The IBU has decided to change the rules determining the starting order of biathletes in sprint and individual events. A change that does not suit the best skiers.
Two months before the start of the new season, the IBU Executive Committee has decided on a small revolution concerning the sprint and the individual. From now on, the biathletes will start in different groups determined according to their World Cup ranking. Above all, the best fifteen in the general ranking will start among the last, with bibs 46 to 75.
The purpose of the IBU is “to guarantee exciting competitions until the end.” Most often, the best biathletes were among the first to start in order to benefit from optimal snow conditions. From now on, the first group of departures will concern the best from each country who are not in the top 30. The best biathletes will therefore have to deal with necessarily degraded skiing conditions.
Divergent opinions
These new rules will take effect this autumn, but the first four stages of the World Cup will be a test.
“The IBU has discussed this rule change with the IBU Athletes’ Committee, the IBU Technical Committee, several National Federations and teams. Based on their input, the Executive Committee has decided to test the new system during the first four weeks of the World Cup in November and December 2024 and evaluate the results,” the IBU announced in a press release.
Many biathletes have expressed their dissatisfaction.
“The best will have worse conditions than those who are a little less well off in the World Cup,” regretted the Swede Hanna Oeberg. And the French Julia Simon and especially Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, who are among the very best cross-country skiers on the circuit, can also be angry.
“What I deplore a little is the huge gap between athletes in the top 15 and athletes in the top 16-30. There can be almost forty minutes between the first and last start of these athletes,” observed Simon Fourcade in comments relayed by Nordic Mag, his colleague in the women’s category Cyril Burdet nevertheless remarking: “In any case, the rule will be the same for everyone and the best will be in the same conditions overall, whatever the rule.”
