The 2025–26 Biathlon World Cup – Stage 8 was the eighth event of the season and was held in Otepää, Estonia, from 9 to 15 March 2026. The event consisted of four individual competitions and two mixed relay races. After all the races of the stage, Éric Perrot leads the overall World Cup standings for men, and Lou Jeanmonnot leads for women. U-23 World Cup ranking leaders after the events in Otepää were Isak Frey for men and Maren Kirkeeide for the women.
Stage overview
As the leaders of the overall standings, Éric Perrot and Lou Jeanmonnot started at the penultimate World Cup weekend.
Many national associations had nominated unchanged squads compared to the previous week. In the Norwegian team, Gro Randby received her first World Cup appearance of the winter in place of Siri Skar, while for Germany, Justus Strelow and Julia Kink took over the previously vacant sixth starting spot. Simon Eder was also able to start again in Otepää after his illness.
Rihards Lozbers became the youngest biathlete ever to score World Cup points, finishing 31st in the pursuit race at the age of 16.https://budni.lv/sport/statja/rihard-lozbers-ustanovil-licnyj-rekord-na-etape-kubka-mira-v-otepa-zanav-31-e-mesto-v-gonke-presledovania-15298.html
Schedule of events The events took place at the following times. Date Time Events 12 March 15:15 CET Men's 10 km Sprint 13 March 15:15 CET Women's 7.5 km Sprint 14 March 13:30 CET Men's 12.5 km Pursuit 16:00 CET Women's 10 km Pursuit 15 March 12:35 CET Single Mixed Relay 14:40 CET Mixed Relay (4 × 7.5 km)
Medal winners Men Event: Gold: Time Silver: Time Bronze: Time 10 km Sprint Sturla Holm Lægreid 23:28.5(0+0) Émilien Jacquelin +10.7(0+0) Philipp Nawrath +17.8(0+0) 12.5 km Pursuit Sturla Holm Lægreid 34:41.0(0+0+0+1) Émilien Jacquelin +2:33.4(0+0+2+3) Martin Uldal +2:46.7(3+0+1+1)
Women Event: Gold: Time Silver: Time Bronze: Time 7.5 km Sprint Julia Simon 21:29.5(0+0) Lisa Vittozzi +2.9(0+0) Lou Jeanmonnot +22.9(0+0) 10 km Pursuit Lisa Vittozzi 33:33.7(1+0+0+1) Suvi Minkkinen +26.2(0+1+0+0) Lou Jeanmonnot +26.9(0+0+0+1)
Mixed Event: Gold: Time Silver: Time Bronze: Time Single Mixed Relay Sturla Holm LægreidKaroline Offigstad KnottenSturla Holm LægreidKaroline Offigstad Knotten 40:39.3(0+0) (0+3)(0+2) (0+2)(0+0) (0+1)(0+0) (0+0) Sebastian SamuelssonHanna ÖbergSebastian SamuelssonHanna Öberg +1:38.1(0+0) (0+1)(0+3) (0+2)(0+0) (1+3)(0+1) (2+3) Tero SeppäläSuvi MinkkinenTero SeppäläSuvi Minkkinen +1:45.7(0+2) (1+3)(0+1) (0+3)(0+0) (0+3)(0+2) (0+1) Mixed RelayViktor BrandtMartin PonsiluomaAnna-Karin HeijdenbergElvira Öberg 1:16:32.0(0+3) (0+2)(1+3) (0+2)(0+1) (0+1)(0+1) (0+1)Sebastian StalderJoscha BurkhalterAita GasparinLena Häcki-Groß +28.6(0+0) (0+1)(0+0) (0+0)(0+0) (0+0)(0+2) (0+3)Maxime GermainCampbell WrightDeedra IrwinMargie Freed +34.6(0+3) (0+1)(0+1) (0+2)(0+0) (0+1)(0+3) (0+3)
Achievements Best individual performance for all time
Men Arttu Heikkinen (21) reached No. 14 on pursuit race Mikuláš Karlík (26) reached No. 16 on pursuit race Christoph Pircher (22) reached No. 30 on sprint race Rihards Lozbers (16) reached No. 31 on pursuit race Emil Frisk (20) reached No. 98 on sprint race
Women Estere Volfa (20) reached No. 9 on sprint race Susan Külm (29) reached No. 10 on sprint race Raya Adzhamova (18) reached No. 66 on sprint race Kretel Kaljumae (20) reached No. 89 on sprint race Laura Kinybayeva (25) reached No. 92 on sprint race
First World Cup individual race
Men Emil Frisk (20) reached No. 98 on sprint race
Women Kretel Kaljumae (20) reached No. 89 on sprint race
References