The Biathlon World Championships continues today in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with the 7.5km sprint for women. Discover how the race works and who the top contenders for gold are!

The sprint has two shooting stops. First, five shots from the prone position, and after the next lap, five shots from the standing position. In the prone, the target is only 4,5cm (the inner ring), and in the standing, it is 11cm (the whole black).

For every missed shot, you must make a penalty loop. This normally takes 20-25 seconds extra.

Few of the athletes are fast enough to win, even with clean shooting. The best skiers can normally fight for gold with one – at rare times two – penalty loops. This greatly lowers the number of athletes able to win the race.

Wind is a big factor, and the athletes can adjust the rifle for wind. In difficult wind conditions we often see some surprise results on the shooting range. But skiing is important here and the conditions for skiing are also crucial. If you don’t have good skis, you can also lose a lot of time.

For some reason, the last shot in the standing tends to be more difficult than the others. This is when the nerves hit you and we have often seen top athletes dropping this shot and having to take one penalty loop.

The women’s sprint has been on the program of the World Championships since 1988. The women were racing 5km at the start, but today the distance is 7.5km. Three laps of 2.5km each. The sprint is also very important because it gives you the start list for the pursuit race.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS (5km through 1988)

• 1984    Venera Tshernysova, SOV
• 1985    Sanna Grønlid, NOR
• 1986    Kaja Parve, USSR
• 1987    Elena Golovina, USSR
• 1988    Petra Schaaf, GER
• 1989    Anne Elvebakk, NOR
• 1990    Anne Elvebakk, NOR
• 1991    Grete Ingeborg Nykkelmo, NOR
• 1993    Myriam Bédard, CAN
• 1995    Anne Briand, FRA
• 1996    Olga Romasko, RUS
• 1997    Olga Romasko, RUS
• 1999    Martina Zellner, GER
• 2000    Liv Grete Skjelbreid, NOR
• 2001    Kati Wilhelm, GER
• 2003    Sylvie Becaert, FRA
• 2004    Liv Grete Poiree (Skjelbreid), NOR
• 2005    Uschi Disl, GER
• 2007    Magdlaena Neuner, GER
• 2008    Andrea Henkel, GER
• 2009    Kati Wilhelm, GER
• 2011    Magdalena Neuner, GER
• 2012    Magdalena Neuner, GER
• 2013    Olena Pidrushna, UKR
• 2015    Marie Dorin Habert, FRA
• 2016    Tiril Eckhoff, NOR
• 2017    Gabriela Koukalova, CZE
• 2019    Anastasia Kuzmina, SVK
• 2020    Marte Olsbu Røiseland, NOR
• 2021    Tiril Eckhoff, NOR
• 2023    Denise Herrmann-Wick, GER
• 2024    Julia Simon, FRA

FAVORITES

1. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, FRA

She definitely has the speed and experience to win this. Highly decorated and with her biggest strength in the tracks. Braisaz-Bouchet has though had some problems with the shooting this season and she needs probably 9 hits for fighting in the top here.

• Franziska Preuss, GER

Surprisingly strong this season after having had many seasons on the top level. But it has all come together for the German World Cup-leader this Winter. Her skiing has improved, and she is one of the best on the range. Will probably need to shoot 10 out of 10 to win.

• Elvira Öberg, SWE

One of the few who can win with one penalty loop even if the others are cleaning all ten. Very fast skier. But there has been some doubt: Had to leave out the last World Cup in Antholz due to sickness. And her shooting was not good in the beginning of the season.

OUTSIDERS

Lou Jeanmonnot, FRA

The best of all when they are shooting four times. She is ice cold in the pressed situations, and we have seen many times that she cleans the targets on the last standing when the others are missing. But Jeanmonnot is not the fastest in the track and she is better in the fight woman to woman side by side. Can win, but there are bigger chances in other races.

Julia Simon, FRA

If she finds the form from Nove Mesto na Morave in the last World Championships she is nearly unbeatable. But Julia Simon has not been at this standard in the season 2024/2025. Her skiing speed is not the same as last year. And in Kontiolahti she had problems and had to stop uphill. The capacity is there, but there are question marks about here form, both on the range and on the tracks.

Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, NOR

Another question mark. Needed to make a pause over Christmas and had surgery for her heart problems. Has come back, but is the Norwegian at her best again? She showed improvement in Ruhpolding and Antholz. And she also has the capacity of winning in Lenzerheide. But what have the heart problems given her for mental setbacks?

Hanna Öberg, SWE

The standard hasn’t been up to earlier for the oldest sister Öberg. But she is a championship racer. We saw that in the World Championships in Oberhof where she was outstanding. She has been far away from this form in 2024/2025. And “the old Hanna Öberg” is maybe better with four shootings. But like Wierer and other veterans: Never write them off!

START LIST

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

Are you interested in biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.