Biathlon: Finals in Torsby in IBU Para World Cup

Biathlon: IBU Para World Cup Biathlon Finals Sprint Pursuit Torsby

Introduction

The last race of the first season of the IBU Para Biathlon World Cup in Torsby was impressive. Opportunities for the Sprint Pursuit were fierce action, exhilarating finishes, and milestone wins. Three of the Crystal Globe winners had already been determined before the event, but the other three titles were clinched in this final battle. Also, the Nations Cup wasn’t decided until the final seconds of the race.

#Kazakhstan's parabiathlete Yerbol Khamitov secures Crystal Globe at #IBU Para #Biathlon World Cuphttps://t.co/FMJYxE4TXe#biathlon #parabiathlon #sports #news

— Kazinform (@kazinform_eng) March 12, 2025

Sprint Pursuit Format and Race Dynamics- Torsby

This Sprint Pursuit is a two-stage affair in which the morning sprint order sets the starting places for the afternoon pursuit. Each segment runs over a 4 km track, but has its own penalty rules: in the Sprint, missed shots incur a 15-second penalty while in the Pursuit, missed targets mean penalty loops. The first across the finish line is the winner.

Sitting Men: Aaron Pike Crushes It

In the men’s sitting category, Aaron Pike bested the Pursuit, capitalizing on a commanding Sprint for his second win of the season. After missing the first four races with health problems, the American had an incredible run of shots, with a shooting accuracy percentage of 94-95% throughout the year.

“Leading after the sprint certainly gave me confidence heading into the pursuit,” said Pike. “I had a couple of rough days on the range, so it was great to finish the season on the stage.

Kazakhstan’s Yerbol Khamitov was 31 seconds behind Pike and had already won the Crystal Globe by the time the final race finished. His win is also the first in the Total Score for any discipline in biathlon for a Kazakhstani athlete. Completing the podium, Scott Meenagh secured his first top three since the 2023 World Championships.

#Zollskiteam:🥇👏🥇
Wir gratulieren unserer Kollegin Anja Wicker zum Gewinn von zwei Kristallkugeln für Siege im Gesamtweltcup im Para Biathlon und Para Langlauf. pic.twitter.com/D4ku6uIsf0

— Der Zoll (@zoll_info) March 18, 2024

Women’s Sitting: Anja Wicker Knocks Off Kendall Gretsch

A key moment of the day was the end of Kendall Gretsch’s unbeaten run. The American only missed her third shot of the season during the Sprint, which cost her the victory. While her last performance was flawless, she lost the race to Anja Wicker — by two seconds.

This victory was especially special for Wicker as her season-opening win had come in the absence of Gretsch. She won the Total Score by 120 points ahead of Gretsch.

“My dad says, ‘Go out strong for the season. Finish strong,’ and I did just that,” Wicker said. “The race was super close with Kendall, but I hung on and that gives me hope for next year.”

Titanic Performances and History-Making Victories

Linn Kazmaier returned from a spell on the sidelines to notch up her first victory of the season. The 18-year-old, a sensation last winter, had stepped aside there for personal reasons and cited much of the season. Marjolijn ended up a whole minute ahead of Leonie Marie Walter, who took the Crystal Globe for six victories and finished no lower than second in either of the two races in which she did not win.

In the VI category, Jaroslav Reshetynskyi used the lead he had gotten in the sprint to secure his third victory of the season and the overall title. Ukrianian athletes took the first six places in the standings. The only one who really listened at last was France’s Anthony Chalencon, who finished second in the final race, while Oleksandr Kazik beat out Maksym Murashkovskyi in a tense last-lap tussle for third.

Showdown Categories: Epic Fights and Last-minute Victories

There was a good battle going on for second in Iryna Bui and Danielle Aravich in the women’s standing race. Aravich broke ahead but went down under a bridge, allowing Bui to regain the spot. Even with the fall, Aravich was stoked for third place, her first career biathlon podium. Oleksandra Kononova cruised to the overall title ahead of Nathalie Wilkie, leading her by 67 points.

An upset win in the Sprint for Kazakhstan’s Alexander Gerlits primed the men’s standing category for a barnburner of a Pursuit. But two missed shots in the final event allowed Marek Arendz to beat him by just six seconds. The Canadian, who bounced back after dismal finishes in Torsby and earlier in the weekend, handed him his seventh victory of 11 starts and picked up the Crystal Globe with a record-breaking 150-point margin over Marco Maier of Germany.

“I can’t think of a better way to finish off the season,” Arendz said. “I struggled in the earlier races, but I was all about perfect on the range today, and that was what made me win.”

Summary

The IBU Para Biathlon World Cup season came to a memorable close in Torsby. There was plenty of drama, from Aaron Pike’s feisty comeback to Anja Wicker’s victory over Kendall Gretsch, and Linn Kazmaier’s return to form to Marek Arendz’s sensational showing. Several athletes stepped up and have opened the door for a much more exciting season going forward.