Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide survived a final desperation sprint to the finish by French teammates Lou Jeanmonnot and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet to capture the Annecy Le Grand Bornand Women’s 12.5 km Mass Start in 32:53.2, edging the French duo by .3 and .8 seconds. Kirkeeide, with one penalty on the day, jumped into the lead with a kilometer to go, catching her rivals off guard. The French teammates closed the gap, pushing hard into the final 100 meters, but the 22-year-old Norwegian held of their charge for her first-ever World Cup victory and third podium of the new season.

“This is going to be hard”

Kirkeeide’s mind was racing as fast as she was skiing on the thrilling last loop. “My first thought was to take a podium. The I heard Justine behind me and I was thinking this was going to be hard, but I had to try. They were getting closer to catching me; just that I had to give it a shot. It worked this time.”

Jeanmonnot and Braisaz-Bouchet each had a penalty in second and third places. Jeanmonnot’s second place assured her the Yellow Bib going into 2026. Camille Bened, who led out of the last standing stage shot clean in fourth, 5.7 seconds back. Switzerland’s Amy Baserga equaled her season best in fifth place, with a single penalty, 15.5 seconds back. Last season’s World Cup Total Score titlist Franziska Preuss of Germany finished in a season-best sixth place, also with one penalty, 18 seconds back.

Multiple Lead Changes

It was another warm, windless, sunny afternoon the final women’s competition of 2025, filled with lead changes and victory decided in the final meters. Seventeen women cleaned the first prone stage, all within 14 seconds, led by Sprint winner Hanna Oeberg, Bened and Jeanmonnot.

The second prone saw the number of clean shooters dwindle to 12 as the lead changed. Ella Halvarsson moved to the front as Hanna went for a penalty loop. Bened went to 10-for-10 in second, just ahead of Rebecca Passler and Baserga. Jeanmonnot also cleaned, trailing by 12.5 seconds in eighth.

The first standing jumbled the standings once again, as Halvarsson missed two shots. Braisaz-Bouchet and Jeanmonnot made quick work of their five targets, moving to the front with Passler and Bened also perfect, in close pursuit and Kirkeeide 24 seconds back.

The French duo shot side-by-side, both recording a penalty, while Bened cleaned for 14-second lead. Kirkeeide also cleaned but was less than a second in front of Braisaz-Bouchet and Jeanmonnot.

Kirkeeide Jumps to the Front, Holds on for Victory

The chasing trio was even with Bened with a kilometer to go. Kirkeeide made bold move pulling away powerfully, catching Jeanmonnot and Braisaz-Bouchet off guard. The teammates battled back, closing within meters as they came off last bridge into the finish stretch. Yet the young Norwegian had just enough power, holding off the French teammates for a stunning victory.

Photos: IBU/Mobuchon, Yevenko, Manzoni, Nordic Focus