The Biathlon World Championships continues today in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with the 4x6km relay for women. Discover how the race works and who the top contenders for gold are!

The women’s relay is now 4x6km. The competition starts with a mass start for the first member in each team. Then they run one by one till all four have completed their leg. Each leg has two shootings, one in the prone position and one standing.

Athletes have three spares to load manually in case of missed shots. If a target(s) remains standing after the three spares, the athlete goes to the 150m penalty loop.

It takes 8-10 seconds extra to load and shoot a spare round. The penalty loop takes normally 20-25 seconds extra. So, it costs a lot if you are not hitting 5 out of 5. And if you have to go to the penalty loop you normally lose contact with the leading teams. This time is always hard to take back.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS (3x5km through 1991, from 2004 3x6km instead of 3×7.5km)

• 1984    SOV, (Venera Tshernysova, Ludmila Zabolotnjaja, Kaja Parve)
• 1985    SOV, (Venera Tshernysova, Elena Golovina, Kaja Parve)
• 1986    SOV, (Kaja Parve, Nadija Bielova, Venera Tshernysova)
• 1987    SOV, (Elena Golovina, Venera Tshernysova, Kaja Parve)
• 1988    SOV, (Venera Tshernysova, Elena Golovina, Kaja Parve)
• 1989    SOV, (Natalia Prikostsjikova, Svetlana Davydova, Elena Golovina)
• 1990    SOV, (Elena Batsevitch, Elena Golovina, Svetlana Davydova)
• 1991    SOV, (Elena Belova, Elena Golovina, Svetlana Davydova)
• 1993    CZE, (Jana Kulhava, Jirina Adamcikova, Iveta Knizkova, Eva Hakova)
• 1995    GER, (Uschi Disl, Antje Harvey, Simone Greiner-Petter-Memm, Petra Schaaf)
• 1996    GER, (Uschi Disl, Simone Greier-Petter-Memm, Katrin Apel, Petra (Schaaf) Behle)
• 1997    GER, (Uschi Disl, Simone Greier-Petter-Memm, Katrin Apel, Petra (Schaaf) Behle)
• 1990    GER, (Uschi Disl, Simone Greier-Petter-Memm, Katrin Apel, Martina Zellner)
• 2000    RUS, (Olga Pyleva, Svetlana Tschernousvoa, Galina Kukleva, Albina Akhatova)
• 2001    RUS, (Olga Pyleva, Anna Bogali, Galina Kukleva, Svetlana Ishmouratova)
• 2003    RUS, (Albina Akhatova, Svetlana Ishmouratova, Galina Kukleva, Svetlana Tschernousova)
• 2004    NOR, (Linda Tjørhom, Gro Marit Istad Kristiansen, Gunn Margit Andreassen, Liv Grete Poiree)
• 2005    RUS, (Olga Pyleva, Svetlana Ishmouratova, Anna Bogali-Titovets, Olga Zaitseva)
• 2007    GER, (Martina Glagow, Andrea Henkel, Magdalena Neuner, Kati Wilhelm)
• 2008    GER, (Martina Glagow, Andrea Henkel, Magdalena Neuner, Kati Wilhelm)
• 2009    RUS, (Svetlana Sleptsova, Anna Bulygina, Olga Medvetseva, Olga Zaitseva)
• 2011    GER, (Andrea Henkel, Miriam Gössner, Tina Bachmann, Magdalena Neuner)
• 2012    GER, (Tina Bachmann, Magdalena Neuner, Miriam Gössner, Andrea Henkel)
• 2013    NOR, (Hilde Fenne, Ann Kristin Aafedt Flatladn, Synnøve Solemdal, Tora Berger)
• 2015    GER, (Franziska Hildebrand, Franziska Preuss, Vanessa Hinz, Laura Dahlmeier)
• 2016    NOR, (Synnøve Solemdal, Fanny Horn Birkeland, Tiril Eckholl, Marte Olsbu)
• 2017    GER, (Vanessa Hinz, Maren Hammerschmidt, Franziska Hildebrand, Laura Dahlmeier)
• 2019    NOR, (Synnøve Solemdal, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Tiril Eckhoff, Marte Olsbu Røiseland)
• 2020    NOR, (Synnøve Solemdal, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Tiril Eckhoff, Marte Olsbu Røiseland)
• 2021    NOR, (Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Tiril Eckhoff, Ida Lien, Marte Olsbu Røiseland)
• 2023    ITA, (Samuela Comola, Dorothea Wierer, Hannah Auchentaller, Lisa Vittozzi)
• 2024    FRA, (Lou Jeanmonnot, Sophie Chauveau, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Julia Simon)

FAVORITES

FRANCE

The reigning champions must be the biggest bid for gold again. Braisaz-Bouchet and Simon have troubled more than normal this Winter. On the other side Jeanmonnot has taken a step forward and youngster have increased the fight within the team.

SWEDEN

The Swedes have for sure the capacity to win here. Unsure shooting has been an issue. But new stars like Ella Halvarsson has lifted the competition within this team as well. If Elvira Öberg is involved in the gold fight on the last lap she is dangerous.

NORWAY

Even without stars like Marte Olsbu Røiseland and Tiril Eckhoff the “new” Norwegian team has been on the podium this year. The team needs Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold in top shape as well as good skiing form for the others. Maren Kirkeeide is the one who has taken the biggest steps in the team this season.

OUTSIDERS

GERMANY

A setback that Vanessa Vogt is not available. But Selina Grotian and Franziska Preuss will head a German team with a clear target for medals. They might not have four athletes at the same level as France, but Germany have good traditions in relays and will probably have good support from the crowd in Lenzerheide.

SWITZERLAND

The home crowd will go bananas if the home team should medal here. Amy Baserga and Lena Haecki-Gross are top names, but the rest of the team must deliver over normal standard if there is going to be a Swiss medal.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Another nation with good history in the relays. But not like the days with Koukalova, Vitkova and other stars. The back injury on Marketa Davidova has a big setback. She is the team’s biggest star.

START LIST

The complete start list can be found HERE and 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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