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The International Biathlon Union (IBU), which oversees this winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting (together they are treated as a race) globally and has its headquarters close to Salzburg, Austria, is in charge of organizing the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup.

Except for the national rankings, the results of the season’s high point, the 2025 IBU World Championships (WCH) in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, won’t be counted for the World Cup.

Where and When Will the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup Be Held?

The 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup started on November 30, 2024, in Kontiolahti, Finland, and will end on March 23, 2025, in Oslo, Norway.

There are 70 competitors in the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup: 31 men’s and women’s each in single disciplines (individual, short individual, sprint, pursuit, and mass start) and team disciplines (relay – 4 x 7.5 km for men and relay – 4 x 6 km for women), and eight more in mixed discipline: mixed relay. The event is held across 10 locations in nine countries, each arousing fans’ interest more and more every year. These venues, along with the event dates, are:

• Kontiolahti, Finland (30 November–8 December)
• Hochfilzen , Austria (13–15 December)
• Annecy–Le Grand-Bornand, France (19–22 December)
• Oberhof, Germany (9–12 January )
• Ruhpolding, Germany (15–19 January)
• Antholz-Anterselva, Italy (23–26 January)
• Lenzerheide, Switzerland (World Championships, 12–23 February)
• Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic (6–9 March)
• Pokljuka, Slovenia (13–16 March )
• Oslo Holmenkollen, Norway (21–23 March)

The total amount of prize money for the ongoing season rose to €9.366.700. Biathletes placing 2nd–4th and 26th–30th in World Championships and 3rd–10th and 17th–29th in World Cup competitions will see the most growth in money received. Each of them will earn €1,000 more than they did the season before.

This is how the prize money will be distributed:

This season, an extra €2,000 in prize money will be awarded to the biathletes who have the greatest net timings in the pursuits. Additional prize money will be awarded to competitors who display the greatest relay leg times.

Apart from the money, competitors vie for points, which is the main criterion that will determine the ultimate 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup winner. Just like is the case with the prize money distribution, some placements will have an increased number of points compared to the last season—more precisely, those placed third to ninth.

The points are awarded as follows:

Which Teams Will Take Part in the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup?

Johannes Thingnes Bø

Johannes Thingnes Bø

Sturla Holm Lægreid

Sturla Holm Lægreid

Émilien Jacquelin

Émilien Jacquelin

Lou Jeanmonnot

Lou Jeanmonnot

Justine Braisaz-Bouchet

Justine Braisaz-Bouchet

Franziska Preuß

Franziska Preuß

Check out the representatives of the top biathlon national teams in this WC.

How have these 70 participants qualified?

A competitor must have 150 IBU Qualifying Points or less after the previous trimester or meet one of the following two requirements (not both) in order to take part in WC competitions:

• Participate in at least one competition during the current or previous trimester, obtaining 125 IBU Qualifying Points or less in the sprint or individual division of the IBU Cup, OECH (Open European Championships), WC, WCH, or OWG (Olympic Winter Games)
  or
• A single finish in the top half at the most recent JWCH (Junior World Championships; not Youth WCH).

This individual qualification condition must likewise have been fulfilled by every member of the relay teams.

Features of the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup

Unlike team sports, the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup doesn’t have stages. It has 10 meetings (10 WC event hosts) with 25 individual events each for men and women (excl. World Championships) in a single week (see the dates above in the text). Relay competitions are held four to six times per season.

Previously, Winter Olympics events (the 2010 Winter Olympics were the last Olympics to count towards the World Cup) and World Championships (the last World Championship to count towards the World Cup was contested in Pokljuka, Slovenia, in 2021) were considered World Cup events.

The Big Crystal Globe trophy is given to the competitor who has the highest overall score for the World Cup season—that is, the total score for all disciplines. The first-place finisher in each discipline’s season total receives a Small Crystal Globe trophy. Therefore, during the same World Cup season, one biathlete may win both the Big Crystal Globe and the Small Crystal Globe.

Who’ll Win the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup?

The current champions from the previous season are Johannes Thingnes Bø from Norway (men’s) and Lisa Vittozzi from Italy (women’s). Due to a back injury she suffered during preseason training, Vittozzi was unable to defend her championship and had to miss the entire season. As for Bø, he’s on his way to defending the title as he’s ranked first overall (727 points after 12 events), as well as in sprint and pursuit, at the moment.

Clearly, Bø is the biggest favorite to win. Even though the Norwegian had fewer victories last season—11 as opposed to 19 in 2022–23—he’s still the best of the best among men participants. The second-largest favorite is Sturla Holm Lægreid. Before dropping to fourth place last season, Bø’s fellow countryman finished second in the Total Score for three straight years. Nevertheless, he’s still able to bring the trophy home. Outside the Norwegians, the faces in the Big Crystal Ball are a little more blurry. With high expectations based on seven top-10 finishes, including three podiums at the end of the previous season, the French star Émilien Jacquelin emerges from the mists as usual. Beyond the aforementioned trio, Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson defies the hazy forecasts with his yearly objective to test Bø and force his Norwegian archrival to step outside his comfort zone.

Lou Jeanmonnot, 26, is one of the leading title candidates due to her consistent ascent. Last year, the rising French sensation won four races and had 12 podiums. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, another Frenchwoman, came back from maternity leave with a bang, matching Vittozzi’s six victories, shooting at a career best, and winning the IBU World Championships to match her Olympic Mass Start Gold medal. Prior to the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup, Franziska Preuß wasn’t one of the strongest favorites, but her present overall # 1 made her one. Last season, the German set a career-best on the range with two early podium finishes. After the WCH, she halted her season to concentrate on her health. A short individual victory at the German Summer Champs marked her resolute comeback. It looks like Preuß has the best chance to lift the Big Crystal Ball in March, according to betting platforms that have biathlon in their offers (there aren’t many of these): Marathonbet, Paddy Power…

Since the winters of 1977–78 for men and 1982–83 for women, the Biathlon World Cup has been taking place. Although participation wasn’t limited to European biathletes, the women’s seasons up until the 1986–87 season were referred to as the European Cup. The French Martin Fourcade has the most overall wins in the men’s World Cup: seven. As a nation, Norway has the most gold medals in the men’s competition: 16. Magdalena Forsberg from Sweden is the most successful female biathlete in the WC with six golds, while Norwegian women’s national teams have the most titles: nine.

The 2024 IBU World Championships in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic, set records for attendance, further solidifying biathlon’s steadily rising appeal. The IBU can boast of the over 210,000 spectators who came to watch their favorite biathlon stars compete in two weeks of exciting action from February 7–18, 2024. Even though World Championship points aren’t taken into account for the World Cup, the WCH is part of the WC calendar, so merits go to the latter as well.

Except for Norway and France, the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup events are streamed globally by the IBU’s website biathlonworld.com, and the Eurovision Sport platform, which allows fans to watch the action live.

Pros and Cons of the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup Favorites for Men

Pros and Cons of the 2024–25 Biathlon World Cup Favorites for Women