Endre Strømsheim took the win at the start. © ANSA / KIMMO BRANDT

At the start of the biathlon: small and big surprises

After the relay competitions that took place over the weekend, the time had come on Tuesday: the first individual race of the new biathlon season was about to take place. The men competed in a short individual race in Kontiolahti (Finland). The results were both small and large surprises.

03 December 2024

From: det

In the men's biathlon last season, there was always the feeling that Norwegian championships were taking place instead of World Cup races. In the final ranking of the overall World Cup, six "super moose" were in the first seven positions. Triple or quadruple victories were not the exception, but the rule. And in the new season, not much seems to have changed. On Tuesday, there was a Norwegian triple victory in the shortened men's individual race (20 kilometers were run instead of 15).

However, the triumph did contain a small surprise. The victory was not won by the legendary Johannes Thingnes Bø (he came second) or the multiple world champion Sturla Holm Lægreid (third), but by Endre Strømsheim. The 27-year-old from Oslo has so far caused a sensation in the IBU Cup, the second highest racing series, where he has celebrated 18 victories. He has so far triumphed on the World Cup stage once, in January 2024 in Oberhof. Now Strømsheim was able to celebrate his next victory at the start of the season.

Strømsheim celebrates his victory. © ANSA / KIMMO BRANDT

The Norwegian, who made no mistakes in 20 shots, left Johannes Thingnes Bø just three seconds behind. Lægreid finished in third place, 24 seconds behind.

A Ukrainian amazes everyone

The big surprise of the race can be found in fourth place: Ukrainian Vitalii Mandzyn, who has never finished better than 4st in his career, finished there. With his outstanding precision on the shooting range (no mistakes), the 31-year-old provided a highlight in his still young career and also left former overall World Cup winner Quentin Fillon-Maillet (21th place) behind him.

Vitalii Mandzyn caused a surprise © ANSA / KIMMO BRANDT

The Azzurri had nothing to do with the decision. Lukas Hofer from Montal finished 21st and was thus the best of his team. The Pusterer made the first and only mistake in the fourth and final shooting, otherwise a top 10 placement would have been possible. Tommaso Giacomel from Trentino finished 29th (4 mistakes), while Patrick Braunhofer from Ridnaun finished 53rd.

The first women's race of the season will take place on Wednesday. Starting at 16.20:12,5 p.m., Dorothea Wierer & Co. will compete in a shortened individual competition over XNUMX kilometers.