Here’s how we handle the scoring for the biathlon. The most important thing to notice is how many factors are involved, which makes the outcome difficult to predict. Accordingly, the best strategy is to encourage as many team members to participate in whatever way they’re comfortable. Team members physically unable to participate won’t count in the team percentage calculation, although we have had wheelchair participants in the past and are happy to make accommodations.
A team’s biathlon score is determined by a combination of performances in (1) the full presentation and (2) the 30-minute run/jog/walk. For each element, the team will be given points equivalent to their rank for that respective section. The combination of the points (presentation + run/jog/walk) will determine the final ranking.
Here’s how the points and rankings are determined for each element.
Presentation points/rankings
The überjudge of each division will fill out a judging form for each team’s full-presentation which will give a score. All team scores will be ordered from high to low, and then rank ordered (e.g., 1, 2, 3, …).
TEAM SCORE RANKING/POINTS
Team A 405 2
Team B 410 1
Team C 380 4
Team D 400 3
Run/jog/walk points/rankings
The foundation of the team score is the total number of steps the team members accumulate over 30 minutes. In order to encourage maximum participation, this total is then adjusted according to the percentage of the team that participates. For the sake of illustrating things, we’re assuming that an average person takes about 4,000 steps in 30 minutes if walking. Jogging or running will be more–perhaps another 4,500 if jogging and 5,000 if running.
Let’s imagine four possible teams:
Team A: 3 members; 3 runners.
Team B: 4 members. 1 runner, 1 jogger, 2 walkers.
Team C: 5 members; 4 walkers.
Team D: 4 members; 4 walkers.
- We start with the number of steps each team accumulates:
Team A (3 members; 3 runners). 15,000
Team B (4 members; 1 runner, 1 jogger, 1 walker). 13,500
Team C (5 members; 4 walkers). 16,000
Team D (4 members; 4 walkers). 16,000
- We multiply by the percentage of team members who participated:
Team A (3 members; 3 runners). 15,000 * 1.0 = 15,000
Team B (4 members. 1 runner, 1 jogger, 1 walker). 13,500 * .75 = 10,125
Team C (5 members; 4 walkers). 16,000 * .8 = 12,800
Team D (4 members; 4 walkers). 16,000 * 1.0 = 16,000
- We rank the teams, which gives us the run/jog/walk score:
TEAM SCORE RANKING POINTS
Team A 15,000 2
Team B 10,125 4
Team C 12,800 3
Team D 16,000 1
Final score
Team A 2 + 2 = 4
Team B 1 + 4 = 5
Team C 4 + 3 = 7
Team D 3 + 1 = 4
FINAL RESULTS
Notice that we have a tie involving Teams A and D. (Ties actually aren’t that unusual). Ties are broken by: 1) whether or not a team won or placed in its division in the three presentations (full, 10-minute, 90-second); or, if the tie still remains, 2) the team’s score on the “ethics” section of the überjudge’s evaluation.
If you have any questions on the scoring, please contact us at twhite@ibecc.net