Skiing data
Course Times (sometimes referred to as ski times) are used for most skiing statistics. The Course Time is the time an athlete spends on the 3/5 ski loops (total race time without range and penalty time). Course Times are available since the 2001–02 season.
- Ski Rank (avg): Course Time rank average
- back from median (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's median Course Time
- back from Top10 median (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's top 10 median Course Time
- back from Top30 median (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's top 30 median Course Time
- back from average (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's average Course Time
- back from Top10 average (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's top 10 average Course Time
- back from Top30 average (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's top 30 average Course Time
- Speed (in km/h): Arithmetic mean of each race's speed: (Total Course Length - 170m per Shooting) ⁄ Total Course Time
- Z-score: (Standard score) Number of standard deviations by which Course Times are above or below the mean (based on back from median data)
Shooting data (hit rates)
In accordance with IBU conventions, only shots of completed races are counted.
- back from average (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's average Total Hit Rate
- back from median (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's median Total Hit Rate
- Z-score: (Standard score) Number of standard deviations by which the Total Hit Rate is above or below the mean.
Note: The three values above are multiplied by −1 to keep hit rate statistics comparable to all other (time based) data.
Shooting Time
Shooting Time is the time spent on the shooting mat. Shooting Times are available since the 2001–02 season.
- Rank (avg): Shooting Time rank average
- back from median (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's median Total Shooting Time
- Z-score: (Standard score) Number of standard deviations by which the Total Shooting Time is above or below the mean
Range Time
Range Time is the time between entering and exiting the shooting range. Range Times are available since the 2001–02 season.
- Rank (avg): Range Time rank average
- back from median (in %): Arithmetic mean of percent back from each race's median Total Range Time
- Z-score: (Standard score) Number of standard deviations by which the Total Range Time is above or below the mean
Note: Before 2011–12, Range Times included time spent in the penalty loop and are not comparable to current values.
Shooting Efficiency
The Shooting Efficiency is an overall shooting score, combining shooting accuracy and shooting time. It is the theoretical average time an athlete loses through shooting (based on hit rate, range time and potential penalty loops).
- Shooting Rank (avg): Range Time + Penalty Time rank average (identical times get the same rank)
- Hit Rate Rank (avg): Shooting Percentage rank average (identical percentages get the same rank)
- Range Time + Penalty Time: Arithmetic mean of sum of Range Time and Penalty Time
- Time Loss Sprint: (1 - Hit Rate ⁄100 ) · 10 · Penalty Loop + 2 · Range Time
- Time Loss Pursuit/Mass Start: (1 - Hit Rate ⁄100) · 20 · Penalty Loop + 4 · Range Time
- Time Loss Individual: (1 - Hit Rate ⁄100) · 20 · 1 minute + 4 · Range Time
For team events no theoretical time loss is calculated (because spare rounds do not allow a clear separation of hit rate and range time), instead the sum of Range Time and Penalty Time is used for shooting efficiency.
The Overall Performance Score quantifies biathlon performances solely based on ski speed, shooting percent and range time, not considering any actual race results.
The Total Performance Score is calculated by approximating the importance of skiing, hit rate and shooting pace
using the method of least squares (for more details, see here and here),
and then weighting each z-score value accordingly.
- Ski Speed Score: z-score of percentage back from median Course Times
- Hit Rate Score: z-score of Total Hit Rate
- Range Time Score: z-score of Total Range Time
- Total Performance Score: Weighted aggregate Z-score
Weights for each discipline according to least squares approximation of last five seasons:
- Non-Team events: 0.59 · Ski Speed + 0.29 · Hit Rate + 0.12 · Range Time
- Individual: 0.50 · Ski Speed + 0.45 · Hit Rate + 0.05 · Range Time
- Sprint: 0.65 · Ski Speed + 0.25 · Hit Rate + 0.10 · Range Time
- Pursuit: 0.55 · Ski Speed + 0.32 · Hit Rate + 0.13 · Range Time
- Mass Start: 0.52 · Ski Speed + 0.35 · Hit Rate + 0.13 · Range Time
- Relays/Team events: 0.60 · Ski Speed + 0.16 · Hit Rate + 0.24 · Range Time
- Non-Team (before 2014–15): 0.62 · Ski Speed + 0.25 · Hit Rate + 0.13 · Range Time