Four years into his biathlon retirement, ARD expert Arnd Peiffer shares his thoughts on the New Seeding System in the Individual and Sprint competitions. He also analyses German opening races, explains why Selina Grotian can advise Julia Tannheimer and Julia Kink, and how Tarjei Boe, at 36, still ranks as one of the best biathletes in the world.

The New Seeding System brings another novelty to biathlon in the 2024/2025 season, with the Top 15 athletes starting in the third group. It will premiere in the Short Individuals in Kontiolahti. Athletes not ranked in the Top 30 in the BMW IBU World Cup Total Standings will have better conditions than the top athletes in some venues. Ultimately, however, the top 15 will probably prevail - even if they start from starting number 46.

The Boe brothers controlled the field last season, with Johannes transparent in his bid to win his sixth Total Score title this winter. And we can generally expect top performances from Johannes again. Even if his preparations weren't optimal, he is an expert in building his form from race to race. Time plays for him during the season. So, he remains the favourite. As for Tarjei, I'm curious to see whether he can repeat his phenomenal performances from last season. With a lot of experience, you can compensate for a lot. The training environment often improves over the years, and older athletes know their bodies better and are generally more relaxed. Tarjei uses his wisdom to great advantage.

The Germans showed solid performances in the IBU Cup in Idre Fjall and has already reached two podiums with Anna Weidel. Improvements are needed in skiing speed, as the time differences to the fastest competitors, Ida Lien and Paula Botet, were significant and should be managed. Among the men, the Norwegian men were dominant, but Lukas Fratzscher, Roman Rees, and Simon Kaiser did very well.

In Kontiolahti, we saw Julia Tannheimer and Julia Kink start their season in the World Cup for the first time in their careers. Given their young age, they seem to be on a very promising path to the top. You should view this season as a valuable learning opportunity. Selina Grotian is hardly older, but she can give good tips based on her experiences from last season. Fortunately, the expectations are not reduced to one woman.

What remains to be seen is whether any German athlete can get in the mix for the Total Score battle win. Assuming they are healthy and fit, Franziska Preuss, Selina Grotian, and Vanessa Voigt will fight for top positions and give the French, Swedish, and Norwegian competitors a firm fight. Among the German men, Johannes Kühn appears fit and relaxed at the same time. That is usually an excellent mix for significant achievements.