The French arch-rivals have set their sights on Norway’s new superstar Johan-Olav Botn. Now the Norwegian responds to the challenge.

The battle for the biathlon throne is already heating up – just six weeks before the World Cup opener. This weekend, Norway’s new superstar Johan-Olav Botn will face off against French Olympic champion Eric Perrot for the first time since the Blink Festival in early August. The showdown will take place at IBU’s season kickoff Loop One.

Perrot won two golds and one silver at the Winter Olympics and claimed the overall World Cup title, but he narrowly lost to Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen in both races in Sandnes. 

There, Perrot also met Norway’s former gold coach Siegfried Mazet for the first time since Mazet took on the role of shooting coach for France this spring.

Since Blink, the two have been working closely together. 

“He is on another planet”

Now, the coaching team is talking about extraordinary progress, marveling at the development Perrot has shown this fall. In September, he dominated the French roller skiing championships.

“It’s incredible to see him develop in this way. He is on another planet, somewhat like what we have seen from (Johan-Olav) Botn in Norway,” says France’s head coach Simon Fourcade to NordicMag, revealing that they are closely monitoring what their Norwegian competitors are doing.

“I’m excited to see the first duels (with Perrot) at this level,” cheers Fourcade.  

“If he doesn’t make any mistakes between now and the season start, we can expect a hell of a show.”

Now, the Norwegian Olympic champion responds to the French saber-rattling. 

Johan-Olav Botn’s best placement at Blink was sixth, but he won two golds at the Norwegian Championships in roller skiing in September. He also had a strong performance against his competitors in both the sprint and the mass start. 

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Positioning himself as overall winner

The 27-year-old from Stårheim suggests that his French rival can expect solid competition from multiple fronts. 

“I believe there are many athletes who want to fight for the yellow bib,” says Botn to Biatlon Azzurro, listing them off.

“You have Sturla (Holm Lægreid), Vetle (Sjåstad Christiansen), and Johannes (Dale-Skjevdal). I think all the Norwegians on the team dream of wearing the yellow bib.” 

However, Botn believes he could be the man to beat this season. 

“If I start the season the same way I did last year, and have a normal season without illness and the issues I faced last winter, I expect to be in the running for the (overall victory),” he says. 

Botn held the yellow bib for the entire first part of last season but struggled after Christmas. 

Following the tragic discovery of his national team colleague and best friend Sivert Bakken’s death on Christmas Eve, Botn battled illness and performance issues. He missed several World Cup rounds after the New Year, which dashed his hopes for the overall title. Nevertheless, Botn fought his way to third place overall, in addition to winning gold and silver at the Olympics. 

In an interview with Langrenn.com, Botn states that he has never felt less pressure. 

Read More: Never Felt Less Pressure: – Last Year I Had to Prove Quite a Bit

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Answers coming on Saturday

This weekend will provide the first indication of what the winter may hold. Both Eric Perrot and Johan-Olav Botn will compete at the IBU’s season kickoff Loop One in Munich, alongside much of the world’s elite, just over a month before the World Cup opener in Kontiolahti on November 26. 

This is the second year the International Biathlon Union (IBU) is hosting the two-day biathlon festival. Loop One was launched last fall as a kickoff to the Olympic season. Last year, Eric Perrot and Lisa Vittozzi took the wins. 

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