Section 3: Playing Area
3.1 Fencing Venue
- Piste: Standard fencing piste, 14 m (46 ft) long and 1.5–2 m (5–6.5 ft) wide, with metallic or conductive surface for electronic scoring
- Multiple pistes: Multiple pistes set up simultaneously to accommodate the round-robin format within the competition time frame (typically 4–6 pistes running concurrently)
- Scoring display: Electronic scoring apparatus at each piste with colored lights indicating valid touches
- Warm-up area: Separate warm-up pistes must be available for athletes awaiting bouts
3.2 Swimming Venue
- Pool: 50 m Olympic pool or 25 m short-course pool (25 m pool requires 200 m = 8 lengths). Must meet World Aquatics standards.
- Lane assignment: Athletes are assigned lanes based on seeding (fastest seeds in center lanes)
- Timing: Electronic touchpad timing to 1/100th of a second
- Water temperature: 25–28°C (77–82°F) per World Aquatics regulations
3.3 Obstacle Course Venue (2028+)
- Course design: A purpose-built obstacle course approximately 100–200 m in length featuring sequential obstacles of increasing difficulty
- Obstacle types: Climbing walls, cargo net traversals, balance beams over water or padding, hanging ring sequences, warped walls, salmon ladders, and rope swings. The exact obstacle set is standardized by UIPM for each competition.
- Completion criteria: Athletes must successfully complete each obstacle to advance. Failure at an obstacle results in penalty points or a mandatory bypass with time penalty.
- Safety features: Crash mats, water pits, and padded landing zones beneath elevated obstacles
3.4 Laser Run Course
- Running circuit: 4 laps of 800 m each (3,200 m total running distance). Flat or gently undulating course, typically within or adjacent to the stadium for spectator viewing.
- Shooting range: Positioned at the start/finish area of each lap. Athletes run to the range, shoot, then depart for the next running lap. Shooting station has individual positions for each athlete (one target per athlete).
- Target distance: 10 m (32.8 ft) from the shooting line to the electronic target
- Shooting lane width: Minimum 1 m (3.3 ft) per athlete
- Transition zone: Clearly marked area where athletes enter and exit the shooting range
3.5 Venue Philosophy
The UIPM strongly encourages all disciplines to be held at a single venue or within a compact venue cluster to create a stadium-show atmosphere and allow spectators to follow the entire competition. The Laser Run, as the final event with its handicap start, serves as the dramatic climax where the first athlete across the finish line wins the gold medal.