Biathlon World Cup

IBU World Cup Biathlon
StatusActive
GenreSporting event
DateNorthern wintertime season
BeginsNovember
EndsMarch
FrequencyAnnual
CountryVarying
InauguratedJanuary 1978
AreaEurope, North America
Organised byInternational Biathlon Union
SponsorBMW[1]
2025–26 Biathlon World Cup

The Biathlon World Cup is a top-level biathlon season-long competition series. It has been held since the winter seasons of 1977–78 for men and 1982–83 for women. The women's seasons until 1986–87 season were called the European Cup, although participation was not restricted to Europeans.

Competition and format

The World Cup season lasts from November or December to late March, with meetings in a different venue every week excluding some holidays and a couple of weeks before the season's major championships (World Championships or Winter Olympics). All in all, the season comprises nine to ten meetings, with events taking place from Wednesday–Thursday through Sunday. Relay competitions are held four to six times per season. Formerly counted as World Cup events were World Championships (the last Championship to count towards the World Cup were held in Pokljuka, Slovenia 2021) and Winter Olympics events (the last Olympics to count towards the World Cup were the 2010 Winter Olympics: from the 2014 Winter Olympics competitors are no longer awarded World Cup points for their Olympic performances).[2]

The athlete with the highest overall total score (i.e. total score for all disciplines) of the World Cup season is awarded the Big Crystal Globe trophy. A Small Crystal Globe trophy is awarded for the first place in the season total for each discipline. Hence, it is possible for an athlete to win both the Big Crystal Globe and Small Crystal Globes for the same World Cup season.[3]

The tables given below provide an overview of the highest-ranking biathletes and nations of each WC season. For sprint/individual/pursuit/mass start first place gives 90 points, 2nd place – 75 pts, 3rd place – 65 pts, 4th place – 55 pts, 5th place – 50 pts, 6th place – 45 pts, 7th – 41 pts, 8th – 37 points, 9th – 34 points, 10th – 31 points, then linearly decreasing by one point down to the 40th place. In Equal placings (ties) give an equal number of points. The mass start from 22nd to 30th has different way of points giving. The sum of all WC points of the season, less the points from an IBU-predetermined number of events (e.g. 2), gives the biathlete's total WC score.

From 1985 to 2000, WC points were awarded so that the first four places gave 30, 26, 24, and 22 points, respectively, and then the 5th to 25th place gave 21, 20, ..., down to 1 point. Before this, points were simply awarded linearly from 25 to 1.

As of February 2024, meetings have primarily been held in Europe and North America; the only other places to have hosted meetings that weren't the World Championships or the Winter Olympics, are Nagano, Japan in 1996–97, and Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2007–08 and 2016–17.

Overall winners

Individual total men

Individual total women

The women's World Cup seasons until 1986–87 were actually called the European Cup, although participation was open to biathletes of all nationalities. Until 1987–88, women raced on shorter tracks than they do today. The 1988–89 season was the first in which women raced on tracks of the same length that they do nowadays.

Individual total U25 / U23

The U25 and U23 classifications were introduced in the Biathlon World Cup to recognize the best young biathletes under the age of 25 and under the age of 23, respectively. The titles are awarded based on the total points accumulated in all individual competitions throughout the season. The U25 category was contested from the 2020–21 season until 2023–24, while the U23 category replaced it starting from the 2024–25 season. Below are the podium finishers for both men and women since the inception of the classifications, as well as medal tables by country.

Individual discipline titles

List of Biathlon World Cup winners of men's discipline titles, List of Biathlon World Cup winners of women's discipline titles

Men's titles

Season Individual Sprint Pursuit Mass Start
1988–89 Alexandr Popov Eirik Kvalfoss no competition no competition
1989–90 Sergei Tchepikov Juri Kashkarov
1990–91 Mark Kirchner Sergei Tchepikov
1991–92 Jon Åge Tyldum Sylfest Glimsdal
1992–93 Mikael Löfgren Sven Fischer
1993–94 Patrice Bailly-Salins Sven Fischer
1994–95 Patrick Favre Ole Einar Bjørndalen
1995–96 Vladimir Drachev Vladimir Drachev
1996–97 Ricco Groß Ole Einar Bjørndalen Viktor Maigourov
1997–98 Halvard Hanevold Ole Einar Bjørndalen Sven Fischer
1998–99 Pavel Rostovtsev Sven Fischer Raphaël Poirée Sven Fischer
1999–00 Frank Luck Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen Raphaël Poirée
2000–01 Sergei Rozhkov Ole Einar Bjørndalen Raphaël Poirée Sven Fischer (2)
2001–02 Frank Luck (2) Sven Fischer (4) Raphaël Poirée Viktor Maigourov
2002–03 Halvard Hanevold (2) Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen
2003–04 Raphaël Poirée Raphaël Poirée Raphaël Poirée (4) Raphaël Poirée
2004–05 Michael Greis Ole Einar Bjørndalen Sven Fischer (2) Raphaël Poirée (3)
Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen
2005–06 Michael Greis Tomasz Sikora Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen
2006–07 Raphaël Poirée (2) Michael Greis Dmitry Yaroshenko Ole Einar Bjørndalen
2007–08 Vincent Defrasne Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen (5)
2008–09 Michael Greis (3) Ole Einar Bjørndalen (9) Ole Einar Bjørndalen (5) Dominik Landertinger
2009–10 Christoph Sumann Emil Hegle Svendsen Martin Fourcade Christoph Sumann
2010–11 Emil Hegle Svendsen Tarjei Bø Tarjei Bø Emil Hegle Svendsen
2011–12 Simon Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Andreas Birnbacher
2012–13 Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade
2013–14 Emil Hegle Svendsen Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade
2014–15 Serhiy Semenov Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Anton Shipulin
2015–16 Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade
2016–17 Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade
2017–18 Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade Martin Fourcade (8) Martin Fourcade (5)
Johannes Thingnes Bø
2018–19 Johannes Thingnes Bø Johannes Thingnes Bø Johannes Thingnes Bø Johannes Thingnes Bø
2019–20 Martin Fourcade (5) Martin Fourcade (8) Émilien Jacquelin Johannes Thingnes Bø
2020–21 Sturla Holm Lægreid Johannes Thingnes Bø Sturla Holm Lægreid Tarjei Bø
2021–22 Tarjei Bø Quentin Fillon Maillet Quentin Fillon Maillet Sivert Guttorm Bakken
2022–23 Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen Johannes Thingnes Bø Johannes Thingnes Bø Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen
2023–24 Johannes Thingnes Bø (3) Tarjei Bø (2) Johannes Thingnes Bø (3) Johannes Thingnes Bø (3)
2024–25 Sturla Holm Lægreid (2) Johannes Thingnes Bø (4) Sturla Holm Lægreid (2) Sturla Holm Lægreid
2025–26 Éric Perrot Sturla Holm Lægreid Éric Perrot Éric Perrot

Women's titles

Season Individual Sprint Pursuit Mass Start
1988–89 Elena Golovina Elena Golovina no competition no competition
1989–90 Elena Golovina (2) Jiřina Adamičková
1990–91 Svetlana Davidova Uschi Disl
1991–92 Anfisa Reztsova Anfisa Reztsova
1992–93 Anfisa Reztsova (2) Anfisa Reztsova (2)
1993–94 Nathalie Santer Svetlana Paramygina
1994–95 Svetlana Paramygina Anne Briand
1995–96 Andreja Grašič Emmanuelle Claret
1996–97 Uschi Disl Uschi Disl (2) Magdalena Forsberg
1997–98 Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg
1998–99 Uschi Disl (2) Magdalena Forsberg Olena Zubrilova Olena Zubrilova
1999–00 Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg Galina Koukleva
2000–01 Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg Magdalena Forsberg
2001–02 Magdalena Forsberg (4) Magdalena Forsberg (5) Magdalena Forsberg (5) Magdalena Forsberg (2)
2002–03 Linda Tjørhom Sylvie Becaert Martina Glagow Albina Akhatova
2003–04 Olga Pyleva Liv Grete Poirée Liv Grete Poirée Liv Grete Poirée
2004–05 Olga Pyleva (2) Kati Wilhelm Sandrine Bailly Olga Zaitseva
2005–06 Svetlana Ishmouratova Kati Wilhelm (2) Kati Wilhelm Martina Glagow
2006–07 Andrea Henkel Anna Carin Olofsson Kati Wilhelm Kati Wilhelm
2007–08 Martina Glagow Magdalena Neuner Sandrine Bailly (2) Magdalena Neuner
2008–09 Magdalena Neuner Helena Jonsson Kati Wilhelm (3) Helena Jonsson
2009–10 Anna Carin Zidek Simone Hauswald Magdalena Neuner Magdalena Neuner (2)
2010–11 Helena Ekholm Magdalena Neuner Kaisa Mäkäräinen Darya Domracheva
2011–12 Helena Ekholm (2) Magdalena Neuner (3) Darya Domracheva Darya Domracheva
2012–13 Tora Berger Tora Berger Tora Berger Tora Berger
2013–14 Gabriela Soukalová Kaisa Mäkäräinen Kaisa Mäkäräinen Darya Domracheva (3)
2014–15 Kaisa Mäkäräinen Darya Domracheva Darya Domracheva (2) Franziska Preuß
Kaisa Mäkäräinen (3)
2015–16 Dorothea Wierer Gabriela Soukalová Gabriela Soukalová Gabriela Soukalová
2016–17 Laura Dahlmeier Gabriela Koukalová (2) Laura Dahlmeier Gabriela Koukalová (2)
2017–18 Nadezhda Skardino Anastasiya Kuzmina Anastasiya Kuzmina Kaisa Mäkäräinen
2018–19 Lisa Vittozzi Anastasiya Kuzmina (2) Dorothea Wierer Hanna Öberg
2019–20 Hanna Öberg Denise Herrmann Tiril Eckhoff Dorothea Wierer
2020–21 Lisa Theresa Hauser Tiril Eckhoff Tiril Eckhoff (2) Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold
Dorothea Wierer (2)
2021–22 Markéta Davidová Marte Olsbu Røiseland Marte Olsbu Røiseland Justine Braisaz-Bouchet
2022–23 Lisa Vittozzi Denise Herrmann-Wick (2) Julia Simon Julia Simon
2023–24 Lisa Vittozzi (3) Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold Lisa Vittozzi Lou Jeanmonnot
2024–25 Lou Jeanmonnot Franziska Preuß Lou Jeanmonnot Franziska Preuß (2)
2025–26 Lou Jeanmonnot (2) Lou Jeanmonnot Lou Jeanmonnot (2)

Relay titles

Nations Cup

Race winners

Below is a list of all male and female biathletes that have won eight or more individual World Cup, World Championships or Olympic races. Biathletes whose names are highlighted in light blue are still active.[6]

  • Updated: 20 March 2026

Most wins & podiums in a season

Most wins in a season

Most podiums in a season

Most starts

List of top 10 most started all male and female biathletes in individual World Cup or Olympic races. Biathletes whose names are highlighted in light blue are still active.[7]

  • Updated: 12 March 2026

See also


References

  1. ^ "Infront, BMW Germany Renew Partnership For IBU, IBSF, FIL Events". Sports Business Journal. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  2. ^ "World Cup Biathlon Victories: How Many for Ole?". International Biathlon Union. 3 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  3. ^ Nordvall, Michael (2017). Two Skis and a Rifle: An Introduction to Biathlon. Michael P Nordvall.
  4. ^ "Records Men | Real Biathlon". RealBiathlon.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Records Women | Real Biathlon". RealBiathlon.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Men's Overall records". realbiathlon.com.
  7. ^ "Overall Records - real biathlon".