Who was at Home on the Range in 2025/26?
The Olympic 2025/26 season was pressure-packed with more on the line than at any time in the quadrennial. With career-defining moments at stake, there were dips and upward mobility on the shooting range, although shooting remained consistently high. So, who was most at home on the range last winter?
Top Women on the Range: Julia, Camille, and Suvi
The biggest female winner was Olympic 15 km Individual Gold medalist Julia Simon with four victories in the OWG and last trimester, peaking perfectly. Simon jumped to a 91% personal-best year, upping her prone game to 95%, leading all the women. 2025 IBU Cup Total Score winner Camille Bened was hot on her teammate’s heels, matched at 91% overall in her first full World Cup season, and just a couple of clicks below Simon in prone.
Suvi Minkkinen’s consistency reaped rewards again, with her career first victory and Olympic medal. She matched Simon at 91% while claiming the top spot in standing shooting at 92%.
Both Oeberg sisters moved up a few percentage points, with Hanna back at 83% and Elvira at a career best of 87%. Ironically, Hanna won four times, shooting clean in three sprint victories, while Elvira won twice, cleaning the Kontiolahti Individual and Oberhof Sprint.
Regina Ermits had one of the most improved seasons, jumping to from 78 to 87%, closing 90% in standing with a career-best 25th in the Total Score, up 22 spots from the previous year.
Lou at 90%
World Cup Total, Individual, Sprint and Pursuit Score titlist and quadruple Olympic medalist Lou Jeanmonnot dipped to 90% from a career-best 92% a couple years back. However, a few missed shots changed little in a such a successful season!
Sturla and Eric
Sturla Holm Laegreid again dominated the men, despite dropping from 93% in 2024/25 to 92% in 25/26. Had his season not started slowly, Laegreid could have been closer to 95%. In his season-ending hot streak from Milan/Cortina to Oslo, the Norwegian hit 183 of 190 shots in eleven individual competitions for an astonishing rate of 96.3%!
Like Laegreid, World Cup Total Score winner Eric Perrot dropped a point to 89%, with a couple of uncharacteristic seven-penalty days spoiling his overall average. Beyond those, he shot clean in his four victories, three in four-stage competitions and a sprint. It is hard to argue with the season outcome, despite the minor shooting dip. Perrot rolls into 2026/27 with two Olympic Gold medals and defending the Yellow Bib.
Botn, Best in Standing
The season’s shooting revelation was unquestionably Olympic 20 km Individual Gold medalist Johan-Olav Smoerdal Botn. He shot clean in six of the first trimester’s individual competitions, not missing a prone shot until the Annecy Le Grand Bornand Mass Start. Botn’s comeback was muted after the Bakken tragedy, save the perfect OWG 20 km. Still, he closed the season at 89%, and was tops in standing at 92%. Botn is potentially the next shooting star.
Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen was rock solid on the range, with a clean-shooting Annecy Le Grand Bornand Sprint win while tying his 88% career-best and third best in standing behind Botn and Laegreid.
Fillon Maillet Slips Despite Sprint Brilliance
Olympic Sprint Gold medalist Quentin Fillon Maillet fell to 81% from his high eighties several years ago. Fillon Maillet, known for four-stage consistency, racked up a career-worst nine penalties in the Otepää Pursuit. Ironically, the five-time Olympic Gold medalist shot clean three times, all in sprints!
Martin Ponsiluoma, who won Olympic Pursuit Gold said before the season that he “worked hard on shooting and feel like I made progress.” He moved the needle just a point short of his 79% career best, with a nine-point jump in prone.
Strelow Best in Prone
Justus Strelow had an overall down season, nine points below his 94% career from two seasons ago. Although his average went down, Strelow remained the best in prone, hitting an eye-watering 146 of 150 shots.
The veteran Lukas Hofer had a career season behind the rifle, hitting 86% of his shots, shooting clean twice in Individuals at Kontiolahti and Nove Mesto.
It was another interesting season on the shooting range; a few surprises and continued success from the “usual suspects.” Now, the process restarts. Everyone goes back to basics, rebuilding their basic skills as preparations for the new season begins.
Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni, Archive, Yevenko
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