Biathlon: Norwegians demonstrate at Idre Fjäll
The first leg of the 2024/2025 IBU Cup circuit comes to a close this Sunday in Idre Fjäll (Sweden) with the chases. In this first head-to-head race of the season, the Norwegians imposed their law by simply taking the first five places. Although France’s Emilien Claude and Antonin Guigonnat, who were selected for the World Cup and arrived in Finland at the end of the morning, were absent, their performance deserves a special mention.
In the lead at the start after his success in the sprint the day before, Isak Frey (18/20) put in a demonstration performance and won solo ahead of Johan-Olav Botn (15/20) and Martin Uldal (17/20). He also takes command of the overall classification. In fourth place was the returning Sivert Guttorm Bakken (18/20), while Sverre Dahlen Aspenes (16/20) was fifth.
Germany’s Lucas Fratzscher (16/20) rounded off the day’s flower ceremony ahead of his compatriots Simon Kaiser (16/20) and Roman Rees (15/20), while Sindre Fjellheim Jorde (16/20) and Heikki Laitinen (17/20) rounded off the top 10.
Doubiste Oscar Lombardot had a difficult time shooting, coming fifteenth at 13/20. Just behind him were Gaëtan Paturel (16/20) in sixteenth placeand Théo Guiraud-Poillot (17/20) in seventeenth. Axel Garnier (14/20), in his first pursuit at this level, is twentieth.
Full results
IBU Cup general ranking
- The verdict is in: Emilien Claude and Antonin Guigonnat join Kontiolahti and the World Cup
- IBU Cup Idre Fjäll: Isak Frey dominates the second sprint of the week, Emilien Claude confirms his fifth place
- IBU Cup Idre Fjäll: Paula Botet and Camille Bened on the podium in the second sprint won by Ida Lien
- IBU Cup Idre Fjäll: Sverre Dahlen Aspenes wins the first sprint of the winter, Antonin Guigonnat third ahead of Emilien Claude
- Antonin Guigonnat and Emilien Claude get off to a good start, with Oscar Lombardot in ambush: the first sprint at Idre Fjäll provides a wealth of lessons in the race for the World Cup.
- Idre Fjäll: with 10/10, Paula Botet and Chloé Chevalier crushed the opening sprint of the women’s IBU Cup with a double victory
- Voldiya Galmace-Paulin on her IBU Cup debut in Idre Fjäll: “A top 20 for my first race, I’m really happy, especially shooting 8/10”.
- The last two men’s World Cup places will be decided in the sprints at the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll
- Firsts for Martin Botet, Axel Garnier and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin: the full French team selection for the IBU Cups in Idre Fjäll and Geilo
- “I’ll have to be a natural to produce my biathlon at 100% of what I know how to do”: Oscar Lombardot prepares to stake his place in the World Cup at the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll
- Théo Guiraud-Poillot’s ambitions a few days before the start of the IBU Cup: “I’m not necessarily aiming for the World Cup at the start of the season, but…”.
- “I’m on the way up and in great shape”: the joy of Axel Garnier from Haut-Savoie, who has qualified for the IBU Cup for the first time.
- “There’s a chance I’ll qualify, but it’s also possible I won’t make it through and my season won’t stop”: Emilien Claude’s state of mind ahead of the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll, where he’ll be playing for his place in the World Cup.
- “I know that my form will improve as the races go on”: sick in Bessans after her concussion, Anaëlle Bondoux remains confident ahead of the start of the IBU Cup
- Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, aged just 19, on her first IBU Cup selection: “It’s really good to discover a new circuit, it makes you want to do it”.
- “We get on very well”: Anaëlle Bondoux and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, the two French precociousness queens reunited at the IBU Cup
- Camille Bened, in fine form at the Bessans selection trials, tells Nordic Magazine: “I’m waiting to see if I can build on this over time to become very regular”.
