The second look into the 2024 Crystal Biathlon Ball revealed not just a single face as with the men; five women’s faces appeared simultaneously out of the fog, suggesting a four-way women’s battle for supremacy.

After the final competition last March, Lisa Vittozzi held the massive World Cup Total Score Crystal Globe, seizing the Yellow Bib 24 hours earlier from Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold. Almost written off after her career-low 31st in 2021/22, Vittozzi’s achievement was like a fairy tale. Yet, as the new season opens, four women: Lou Jeanmonnot, Tandrevold, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and Julia Simon are in a better position to take the title than Vittozzi who will miss Kontiolahti.

Vittozzi’s Injury Changes her Season

Defending Champion Vittozzi held the upper hand after her outstanding 2023/24 season, but that changed when an ailing back put her out of the first three individual competitions. With every competition counting towards the Total Score, Vittozzi’s chance of retaining is out the door. Her motto of “If you want something, you have to put in all you have to pursue your dreams,” will now be put to the ultimate test. Still, after a career-best 92% on the range, an IBU WCH title plus three additional medals, and six wins in the season, she could still be a player, but not for the top spot. The door to the big Crystal Globe is now open to her rivals.

Watch Jeanmonnot

Jeanmonnot’s steady ascent puts the 26-year-old among the top contenders, going from 2021/22 IBU Cup Total Score to 11th in her first full World Cup season, and second last year. The new French star grabbed twelve podiums including four wins. Her slight stumbles, 13th and 15th in Hochfilzen, were likely the difference makers at season’s end. Jeanmonnot matched Vittozzi’s 92% on the range, winning the Mass Start Score. It will be tough convincing Jeanmonnot she cannot win the Total Score in 2024/25.

Tandrevold learned “from a painful experience”

Tandrevold’s 2023/24 season was the best of her career. Although leading the Total Score race until mid-March, the Norwegian was up and down, especially in late season, but was pleased with her season, “…I had a lot of good races and progressed enormously.” On losing the Total Score title, “You learn more from a painful experience, like losing the Total Score in the last week of the season, than from a good experience.” Tandrevold obviously learned the lesson well, dominating the Sjusjoen Season Opener, with a Sprint/Mass Start double, shooting well both days. A furious last loop and photo-finish in the second competition assured Tandrevold, “I feel I am where I need to be physically.” After her fast start and renewed confidence, the always-looking-at-the bright-side Norwegian can now visualize herself with the Yellow Bib on the last day of the season.

World Champion Justine Braisaz-Bouchet

Braisaz-Bouchet returned from a maternity break with a vengeance, equaling Vittozzi’s six wins, shooting at a career high and matching her Olympic Mass Start Gold medal with the IBU World Championships title. Like Jeanmonnot and Tandrevold, a couple of early season competitions were the difference between first and fourth. In the recent French Selections, she finished 24 seconds behind Simon, but with three penalties to Simon’s one. Braisaz-Bouchet needs to jump from her 82% to 85% + shooting to win the Total Score.

Simon’s Big Wins

Simon’s 97-point deficit from Vittozzi, seems like a big gap, but just a blip here and there kept the IBU Sprint/Pursuit World Champion from her second Total Score title. Her two-point drop in shooting and sometimes slow cadence reemphasizes the small gap between her and the ultimate prize. The 28-year-old was on a hot streak all summer, taking titles at Blink, the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival, and retaining her French Summer Pursuit title in mid-October. She recently won the mass start at the French Selections in Bessans over Jeanmonnot and Braisaz-Bouchet. Simon seems ready, admitting, “The preparation is long, and I am ready to put on a bib, even though I usually start the season slowly. I am glad we start with relays!” It would be no surprise to see Simon and Tandrevold duke it out for Yellow all season.

Beyond these five, are several contenders who have been near or battled for the Total Score title in recent seasons.

Lena, Franzi and the Oebergs

Lena Haecki-Gross, last year’s revelation, toiled for years with a single podium on her resume, the Swiss veteran broke through with two victories and three additional podiums. Her success was buoyed by accurate, fast shooting times. This and her track power built a winning formula, confirmed with two victories at the recent Swiss Selections competitions.

Franziska Preuss started last season with two early podiums, a career high on the range, and a cup of coffee in the Yellow Bib. She stopped her season after the IBU WCH to focus on health issues. A determined comeback culminated with a German Summer Champs short individual win. Preuss’ shooting and health will dictate her success.

The Oeberg sisters have both been tantalizingly close to the big Crystal Globe (Hanna 4th three times, Elvira 2nd in 2021/22). After two individual 2023 IBU WCH Gold medals, Hanna fell to a single podium last season. A team sprint race recently shows her readiness for a big season. Younger sister Elvira finished 7th in the 2023/24 Total Score, had a win, and three additional podiums, but dropped five points on the range. Elvira, one of the fastest women on skis, recently buried the sprint field at the Idre Season Opener; a return to the high 80s on the range is the key to her season.

Although the overall field is not as deep as the men, the Crystal Ball foresees an even more competitive season than last year. Stay tuned…

Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni, Nordic Focus