Ruhpolding: Top 5 moments

Lisa Vittozzi’s emotions got the better of her words as her eyes told the whole story behind her Ruhpolding win. Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen had it all planned out for himself. But facing JT Boe’s might upfront again, he handed his surprise to Johannes. Vetle also invented another term that didn’t exist in biathlon before. Jakov Fak defied the odds and the years. And Hannah Auchentaller did in Pokljuka what her unofficial mentor Lisa Vittozzi did in Ruhpolding.

Vittozzi’s eyes tell the story

Lisa Vittozzi lived through a profound crisis of self-confidence related to her prone shooting issues but came out of it more determined than ever. Her win in the Individual in Ruhpolding - four years after she last won in the BMW IBU World Cup in the Pursuit of Oberhof in 2018/2019 - left her searching for words as the emotions overwhelmed her. But her eyes told more than 1,000 words could. Just watch!

Johannes is the real Hulk of Biathlon

Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen decided before the Ruhpolding week to throw everything he has at Johannes Thingnes Boe and see how that pans out. As a self-professed Marvel Superhero fan, he had something in store just in case he won the Mass start. JT got the better of him, and he handed him the Hulk gloves. But don’t worry, Vetle already has new surprises in store!

Jakov Fak defied the years in Ruhpolding

Jakov Fak had a perfect shooting day in the Individual in Ruhpolding and finished third, his first podium in more than two years. Jakov, who is turning 36 coming August, is the oldest athlete on the podium this winter.

Vetle defines "The Devil of Biathlon”

Ever outspoken and witty, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen twice fought hard with JT Boe for a win in Ruhpolding and finished second in the Individual and in the Mass start. He missed one of the shots in the last standing shooting in the Individual and called it "The Devil of Biathlon”. Enjoy Vetle’s philosophical thoughts on the last shot in the standing shooting!

Hannah Auchentaller mirrors Lisa Vittozzi in Pokljuka

A day after Lisa Vittozzi shot 20/20 in the Individual in Ruhpolding with a bib number 23, her younger teammate did the same in the Short Individual in Pokljuka. Auchentaller won for the first time in her career in the IBU Cup. Vittozzi trained with the young Italian squad in the summer, and Auchentaller learned a bunch from her. She hopes that the process of working together with one of the biathlon’s brightest stars will continue in the future.

Photo: IBU/C. Manzoni, I. Stančik, H. Deubert,