Biathlon | Hochfilzen: the sprint start lists… with Julia Simon number 58

Biathlon: the Hochfilzen World Cup kicks off this Friday with sprints

After a long first stage in Östersund (Sweden), the Biathlon World Cup will bein Hochfilzen (Austria)this week. The hostilities kick off this Friday with the sprints.

At 11:25, the men’s race will be launched by Lithuania’s Vytautas Strolia, who has inherited bib number 1. Among the first starters, before the start of the big guns, are Paul Schommer (4), Blagoy Todev (9), Didier Bionaz (11), Emilien Claude (14) and Dmytro Pidruchnyi (15).

Then, in the blue group, Jesper Nelin (16), Danilo Riethmueller (17), Viktor Brandt (18), Maxime Germain (20), Vitalii Mandzyn (22), Jakov Fak (25), Emilien Jacquelin (26), Florent Claude (32), Jeremy Finello (33), Simon Eder (34), Oscar Lombardot (35), Fabien Claude (36), Johannes Dale-Skjevdal (40), Vitezslav Hornig (42) and Malte Stefansson (44).

Justus Strelow (46) will open the red group of favourites. Martin Ponsiluoma (48), Tommaso Giacomel (50), the yellow and red Johan-Olav Botn (52), Sturla Holm Lægreid (54), Campbell Wright (56), Philipp Nawrath (58), Martin Uldal (60), Philipp Horn (62), Vebjoern Soerum (64), Quentin Fillon-Maillet (66), Eric Perrot (68), Sebastian Samuelsson (70), Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen (72) and the blue bib Isak Frey (74) will be in his wake.

In the final race numbers, Jonas Marecek (77), Jimi Klemettinen (80), Marek Mackels (83), Jakub Borgula (86), Melker Nordgren (89), Rihards Lozbers (95), Grzegorz Galica (98), Matthias Riebli (99), Sam Parmantier (100) and Martin Matko (106) will be watching out.

Bib number 58 for Julia Simon for her comeback

The women’s race then gets underway at 2.15pm, with Lidiia Zhaurauskaite starting. Ukaleq Slettemark (2), Deedra Irwin (3), Eve Bouvard (4), Baiba Bendika (5), Milena Todorova (6), Venla Lehtonen (8), Marketa Davidova (9), Natalia Sidorowicz (12) and Polona Klemencic (14) will be among the first starters.

The blue group will be opened by Germany’s Janina Hettich-Walz (16), followed by Michela Carrara (17), Amy Baserga (18), Paulina Batovska Fialkova (19), Vanessa Voigt (20), Aita Gasparin (21), Marthe Kraakstad Johansen (22), Sara Andersson (24) and Anna Gandler (26), Marit Oeygard (27), Joanna Jakiela (28), Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (29), Julia Tannheimer (30), Tereza Vobornikova (32), Anna Weidel (33), Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (36), Jeanne Richard (38), Karoline Knotten (40) and Maya Cloetens (42) will follow.

Chablais’ Camille Bened (44) will kick off the red group. Following in her wake will be Lisa Theresa Hauser (46), Lucie Charvatova (48), Lena Repinc (49), Sonja Leinamo (50), Lou Jeanmonnot (52), Aasne Skrede (53), Océane Michelon (54), Ella Halvarsson (56), Julia Simon (58) and blue bib Maren Kirkeeide (60), Lea Meier (61), Lotte Lie (62), Gilonne Guigonnat (63), Elvira Oeberg (64), the yellow and red Suvi Minkkinen (66), Julia Kink (67), Dorothea Wierer (68), Hanna Oeberg (70), Anastasiya Kuzmina (71), Lisa Vittozzi (72) and Anna Magnusson (74).

The last bibs includeAnna Andexer (77), Lena Haecki-Gross (79), Ema Kapustova (83), Monika Hojnisz-Starega (85), Marlene Fichtner (86), Rebecca Passler (88), Shawna Pendry (91), Marisa Emonts (93), Joanne Reid (100), Lydia Mettler (103), Chloé Dupont (104), Ilona Plechacova (105) and Ela Sever (108).

The complete start lists

Men’s sprint – 11.25am

Women’s sprint – 2.15pm

• The full programme for the Hochfilzen World Cup, the second stage of the 2025/2026 season
• Caroline Colombo: my best memory of… Hochfilzen
• With Aasne Skrede and Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, but without Endre Stroemsheim and Isak Frey: Norway announce their selection for the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Liliia Steblyna replaces Valeriya Dmytrenko: just one change for Ukraine ahead of the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Hochfilzen: Poland, with Joanna Jakiela as leader, reinforced by Grzegorz Galica and Monika Hojnisz-Starega
• Julia Simon makes her comeback, Oscar Lombardot replaces Antonin Guigonnat: the French team selection for the Hochfilzen World Cup revealed
• Hochfilzen: Belgium with its stars for the rest of the World Cup
• First for Christoph Pircher, Rebecca Passler also arrives from the IBU Cup: Italy unveils its squad for the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• David Zobel and Julia Kink join the squad, and Franziska Preuss is a constant presence: Germany’s selection for the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Lisa Theresa Hauser in the lead: Austria selects nine athletes for the home round of the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• All the big names are on the trip, Anna-Karin Heijdenberg remains in the IBU Cup: Sweden announces its selection for the Hochfilzen World Cup
• Anastasiya Kuzmina and Paulina Batovska Fialkova still with us, a first for Martin Matko: Slovakia’s squad for the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Hochfilzen: Czech Republic replaces Tereza Vinklarkova with Ilona Plechacova for the Hochfilzen World Cup
• Led by Suvi Minkkinen and Sonja Leinamo, Finland makes a number of changes for the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Franziska Preuss and Selina Grotian withdraw from the Hochfilzen World Cup
• Hochfilzen: Jeremy Finello replaces Dajan Danuser in the Swiss squad
• A first for Ela Sever, Anamarija Lampic and Jakov Fak: Slovenia’s squad for the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Hochfilzen: Isak Frey replaces Sivert Guttorm Bakken, ill
• Anamarija Lampic withdraws from the World Cup in Hochfilzen
• Corinne Niogret, 1992 Olympic relay champion, on the return of Julia Simon after her suspension: “She was punished, she’s back and I wish her a good season”.
• “She had a strong desire to return to competition as soon as possible”: Stéphane Bouthiaux on Julia Simon’s return to the French team for Hochfilzen