2024-2025 Season Recaps

Overall Top 10 Rankings

Athlete	Points
Franziska Preuss	1278
Lou Jeanmonnot	1258
Julia Simon	902
Elvira Oeberg	761
Oceane Michelon	760
Jeanne Richard	755
Suvi Minkkinen	694
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet	657
Selina Grotian	640
Maren Kirkeeide	548

Athlete	Points
Sturla Holm Laegreid	1291
Johannes Thingnes Boe	1173
Eric Perrot	926
Sebastian Samuelsson	875
Quentin Fillon Maillet	862
Tommaso Giacomel	827
Emilien Jacquelin	777
Tarjei Boe	679
Vebjoern Soerum	651
Jakov Fak	618

1. Their Victory – Our Victory

It’s a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life. It was nearing the end of a thrilling final race of the season. The Overall Globe was coming down to the last lap of the last race. Our top two contenders for the title had matched each other step for step until… “Oh my God.” “I’m sick.” “Did that really just happen?!?” It’s been just over 24 hours and I still can’t believe it…

Before we get to the exact details of this magnificent pitched battle in Holmenkollen, the moment it all turned, and the ending that will live on in our hearts forever, it’s imperative that we remember the long, winding, and thrilling journey that got us here. Continue reading Their Victory – Our Victory

2. The King is Dead – Long Live the King

All hail the king, Johannes Thingnes Boe, long may he reign.

After winning three consecutive Overall Globes and definitively ending the long reign of our prior monarch Martin Fourcade, JT Boe had suffered a small setback in the 2021-2022 season when he “only” took home five Olympic medals, including four gold medals. That season he momentarily ceded the throne to Quentin Fillon Maillet. Boe returned with a vengeance, though, and proved his supremacy over the last two seasons, firmly entrenching himself at the top of the sport. He had the best single season we’ve ever seen in biathlon in 2022-2023 and followed that up with solid Overall victory last year. In the middle of all of that he won 14 Worlds medals in 13 races including eight golds. Continue reading The King is Dead – Long Live the King

3. Breakthrough and Career Best Seasons

Every year we see improvement coming from all over the place. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the season to see these men and women and celebrate them throughout the year. Think of my love of Suvi Minkkinen this season! There is also something really exciting about an athlete reaching their potential or finding a level that you didn’t know was even possible for them. This pieces is dedicated to those athletes who achieved that this season!

Breakthroughs come in all shapes and sizes so here are just a few examples:
– Rising from being very good to a true great of the sport.
– Coming up from occasional top 10 to consistent top 10 contender.
– Moving from middle of the pack to make a name for themselves as a top 25 biathlete.
Continue Reading Breakthrough and Career Best Seasons

4. First Time Wins and Podiums

The 2024-2025 season was one we will long remember for many reasons including the thrilling battle between Franziska Preuss and Lou Jeanmonnot as well as the last dance for JT and Tarjei Boe. While that was going on, though, there were many athletes who were claiming the first wins and the first podiums of their careers. I just wanted to note them quickly. Continue Reading First Time Wins and Podiums

5. Most Improved Statistics

I have an entire post on the athletes who had either breakthrough seasons or career best years (there is a difference I promise). I also have a different piece on the top rookies for this season. I did want to highlight a few people who made some big improvements in one area or another though. Some of these names will look pretty familiar. Some might be a bit of a surprise. I just wanted a bit of a better way to post it and remember it than just putting it in a post on social media though. So, here we have some of our top improvements year over year in different statistical categories!

These are just looking at year over year improvements. Some of these athletes aren’t true “improvements” but more like reversions to the standard after down years last year. In this case I’m thinking of Sturla Holm Laegreid and QFM. Also, you’re not likely to see many of the absolute fastest on here because they don’t have as much room to actually improve. But that’s not the point of this exercise, it’s to find the ones who made the biggest leap! Continue Reading: Most Improved Statistics 2024-2025

6. Rookies of the Year

It was another great year for young biathletes! We saw a large number of them pop up in the piece on Breakthrough and Career Years. However, there are even more that didn’t qualify for that because they are true rookies! It’s time to give these young men and women their due!

I am basically defining rookies as biathletes who have not previously run a full trimester of consistent racing on the World Cup before this season.

With that, let’s see the Rookies of the Year! Continue Reading Rookies of the Year