The Norwegian biathlon season opener had its final day on Sunday at Geilo, and it was anything but predictable. While many expected the home favorites to dominate, two athletes — one French and one Norwegian — rewrote the script with standout performances in the mass start.

Eric Perrot humbles the Norwegian elite

On the men’s side, Eric Perrot, the 24-year-old French rising star, put on a solid performance. He hit 20/20 targets and maintained a fierce rhythm throughout the race, leaving even the top Norwegian stars behind.

Coming in strong behind him was his teammate Emilien Jacquelin, who managed second place despite missing three shots. The top Norwegian, Martin Uldal, raced smart and earned a podium spot in third.

It’s a shock to some: Sturla Holm Lægreid, widely viewed as Norway’s top biathlete, could only finish seventh. And young talent Kasper Kalkenberg, showing promise, took eighth. Meanwhile, Saturday’s sprint winner Johan-Olav Botn dropped to 9th, and Ole Suhrke, racing independently, finished 10th.

The implications are significant: Geilo’s performances will factor into World Cup team selection for Östersund, as well as IBU Cup assignments.

The story continues below.

Top 5 Men – Mass Start

1. Eric Perrot (FRA), (0+0+0+0), 37:39.7
2. Emilien Jacquelin (FRA), (1+0+2+0), +8.8
3. Martin Uldal (NOR), (0+0+2+0), +11.2
4. Sivert Guttorm Bakken (NOR), (0+0+1+1), +20.8
5. Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (NOR), (1+0+1+1), +24.2

Complete results can be found HERE

Tandrevold answers back

In the women’s mass start, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold made a strong comeback following a disappointing sprint.

Starting in 15th place on Saturday, she bided her time and made a decisive attack on the fourth loop. By the final standing, she held a slim lead of roughly three seconds, which ballooned to more than 15 seconds by the finish line.

Afterward, Tandrevold shared with NRK how meaningful the win was:

“It was very nice. I don’t know if I’ve ever stood on the last standing with many others and pulled it off. So that was extremely fun.”

Close behind was Ragnhild Femsteinevik, who claims second and strengthens her case for a spot in the Östersund World Cup opener. The podium was completed by biathlon legend Dorothea Wierer, who claimed third.

One of the weekend’s biggest surprises came from Anne Bunemann De Besche (Denmark), half-Norwegian, who secured a strong fourth place, just over 30 seconds behind Tandrevold.

Not all went well for the prior-day winners: Maren Kirkeeide, who had taken the lead in the sprint, struggled immensely, missing seven shots, and finished 19th. Marit Øygard, runner-up in the sprint, put in a solid recovery to finish 7th.

The story continues below.

Top 5 Women – Mass Start

1. Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (NOR), (1+0+1+0), 36:51.4
2. Ragnhild Femsteinevik (NOR), (0+0+0+0), +15.3
3. Dorothea Wierer (ITA), (1+0+1+1), +22.9
4. Anne Bunemann De Besche (NOR), (0+0+0+0), +35.0
5. Lotte Lie (BEL), (0+1+0+0), +44.8

Complete results can be found HERE

Looking ahead

Geilo was supposed to give a preview of who Norway might lean on this season. Instead, it showed the field is wide open. As the biathlon world turns its eyes toward Östersund, one thing’s for sure — this season might be more unpredictable than many expected.

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