for athletes with disabilities. Paralympic cross-country skiing is one of two Nordic skiing disciplines in the Winter Paralympic Games; the other is biathlon. Competition is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete in snow and ice sports. The event includes athletes with mobility impairments, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter Olympic Games and hosted in the same city. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) oversees the Games. Medals are awarded in each event: with gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third, following the tradition that the Olympic Games began in 1904.
Cross-country skiing at the 2002 Winter Paralympics consisted of 32 events, 20 for men and 12 for women.
Cross-country skiing at the 1998 Winter Paralympics consisted of 39 events, 24 for men and 15 for women.
Cross-country skiing at the 1994 Winter Paralympics consisted of 48 events, 29 for men and 19 for women.
Cross-country skiing at the 1992 Winter Paralympics consisted of 27 events, 19 for men and 8 for women.
Cross-country skiing at the 1988 Winter Paralympics consisted of 38 events, 23 for men and 15 for women.
Cross-country skiing at the 1984 Winter Paralympics consisted of 35 events, 23 for men and 12 for women.
Cross-country skiing at the 1980 Winter Paralympics consisted of 28 events, 18 for men and 10 for women.
The Women's 3 × 2.5 km Relay competition of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics was held at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia. The competition was held Thursday, March 18.
The Men's 1 × 4 km + 2 × 5 km relay cross-country skiing competition of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics was held at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia. The competition was held on Thursday, March 20,.
The 1984 Winter Paralympics, then known as The Third World Winter Games for the Disabled, were held in Innsbruck, Austria. The games took place from the 15 until 21 January. Present at these games were 419 athletes from 21 countries, Spain and the Netherlands competing for the first time in the Winter Paralympics, competing in 107 events across 3 sports. The inclusion of Les Austres and Cerebral palsy impairment groups contributing to the distinct increase in athlete participation with the total number of athletes jumping from 229 at Geilo, Norway in 1980.
The 2011 IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Championships took place from 2–11 April 2011 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. IPC stands for International Paralympic Committee. This was the first time these championships were hosted in Russia, and the first time the championships were hosted in the same city as the IBU Biathlon World Championships which was held in Khanty-Mansiysk from March 3 to March 13, 2011.
Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Lukyanenko is a Ukrainian biathlete, cross-country skier, and Paralympian.
Following the success of the first ever 1976 Winter Paralympics in Örnsköldsvik four years earlier, Norway was selected to host the Paralympic Games in 1980.
Para-Nordic skiing classification is the classification system for para-Nordic skiing which includes the biathlon and cross-country events. The classifications for Para-Nordic skiing mirrors the classifications for Para alpine skiing with some exceptions. A functional mobility and medical classification is in use, with skiers being divided into three groups: standing skiers, sit skiers and visually impaired skiers. International classification is governed by International Paralympic Committee, Nordic Skiing (IPC-NS). Other classification is handled by national bodies. Before the IPC-NS took over classification, a number of organizations handled classification based on the type of disability.
Cross-country skiing at the 2014 Winter Paralympics were held at the Laura Biathlon & Ski Complex near Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. The twenty events were scheduled to be held between 9–16 March 2014.
Brazil sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. This marked the country's first entry into the Winter Paralympic Games. Brazil sent two athletes, snowboarder Andre Pereira in Alpine skiing and Fernando Rocha in cross-country skiing. The country's best performance in any event was 15th, achieved by Rocha in the 15 km sitting competition.
Mongolia sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, from 7–16 March 2014. This was Mongolia's third time participating in a Winter Paralympic Games. The delegation consisted of a single cross-country skier, Batmönkhiin Ganbold. His best performance in any event was 14th in the men's standing 20 kilometer freestyle, he finished 31st in the 10 km event, and did not advance from the qualification round of the 1 km sprint.
