The Biathlon World Championships kick off today in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with the Mixed Relay. Discover how the race works and who the top contenders for gold are!

The mixed relay has been more and more popular every year since it came on the program for the Biathlon World Championships in 2005. There have been some changes in the format, but it has always been two men and two women in each team.

The relay is like the other relays, with five shots and three extra bullets to be loaded one by one. If you still haven’t hit all 5 targets after 8 shots, you must take on the penalty loop. It takes around 8-10 seconds extra to load and shoot an extra shoot. The penalty loop normally takes 22-25 seconds extra.

The key to success is to have four athletes who are not making any big mistakes. A penalty loop can put you out of the fight for the medals.

FORMER WORLD CHAMPIONS

(In 2005 and 2006, each nation could have two teams. From 2007 to 2019, the distance was 2×6 km + 2×7,5 km, and there was one team in each nation. In 2020, the distance was 4×6 km, but from 2021 it was 4×7,5 km with two men first and then two women)

• 2005    RUS, (Olga Pyleva, Svetlana Ishmouratova, Ivan Tcherezov, Nikolai Kruglov)
• 2006    RUS, (Anna Bogali-Titovets, Sergei Tshepikov, Irina Malgina, Nikolai Kruglov)
• 2007    SWE, (Helene Jonsson (Ekholm), Anna Carin Olofsson (Zidek), Björn Ferry, Carl Johan Bergman)
• 2008    GER, (Sabrina Buchholz, Magdalena Neuner, Andreas Birnbacher, Michael Greis)
• 2009    FRA, (Marie-Laure Brunet, Sylvie Becaert, Vincent Defrasne, Simon Fourcade)
• 2010    GER, (Simone Hauswald, Magdalena Neuner, Simon Schempp, Arnd Peiffer)
• 2011    NOR, (Tora Berger, Ann Kristin Flatland, Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Tarjei Bø)
• 2012    NOR, (Tora Berger, Synnøve Solemdal, Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Emil Hegle Svendsen)
• 2013    NOR, (Tora Berger, Synnøve Solemdal, Tarjei Bø, Emil Helge Svendsen)
• 2015    CZE, (Veronika Vitkova, Gabriela Soukalova (Koukalova), Michal Slesingr, Ondrej Moravec)
• 2016    FRA, (Anais Bescond, Marie Dorin Habert, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Martin Fourcade)
• 2017    GER, (Vanessa Hinz, Laura Dahlmeier, Arnd Peiffer, Simon Schempp)
• 2019    NOR, (Marte Olsbu Røiseland, Tiril Eckhoff, Johannes Thingnes Bø, Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen)
• 2020    NOR, (Marte Olsbu Røiseland, Tiril Eckhoff, Tarjei Bø, Johannes Thingnes Bø)
• 2021    NOR, (Sturla Holm Lægreid, Johannes Thingnes Bø, Tiril Eckhoff, Marte Olsbu Røiseland)
• 2023    NOR, (Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Marte Olsbu Røiseland, Sturla Holm Lægreid, Johannes Thingnes Bø)
• 2024    FRA, (Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Julia Simon)

FAVORITES

• FRANCE

Won last time and have dominated the relays this year. A gold medal in the first event would be a very big boost for the strong French team.

• SWEDEN

Sweden has won before, and they can do it again. They have some of the fastest skiers in Hanna Öberg, Martin Ponsiluoma, and Sebastian Samuelsson. Sweden’s key to a medal will be to avoid too many extra shots and the penalty loop.

• NORWAY

With one of the strongest men’s teams in the World, Norway can choose among several athletes. The situation is different among the women. There will be a much bigger chance for a top result if Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold is back in her old shape.

OUTSIDERS

• GERMANY

In a kind of generation change. Especially on the men’s side, where the Germans struggle to keep up with Norway and France. But the ladies are top-level and can be giving the Germans a medal.

• AUSTRIA

They are not the hottest medal favorite, but they have surprised before. Super veteran Simon Eder is one of the best shooters, and Anna Gandler is a top athlete at her best but was struggling at the beginning of the season.

• FINLAND

Has been the surprise this winter. Won the single mixed in Oberhof, and Suvi Minkkinen has established herself among the best. But can they come through four legs with the other top teams?

• ITALY

Normally, a contender here. However, the lack of last year’s World Cup winner, Lisa Vittozzi, greatly hurts the team. Tommaso Giacomel showed excellent form in Antholz but cannot win the relay alone. This time, it is a surprise if they take a medal.

START LIST

The 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

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