Shooting Scoring
Air pistols are used to fire 20 shots at center fire targets at a range of 10 meters. Pentathletes have 40 seconds to fire each shot at a target of 155 mm in diameter. The target is made up of concentric rings ranging from one point on the outside to 10 points for a bull's-eye. A score of 172 out of a possible 200 is worth 1,000 pentathlon points. Every target point above or below 172 is worth plus or minus 12 pentathlon points.
Fencing Scoring
Pentathletes fence each other competitor for one hit within a time limit of one minute. The target area is the whole body and hits are registered via an electronic tip at the end of the sword. If a hit is not scored within the time, both competitors record a loss. A total score of 70% victories equals 1,000 pentathlon points. How much each victory above or below 70 % is worth depends on how many competitors there are. The most common are:
22-23 matches gives +/- 40 points
24-26 matches gives +/- 36 points
27-29 matches gives +/- 32 points
30-33 matches gives +/- 28 points
34-39 matches gives +/- 24 points
Swimming Scoring
The swimming event is a free-style race over 200 meters, with pentathletes seeded in heats according to their personal best time. A time of 2 minutes 30 seconds for men, and 2 minutes 40 seconds for women, earns 1000 pentathlon points. Every 1/10th of second above or below this time is equal to plus or minus one point.
Riding Scoring
In the riding competition, pentathletes ride and jump unfamiliar horses over stadium obstacles. A fault free ride within "the standard time" ( 1 min - 1.17 min) is worth 1200 points. Every knock down equals 28 points deduction. Every refusal or disobedience to jump equals 40 points deduction. But any disobedience leading to the knocking down of an obstacle gives 60 points deduction. After two refusals to jump, the rider must try to jump the next obstacle. For every obstacle not jumped, the athlete loses 80 points. If the rider, horse, or both fall, the athlete loses 40 points. After two falls, the rider must stop and be penalized 300 points deduction. The maximum time is the standard time plus 60 seconds. Every second above the standard time gives 4 points in deduction. If the ride is slower than the maximum time, the athlete must stop and receive minus 240 points, as well as a deduction of 80 points for each obstacle he didn't jump.
Running Scoring
The pentathletes run over a cross-country or road course of 3,000 meters. A time of 10 minutes for men and 11 minutes 20 seconds for women earns 1,000 Pentathlon Points. Every half-second above or below this standard will gain or lose 2 points.
