This week, the International Olympic Committee announced that the upcoming 2030 and 2034 Olympics will be held in the French Alps and Salt Lake City, with the biathlon events taking place in at our regular WC venues in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand and in Soldier Hollow. To celebrate, let’s take a look at some of the most memorable moments from these venues over the years.

5 memorable moments from Annecy-Le Grand Bornand

Valj Semerenko’s first win

The Ukrainian Valj Semerenko secured her first World Cup victory in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand during the season 2013/2014. With only one miss in the pursuit, she managed to climb from third place to the top of the podium!

First victory in front of the home crowd

Justine Braisaz-Bouchet had the perfect weekend in Annecy, capturing her first win in the women’s mass start during the season 2017/2018 in front of the home crowd. At just 21 years old, it was definitely a competition to remember!

Eckhoff’s triple

In the season 2019/2020, it was Tiril Eckhoff who showed her dominance by taking all three competitions in France at the end of December. It was just the perfect Christmas gift for herself!

French double

Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet thrilled the home crowd on the final Sunday of the World Cup week in 2021 by taking a double podium in the men’s mass start. Fillon Maillet added up to his victory in

the pursuit a day earlier.

Annecy-Le Grand Bornand

Sprint of surprises

The women’s sprint in the season 2022/2023 was a thriller. In the end, it was the Swede Anna Magnusson who took her World Cup debut win in front of her teammate Linn Persson. The biggest cheer from the French crowd, however, was for Sophie Chauveau, who finished 4th, marking it her career-best at the time.

5 memorable moments from Soldier Hollow

Full sweep by Bjoerndalen

At the World Cup in 2001, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen demonstrated his dominance by securing three wins in Soldier Hollow. A year later, competing at the same venue, he left no questions about who the king of the 2002 Olympics was. He took gold medals in all three individual competitions, adding to them a team win in the men’s relay. What an incredible achievement!

Poirees’ Olympic medals

Raphael Poiree is a biathlon legend. However, do you remember that his only individual Olympic medal comes from Soldier Hollow? During the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Poiree won a silver medal in men’s pursuit, finishing behind Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. Interestingly - at that time, his wife - and a Norwegian legend, Liv Grete Poiree, also scored her sole individual OWG medal at the same event, finishing second in the women’s individual.

Soldier Hollow

Christiansen’s perfect weekend

The Norwegian had a dream race in Soldier Hollow during the season 2018/2019 as he shot clean in the sprint, taking home his first World Cup win. Overall, it was a good weekend for Christiansen as he complimented the victory with second place in the pursuit and third place in the mixed relay.

US men’s team on fire

The home crowd in Soldier Hollow had plenty to cheer about as the men’s relay team finished 4th in the men's relay in the 2024 World Cup. It was the best relay finish for the USA team in more than 30 years!

Young stars on the rise

Eric Perrot claimed his first World Cup victory in the 2024 sprint, becoming the first 2000-born winner at the BWM IBU World Cup being only 22 years old. The flower ceremony also celebrated other young stars, with Johan-Olav Botn finishing 3rd and Campbell Wright placing sixth.

Photos: IBU Photopool