Biathlon: a Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen/Martin Uldal duel for the last place in the Norwegian relay
Crowned European champion in the biathlon relay last Sunday in Martell-Val Martello (Italy), Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen could well become world champion in the event on 22 February in Lenzerheide (Switzerland).
Although only a reserve for the individual events at the Swiss World Championships, the 32-year-old biathlete is in with a chance of making the relay team. Behind the untouchable Tarjei Boe, Sturla Holm Lægreid and Johannes Thingnes Boe, he is in competition with Martin Uldal. “I think I’ve performed well enough to deserve this place,” the winner of the Grand-Bornand (Haute-Savoie) sprint told VG.
Except that, at the age of 23, he will be competing in his first World Championships as a regular and has never competed in a single relay at the highest international level. As a result, the Norwegian staff may be tempted to field the experienced Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen in the event that will decide the world title… which has eluded the kingdom’s biathletes since 2021.
With this in mind, the individual races contested by Martin Uldal ahead of the relay (sprint, pursuit, individual) will be extremely important.
- The full programme for the 2025 World Championships in Lenzerheide
- Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal and Juni Arnekleiv on the sidelines: Norway’s selection for the Lenzerheide Worlds
