Norway’s Johan-Olav Smoerdal Botn closed out his rookie World Cup season exactly as he started the year with a victory. Botn shot clean this afternoon taking the Oslo Holmenkollen Men’s 15 km Mass Start in 37:15.6. Last November, he opened the year with a clean-shooting win in the Oestersund Men’s 20 km Individual. With his win today, Botn became only the third man in history behind Martin Fourcade and Emil Hegle Svendsen to open and close the season with a victory.

“I turned around; he wasn’t there”

Botn was not sure of the win until the final stretch behind of the shooting range. “To be honest, there was not any strategy at all. I was just full gas from the start. I just tried to get a gap to Philipp and when I did not get it before the last downhill, I thought it was finished. I thought it was going to be a sprint, but when I turned around, he wasn’t there. It was really tough, but I am really happy.”

‘It’s been a long season”

The Olympic 20 km Individual Gold medalist has struggled since winning that title, with only one individual fourth place since that time. He accordingly was quite happy to get the victory. “It's really nice, It’s been a long season. There have been a lot of ups and downs. To be honest, I was doubting that I was even going to make the podium after the Olympics, so I am really happy to get a win.”

Germany’s Philipp Nawrath closed his season, equaling his best for the year in second place, 3.7 seconds back, also shooting clean.

Perrot wins Fourth Crystal Globe with Mass Start Score Title

Yellow/Red Bib Eric Perrot of France, with two penalties finished third, 13.7 seconds back. Perrot’s third place sealed his fourth Crystal Globe of the season, the Mass Start Score, after earlier claiming the Total Score, Individual and Pursuit Score titles. Perrot finished with 305 points to Botn’s 236.

Botn’s teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid, with one penalty finished fourth, his only non-podium result since the Milan/Cortina OWG, 20.6 seconds back. France’s Emilien Jacquelin, with three penalties finished fifth, 23.9 seconds back. Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma, also with three penalties, finished sixth, 26.5 seconds back.

Jacquelin and Perrot Lead Early

A cloudy day closed out the 2025/26 BMW IBU World Cup season. Jacquelin cleaned the first prone a second faster than Perrot. Perrot cleaned the second prone first, followed by Laegreid; Jacquelin and Ponsiluoma had penalties.

Perrot, with a 12-second lead into the first standing missed once as did Laegreid and Jacquelin. Botn took the lead with a perfect stage, 2 seconds before Perrot; Nawrath climbed to third, 5 seconds back.

Botn Cleans; Tops Nawrath in Last Loop

Perrot and Jacquelin shot fast, missing once, while Botn and Nawrath slowly cleaned, leaving together. Botn led the German over the last loop. Behind the shooting range, the young Norwegian pulled away for the victory.

Photos: IBU/Nordnes, Yevenko, Nordic Focus