From Olympic pioneers and World Championship hosts to World Cup stars and technical details, this Christmas quiz challenges your knowledge of biathlon. How many of the 30 questions can you answer correctly?

Christmas time is also quiz time, and for biathlon fans, it’s the perfect opportunity to look back at the sport’s rich history, iconic athletes, and memorable moments. From Olympic champions and World Championship legends to surprising facts, venues, and technical details, biathlon offers endless material to test even the most dedicated followers of the sport.

We have put together a 30-question Christmas quiz focused entirely on biathlon. The questions span different eras, nations, and disciplines, covering everything from Olympic history and World Cup winners to shooting distances, penalty loops, and championship venues.

Whether you follow biathlon closely throughout the season or enjoy revisiting the sport’s most significant moments during the holidays, this quiz is designed to challenge your knowledge and spark a bit of friendly debate around the Christmas table.

Good luck and enjoy the quiz.

Biathlon Questions

1) The first Olympic champion in biathlon was Swedish. It happened in Squaw Valley, USA, in 1960. What was his name?

a) Janne Halvarsson
b) Klas Lestander
c) Tommy Höglund

2) Which Norwegian biathlete won her first World Cup race in the final event in Le Grand-Bornand before Christmas?

a) Maren Kirkeeide
b) Karoline Knotten
c) Juni Arnekleiv

3) Who will host the Biathlon World Championships in 2027?

a) Otepää, Estonia
b) Ruhpolding, Germany
c) Holmenkollen, Norway

4) Ole Einar Bjørndalen won the Olympic sprint in Nagano 1998. It was a Norwegian one–two. Who won silver?

a) Halvard Hanevold
b) Frode Andresen
c) Lars Berger

5) USA’s Campbell Wright won two medals at the 2025 World Championships. But he actually comes from another country. Which one?

a) Canada
b) Australia
c) New Zealand

6) What is the name of the Finnish athlete who was a sensational runner-up in the World Cup season opener in Östersund this season?

a) Suvi Minkkinen
b) Sonja Leinamo
c) Kaisa Mäkäräinen

7) One Norwegian athlete won 2 golds and 1 silver at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Who?

a) Ole Einar Bjørndalen
b) Emil Hegle Svendsen
c) Halvard Hanevold

8) The Öberg sisters and Anna Magnusson all come from the same town in northern Sweden. Which town?

a) Piteå
b) Luleå
c) Skellefteå

9) Who won the men’s overall World Cup last season?

a) Johannes Thingnes Bø
b) Sebastian Samuelsson
c) Sturla Holm Lægreid

10) A French male athlete who won 2 golds and 3 silvers at the Beijing 2022 Olympics?

a) Quentin Fillon Maillet
b) Emilien Jacquelin
c) Eric Perrot

11) When were the Biathlon World Championships (senior level – the Junior World Championships were held there in 2025) last held in Östersund?

a) 2015
b) 2019
c) 2021

12) What is the name of the place in Alberta, Canada, that has hosted World Cup events in both cross-country skiing and biathlon?

a) Canmore
b) Thunder Bay
c) Silver Star

13) Norwegian biathlete who won Olympic gold both in 1968 and 1972 – and later became a police officer?

a) Tor Svendsberget
b) Ragnar Tveiten
c) Magnar Solberg

14) The Biathlon World Championships have once been held in Falun. When?

a) 1981
b) 1986
c) 1991

15) Italian star Lisa Vittozzi comes from the same small village as former cross-country skiing star Silvio Fauner. What is the name of the village?

a) Cortina d’Ampezzo
b) Toblach/Dobbiaco
c) Sappada

16) When did the single mixed relay become an Olympic event?

a) 2018
b) 2022
c) It is not an Olympic event

17) Finnish biathlete who won World Championship gold in 1975, 1977, and 1981?

a) Paavo Puurunen
b) Heikki Ikola
c) Juhani Suutarinen

18) Norwegian biathlete who won World Championship medals in all 7 events in Anterselva/Antholz in 2020, including 4 golds?

a) Marte Olsbu Røiseland
b) Johannes Thingnes Bø
c) Tiril Eckhoff

19) How many gold medals did Elvira Öberg win at the Junior World Championships in Otepää in 2018?

a) 1
b) 3
c) None

20) Last season, the Biathlon World Championships were held in Switzerland for the first time. Where?

a) Davos
b) Lenzerheide
c) St. Moritz

21) Swedish Olle Dahlin is the president of the IBU. Which city does he come from?

a) Karlstad
b) Östersund
c) Stockholm

22) At what distance do you shoot in biathlon?

a) 25 meters
b) 50 meters
c) 100 meters

23) How long is a penalty loop normally?

a) 150 meters
b) 200 meters
c) 250 meters

24) How big is the target in prone shooting?

a) 30 mm
b) 45 mm
c) 60 mm

25) And how big is the target in standing shooting?

a) 90 mm
b) 105 mm
c) 115 mm

26) Two venues in Germany normally host World Cup events every year. One is Ruhpolding. What is the other?

a) Arber
b) Oberstdorf
c) Oberhof

27) In which Norwegian city does Johannes Thingnes Bø live?

a) Kongsvinger
b) Kongsberg
c) Lillehammer

28) Hochfilzen is a regular stop on the World Cup circuit. In which country is the venue located?

a) Germany
b) Austria
c) Slovenia

29) French star who was sentenced this autumn for stealing from a teammate?

a) Lou Jeanmonnot
b) Océane Michelon
c) Julia Simon

30) What is the name of the biathlon venue in Slovenia that hosts World Cup events?

a) Hochfilzen
b) Pokljuka
c) Nové Město na Moravě

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Biathlon Answers

1-b, 2-a, 3-a, 4-b, 5-c, 6-b, 7-b, 8-a, 9-c, 10-a, 11-b, 12-a, 13-c, 14-b, 15-c, 16-c, 17-b, 18-a, 19-b, 20-b, 21-a, 22-b, 23-a, 24-b, 25-c, 26-c, 27-a, 28-b, 29-c, 30-b.

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