Biathlon sensations: Ukraine rises in Nations Cup, new leader in women's rankings
Ukraine’s results in the Nations Cup in Hochfilzen (photo: IBU)
The Ukrainian men's and women’s biathlon teams showed significant progress at the second stage of the World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria.
RBC-Ukraine reports on the competition results.
Men return to the top 10
After the opening stage in Östersund, the Ukrainian men's biathlon team was only 12th with 959 points. At the Hochfilzen stage, the team earned an additional 571 points, rising two positions.
The sprint brought Ukraine 301 points, with Vitaliy Mandzyn achieving the best result, finishing 30th. In the relay, the Ukrainians finished seventh, thanks to a decisive leg by captain Dmytro Pidruchnyi, adding another 270 points to the standings.
Norway leads the men’s Nations Cup, holding 2546 points after two stages. Final positions determine athlete quotas for sprints and individual races: places 6–10 allow five biathletes to be entered, while positions 11–17 allow only four.
Men's Nations Cup standings after Hochfilzen stage (photo: IBU)
The women's team also improves its position
The Ukrainian women's biathlon team rose from 16th to 15th place, earning 467 points at the stage. The sprint brought the team 247 points, with Khrystyna Dmytrenko achieving the best individual result. In the relay, the Ukrainians finished 10th, adding another 220 points to the overall standings.
France remains the leader with 2349 points. Next, the Ukrainian athletes will try to improve their sprint results, while the battle for final positions will continue in 2026.
Women's Nations Cup standings after Hochfilzen stage (photo: IBU)
Season leaders
Swede Anna Magnusson topped the women’s overall standings thanks to podium finishes in the sprint and pursuit, leading Norwegian Maren Kirkeeide by 54 points.
In the men’s category, Johan-Olav Bøtn retained the overall lead, but Frenchman Éric Perrot and Italian Tommaso Giacomel closed the gap by winning individual races.
The French team remained in the spotlight due to internal conflicts, as reported by the athletes. Despite this, they continue to be competitive in relays.
Results for Ukraine
The second stage of the season was successful for both Ukrainian teams. The men returned to the top 10, while the women moved up one position.
The main battle to improve results will continue next season, starting with the stages in Annecy, France. The next stage will take place from December 18 to 21.
