The Biathlon World Championships continues today in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with the 20km individual for men. Discover how the race works and who the top contenders for gold are!

The longest race for the male biathletes and the only one without penalty loops. The individual races are often considered the “shooters races” because here, you get a full-minute penalty for each missed shot. That is hard to take back in the tracks, even if you are a good skier.

There are four shooting stops, two in the prone position and two in the standing. The targets are the same as for the other events, and the distance is still 50 meters. No spare rounds.

You can normally see the athletes shooting with more security in this discipline, not using the same shooting speed as for the shorter events with penalty loops or extra shots. It’s rare to see a winner with less than 18 hits out of 20 winning this event.

This is the biggest chance for the skiers who are not the fastest but, instead, extremely good shooters. The individual races are normally also the hardest to tip ahead of the races.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS

• 1958    Adolf Wiklund, SWE
• 1959    Vladimir Melnjin, SOV
• 1961    Kalevi Huuskonen, FIN
• 1962    Vladimir Melanjin, SOV
• 1963    Vladimir Melanjin, SOV
• 1965    Olav Jordet, NOR
• 1966    Jon Istad, NOR
• 1967    Viktor Mamatov, SOV
• 1969    Aleksandr Tikhonov, SOV
• 1970    Aleksandr Tikhonov, SOV
• 1971    Dieter Speer, DDR
• 1973    Aleksandr Tikhonov, SOV
• 1974    Juhani Suutarinen, FIN
• 1975    Heikki Ikola, FIN
• 1977    Heikki Ikola, FIN
• 1978    Odd Lirhus, NOR
• 1979    Klaus Siebert, DDR
• 1981    Heikki Ikola, FIN
• 1982    Frank Ullrich, DDR
• 1983    Frank Ullrich, DDR
• 1985    Jurij Kaskarov, SOV
• 1986    Valeri Medvedtsev, SOV
• 1987    Frank-Peter Rötsch, DDR
• 1988    Eirik Kvalfoss, NOR
• 1990    Valerij Medvedtsev, SOV
• 1991    Mark Kirchner, GER
• 1993    Andreas Zingerle, ITA
• 1995    Tomasz Sikora, POL
• 1996    Sergej Tarasov, RUS
• 1997    Ricco Groß, GER
• 1999    Sven Fischer, GER
• 2000    Wolfgang Rottmann, AUT
• 2001    Paavo Puurunen, FIN
• 2003    Halvard Hanevold, NOR
• 2004    Raphael Poiree, FRA
• 2005    Roman Dostal, CZE
• 2007    Raphael Poiree, FRA
• 2008    Emil Hegle Svendsen, NOR
• 2009    Ole Einar Bjørndalen, NOR
• 2011    Tarjei Bø, NOR
• 2012    Jakov Fak, SLO
• 2013    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2015    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2016    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2017    Lowell Bailey, USA
• 2019    Arnd Peiffer, GER
• 2020    Martin Fourcade, FRA
• 2021    Sturla Holm Lægreid, NOR
• 2023    Johannes Thingnes Bø, NOR
• 2024    Johannes Thingnes Bø, NOR

FAVORITES

1. Sturla Holm Lægreid, NOR

Probably the best all-rounder and normally in the absolute top of the range. He has had a few bad rounds this Winter but most be the biggest favorite. Bad memories from Lenzerheide, though. This is where he fired a shot in the hotel room and got a penalty from IBU.

• Quentin Fillon Maillet, FRA

Experienced, a good shooter normally, and know how it is to have success in a championship. Going a bit under the radar this season, but he cannot be written off as one of the names fighting for gold here.

• Tarjei Bø, NOR

Last chance for the super veteran who has surprised by coming back to winning again this Winter. The key for the oldest of the two Bø-brothers is often the last standing shooting. But confidence has to be there after good results lately.

OUTSIDERS

Eric Perrot, FRA

The youngest of the big French hopes. A little up and down in his results coming into the Worlds, but he has what it takes to be up there in the mix.

Johannes Thingnes Bø, NOR

The champion of the two last championships. If he shoots 19 or 20, he will be hard to beat. And it will be the last chance so probably JTB will come with some extra motivation. He is not the fastest on the final lap, but it doesn’t have to be so important here.

Vebjørn Sørum, NOR

Finally, a breakthrough at the World Cup this season. He is famous for his enormous skiing on the final laps. On a good day he can also shoot 20 out of 20. Then he will be up there among the best. The questions mark is if this is the right day, there has been a few ups and downs also for Sørum.

Niklas Hartweg, SUI

His father built the stadium. Niklas Hartweg has nearly grown up here and nobody knows the tracks and the range better than him. Will be super motivated, but also under a lot of pressure. This may be Switzerland’s biggest hope for a medal at home.

Jakov Fak, SLO

Another super veteran who has his best distance here. Fak’s name is very often to be seen high up after 20km races. He is a good skier, even though he loses on the best ones. But mistakes on the range are rare from this man and that makes up for the lost time in the track – if the other top names are missing.

Emilien Jacquelin, FRA

What to say? It can be top or bottom. You never know. Also a hot candidate for gold, but Jacquelin is the most unpredictable of the big names. Sometimes, he just crushes everybody. Other times, he is way off the fight for the victory.

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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