The Biathlon World Championships continues today in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with the 12.5km pursuit for men. 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 men are racing 12.5km, 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    Viktor Maigurov, RUS
• 1998    Vladimir Dratchev, RUS
• 1999    Ricco Groß, GER
• 2000    Frank Luck, GER
• 2001    Pavel Rostovtsev, RUS
• 2003    Ricco Groß, GER
• 2004    Ricco Groß, GER
• 2005    Ole Einar Bjørndalen, NOR
• 2007    Ole Einar Bjørndalen, NOR
• 2008    Ole Einar Bjørndalen, NOR
• 2009    Ole Einar Bjørndalen, NOR
• 2011    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2012    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2013    Emil Hegle Svendsen, NOR
• 2015    Erik Lesser, GER
• 2016    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2017    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2019    Dmytro Pidrushny, UKR
• 2020    Emilien Jacquelin, FRA
• 2021    Emilien Jacquelin, FRA
• 2023    Johannes Thingnes Bø, NOR
• 2024    Johannes Thingnes Bø, NOR

FAVORITES

1. Emilien Jacquelin, FRA

Coming to Lenzerheide with confidence after having delivered several top races this season. Jacquelin is a fast shooter, and he has the speed to challenge nearly everybody in the tracks. The question marks are because of his sudden failures from time to time.

2. Sturla Holm Lægreid, NOR

Normally better here than in the sprint. Has been the best shooter of them all and he is often the one getting away without penalties from the last standing shooting. The weakness is the finish sprint, where Lægreid is not the fastest.

3. Johannes Thingnes Bø, NOR

It all depends on in which condition the biggest star is arriving at the World Championships. If Johannes is like earlier seasons, he is always the name to say first. But this Winter has been different, and he has now also declared that he will retire after 2025. Is this affecting his results? He has won the two last pursuits at the World Championships and yesterday won the sprint race.

OUTSIDERS

Eric Perrot, FRA

The youngest of the big French hopes. But he acts like he is one of the most experienced. Perrot is also ice cold when the pressure is big. But his skiing form was not on top at the last World Cup in Antholz. But the half French/half Norwegian is a clear candidate for a medal.

Sebastian Samuelsson, SWE

If the shooting is there, “Sebbe” is a man for the big occasions. He has the speed to follow anybody. And his sprint is better than most of the others. The question mark is on the range. He cannot get too many penalties if he wants to challenge for the medals.

Tarjei Bø, NOR

Was close to not qualify for the Norwegian team. But under the biggest pressure he showed his excellent skills and was back as a winner, more than 10 years after the first time. Tarjei is normally very good in the 3 first shootings, but he has had a problem hitting all 5 in the last standing. A good skier, but is he as good as his little brother?

Quentin Fillon Maillet, FRA

Also one of the most experienced athletes. Fillon Maillet is used to being in these kinds of situations. He is normally a good shooter, even though he has been a little up and down this season. The same is to be said about his cross-country form. From the absolute top to days where he cannot follow the best ones. On a perfect day he can also win.

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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