Olympic medallist Christoph Sumann breaks down the Hochfilzen week. From Anna Magnusson’s rise to Johan-Olav Botn’s breakthrough, he explains the flow — and who is poised to shine in France. As expected, the change of scenery — and snow — from Oestersund to Hochfilzen reshuffled the picture. In the women’s field, Lou Jeanmonnot returned to winning ways, while Magnusson proved that her Swedish form was no coincidence by carrying it into Austria.

Jeanmonnot is a perfect biathlete for me. She combines high ski speed with remarkable shooting stability, built on a technically sound routine she can reproduce on almost any day. That reliability allows her to race with confidence and, at times, win almost at will — a quality that makes her performances both effective and a joy to watch.

Yet it was Magnusson who perhaps made the strongest statement so far in the women’s field. She appears to have found a rare sweet spot in her life and career, where everything clicks — though that ease is the product of many years of relentless work. This season, she looks very self-assured on the range, her movements nearly automatic, while her skiing is the best it has ever been: fast enough to fully support her elite shooting. The yellow bib is well deserved, and she will surely draw confidence from her Sprint win in Annecy–Le Grand Bornand three years ago.

For the Austrian women, Hochfilzen was more complicated. Each of them, and especially Lisa Theresa Hauser, put enormous internal pressure on themselves, and it backfired. For reasons that remain hard to explain, Hauser and Hochfilzen have never truly clicked. Still, her overall shape is good, and top results will come back soon.

Johan-Olav Botn has not been on my bucket list. He is a late bloomer who needed time to put all the pieces together. Known primarily as a great skier — and I like great skiers! — his shooting had often looked shaky. Over the summer, he found a rhythm, and he has managed to keep it. In such form, there is no-one stopping him. His shooting accuracy, now dramatically higher than in previous seasons, is the key. When an athlete finds this kind of flow, it can be sustained — provided they continue doing exactly what works for them. Flow is about execution without overthinking: when you simply do, rather than analyse.

Sturla Holm Laegreid’s start to the season has been below his own standards, yet even so he has remained close to the podium. His ski speed is steadily improving, and once his shooting accuracy ticks up by even a small margin, he will be back where everyone expects him: fighting for wins. Proven champions always find a way, and Laegreid is very much one of them.

Now the World Cup moves on to France, where conditions will shift once again. The snow in Annecy–Le Grand Bornand will be similar to that in Hochfilzen — limited in quantity and often a bit wet — with the hope that rain stays away. What will certainly not be muted is the atmosphere. Racing in front of a passionate French crowd is loud, festive, and electric, and athletes generally thrive on it. Lisa Theresa Hauser, for one, has always loved competing there.

Much will also be expected of Eric Perrot. Eric is a big one. He is stable, cool-headed, and embraces and loves the challenge. Going after victories in front of an adoring — and unmistakably French — crowd is exactly the kind of stage where he can shine.