The Biathlon World Championships continues today in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with the 10km pursuit for women. Discover how the race works and who the top contenders for gold are!

Pursuit races start based on the results from the sprint. The sprint winner starts first and then you start as many seconds as you are behind. The 60 best from the sprint are qualified.

There are four shootings: prone-prone-standing-standing. Penalty loops for each missed shot and no extra bullets.

We often see athletes climbing quite a lot in the pursuit races. It’s a nervous type of race where many athletes normally are shooting side by side. For every clean shooting you can manage you will normally pass several competitors.

The women are racing 10km, only 2.5km longer than in the sprint. And with the double number of shootings stops you will understand that shooting is very important. You also need to shoot quickly. One penalty loop takes 20-25 seconds extra, this time you can easily lose if you are a very slow shooter.

The most difficult part of the pursuit is often the last standing shooting. The ones getting in the leading group to this shooting and coming out clean are normally fighting for the top spots. It’s not so easy to catch very much time on the relatively short laps.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS

• 1997    Magdalena Forsberg, SWE
• 1998    Magdalena Forsberg, SWE
• 1999    Olena Zubrilova, UKR
• 2000    Magdalena Forsberg, SWE
• 2001    Liv Grete Poiree (Skjelbreid), NOR
• 2003    Sandrine Bailly, FRA and Martine Glagow, GER (shared)
• 2004    Liv Grete Poiree (Skjelbreid), NOR
• 2005    Uschi Disl, GER
• 2007    Magdalena Neuner, GER
• 2008    Andrea Henkel, GER
• 2009    Helena Jonsson (Ekholm), SWE
• 2011    Kaisa Mäkäräinen, FIN
• 2012    Daria Domracheva, BLR
• 2013    Tora Berger, NOR
• 2015    Marie Dorin Habert, FRA
• 2016    Laura Dahlmeier, GER
• 2017    Laura Dahlmeier, GER
• 2018    Denise Herrmann, GER
• 2020    Dorothea Wierer, ITA
• 2021    Tiril Eckhoff, NOR
• 2023    Julia Simon, FRA
• 2024    Julia Simon, FRA

FAVORITES

1. Lou Jeanmonnot FRA

Her ice-cold shooting in pressed situations is often paying off in pursuit races. Jeanmonnot is an excellent biathlete when the women are racing side by side. She is also very confident and a good enough skier to hold off strong competitors on a final lap.

• Franziska Preuss, GER

Also confident after a super season so far. Seldom missing on the range and with better ski speed this Winter this is one of Germany’s biggest hopes for gold in the championships. Preuss also has the experience needed for fighting at the top.

• Elvira Öberg, SWE

With the knowledge that she can probably ski with one penalty, Elvira Öberg is one to look out for. But her shooting has been up and down this season. A good day on the range with 19-20 hits is hard to beat if she has a good starting position.

OUTSIDERS

Jeanne Richard, FRA

The shooting star of the French team has shown surprisingly strong shooting in pressed situations. It doesn’t look like she is hit by nerves. Still a little bit left to the absolute best in skiing, but she is definitely one who is good enough for a medal.

Julia Simon, FRA

The Queen of the last World Championships. Not as confident this year, but everybody knows the capacity. Neither the shooting nor the skiing has been at the same level this Winter, but Julia Simon is (like Braisaz-Bouchet) one you can never write off.

Selina Grotian, GER

The mega talent from Germany has been talked about for several years already. And this year she has taken the last step and showed that she has what it takes. Has been dominant as a junior and is together with Preuss the biggest Germany hope here.

Maren Kirkeeide, NOR

Another youngster who looks to have no nerves at all. Has been on the podium this year on the World Cup and is known for being very strong on the final lap. When she is shooting clean on the last standing, she often finds extra power for the finish. Her uncle is the former cross-country World champion Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset.

START LIST

The complete start list can be found HERE

Also Read – Biathlon World Championships 2025: Complete program for Lenzerheide

FACTS Lenzerheide Biathlon World Championships Season 2024/2025

• When: Wednesday, February 12 to Sunday, February 23, 2025 
• Who: Elite national biathletes – women and men
• Where: Lenzerheide, Switzerland
• What: IBU World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland

PROGRAM

Wednesday, February 12: Mixed Relay (W+M) (More details can be found HERE)

• 14:30 CET: Mixed Relay, Women+Men

Friday, February 14: 7.5km Sprint W (More details can be found HERE)

• 15:05 CET: 7.5km Sprint, Women

Saturday, February 15: 10km Sprint M (More details can be found HERE)

• 15:05 CET: 10km Sprint, Men

Sunday, February 16: 10km Pursuit W and 12.5km Pursuit M (More details can be found HERE)

• 12:05 CET: 10km Pursuit, Women
• 15:05 CET: 12.5km Pursuit, Men

Tuesday, February 18: 15km Individual W (More details can be found HERE)

• 15:05 CET: 15km Individual, Women

Wednesday, February 19: 20km Individual M (More details can be found HERE)

• 15:05 CET: 20km Individual, Men

Thursday, February 20: Single Mixed Relay (W+M) (More details can be found HERE)

• 16:05 CET: Single Mixed Relay, Woman+Man

Saturday, February 22: 4x6km Relay W and 4×7.5km Relay M (More details can be found HERE)

• 12:05 CET: 4x6km Relay, Women
• 15:05 CET: 4×7.5km Relay, Men

Sunday, February 23: 12.5km Mass Start W and 15km Mass Start M (More details can be found HERE)

• 13:45 CET: 12.5km Mass Start, Women
• 16:05 CET: 15km Mass Start, Men

After the World Championships in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), the biathlon World Cup heads to Nove Mesto Na Morave (Czech Republic) and Pokljuka (Slovenia). Then, the 2024/2025 World Cup season ends in Oslo (Norway).

Also Read: Biathlon World Cup and World Championships: Calendar for the 2024/2025 winter season

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