The 2025-26 BMW IBU World Cup season opened in windy Ostersund, Sweden with the women's 4x6km relay and the men's 4x7.5km relay events.
21 countries were able to put their off-season training to the test for the first time alongside the world's best biathletes. The season opener also came with added stakes, as it marked the start of the next qualification period for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
In the women's 4x6km relay, the French team cruised to victory in a time of 1:11:17.9. France was led by Olympic champion Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and teammates Lou Jeanmonnot, Jeanne Richard and Oceane Michelon. Italy finished just 13.8 seconds behind the French to take second place. The Italians were led by Olympians Dorothea Wierer, Michela Carrara, Lisa Vittozzi and teammate Hannah Auchentaller. Olympians Marketa Davidova, Tereza Vobornikova, Lucie Charvatova, and Jessica Jislova grabbed the final spot on the relay podium for Czechia, the country's first in the event since 2019.
The U.S. foursome of Chloe Levins, Deedra Irwin, Luci Anderson and Margie Freed finished 16th overall.
In the men's 4x7.5km relay, Norway cruised to victory. Isak Leknes Frey, Martin Uldal and Olympic champions Sturla Holm Laegreid and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen finished the relay in 1:11:10.1. Eric Perrot and Olympians Fabien Claude, Quentin Fillon Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin of France finished 15.3 seconds behind to take second place. Sweden secured the final podium spot. Viktor Brandt and Olympians Jesper Nelin, Martin Ponsiluoma and Sebastian Samuelsson finished 24.7 seconds behind the Norwegians.
This World Cup event was the first for Norway since the country's Olympic-champion brothers, Johannes Thingnes Boe and Tarjei Boe, retired at the end of last season. However, the Norwegian team showed they were ready for their next chapter of dominance. Christiansen anchored the team and shot lights out in the final standing shooting bout to seal Norway's victory.
The U.S. men's relay team placed fifth, 1:25 behind the winners.
Competition continues in Ostersund with the single mixed relay and the mixed relay events.