Biathlon World Cup 2023/24 season preview: Full schedule and how to watch live
The new season kicks off on 25 November and will finish four months later, on 17 March, with stops in eight countries across Europe and North America. Find out everything you need to know about the competition, the full schedule, and stars to watch below.
Biathlon
There is no sport like biathlon - a blend of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting in one discipline. Endurance, accuracy, speed, and body control make it one of the most demanding sports.
Expect all these skills to be on full display as the 2023/24 IBU World Cup gains momentum, with Norway and France as the favourites to win again.
This will be the 47th edition of the World Cup for men and the 42nd for women. It will start in Oestersund, Sweden and will have six more events in Europe until March 2024. For the first time since the 2018/19 season, the World Cup will travel out of Europe with the season set to finish in North America. The last two stages will be held in Soldier Hollow, USA and Canmore, Canada.
In between, the 2024 IBU World Championships will take place in Nove Mesto Na Morave, Czechia from 7 to 18 February, featuring 12 events over nine days.
2023/24 Biathlon World Cup: Stars to watch
Can anyone challenge biathlon star Johannes Thingnes Bo? Norway's five-time Olympic champion won the Crystal Globe last season and comes to the new season as the undisputed frontrunner. The 31-year-old will try to win his fifth overall World Cup title and lead the Norwegians to another success in the team's event.
Meanwhile, France's two-time Olympic champion Quentin Fillon Maillet is hoping to improve on his last year's performance. He finished the previous World Cup season with just one podium finish.
The battle on the women’s side also promises to be heated. France’s Julia Simon won the overall title last year but will have to fend off a serious challenge from Italy’s Dorothea Wierer and Lisa Vittozzi, and Sweden's Elvira Oeberg to defend that champion status.
It will also be the first season without two of the all-time greats. While Tiril Eckhoff did not compete last season due to health issues, she did not officially announce her retirement until March 2023, closing a career that boasts 10 world titles and two Olympic gold medals. Fellow Norwegian Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, a three-time Olympic champion, has also retired and will be missing from the World Cup circuit for the first time since 2012.
With a few legends bowing out, keep an eye out on emerging stars Nicklas Hartweg of Switzerland and Tommaso Giacomel of Italy. The pair fought until the last moment for the U25 Total Score win, with the Swiss biathlete ultimately taking the lead.
2023/24 Biathlon World Cup: Full schedule
All times are in UTC +0
25 November – 3 December 2023: Oestersund, Sweden
8 – 10 December 2023: Hochfilzen, Austria
14 – 17 December 2023: Lenzerheide, Switzerland
4 – 7 January 2024: Oberhof, Germany
10 – 14 January 2024: Ruhpolding, Germany
18 – 21 January 2024: Antholz-Anterselva, Italy
29 February – 3 March 2024: Oslo Holmenkollen, Norway
8 – 10 March 2024: Soldier Hollow, Utah, USA
14 – 17 March: Canmore, Canada
2023/24 Biathlon World Cup: How to watch live
You can watch the World Cup action live on IBU TV (territorial restrictions may apply).