While winter is still a few months away in most places - and so are the first ski races, we are already getting excited about the upcoming season.
There will be a full World Cup schedule as well as World Championships in both biathlon and cross-country.
The IBU Biathlon World Championships will take place in Oberhof (GER) from February 8-19, 2023. The FIS Nordic World Championships take place in Planica (SLO) from February 21 through March 5, 2023.
But why not take a moment to relive some of the highlights from the 2021/22 season?
Obviously, the 2022 Olympics in Beijing were the main show for the season. Additionally, there was plenty of action on the World Cup as well, including a couple of impressive breakthroughs.
And speaking of breakthroughs, the 2021/22 featured some spectacular performances from Madshus strong team of rising stars in both biathlon and cross-country. More on that below.
These are some of our favorite racing picks from last winter:
2022 Olympics, Beijing
Cross-country
Finnish veteran Krista Pärmäkoski takes home yet another individual medal, this time in the 10-kilometer classic event. The 31-year-old thereby extended her collection of Olympic medals to five.
Biathlon
Sturla Holm Lægreid skied the first lap for Norway and helped his team to gold in the dramatic 4x7.5-kilometer relay that took more than one unexpected turn between the first and the last leg. The event took place in extremely windy, changing and challenging conditions at the Zhangjiakou Olympic Arena.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
2021/22 World Cup
FIS Cross-country
Mathilde Myhrvold (NOR) made a solid statement on the World Cup with her second place in the opening race at the 2022 Tour de Ski: she came into the final stretch to the finish line in fourth position, but switched gears, flew by two racers and just barely missed the victory. This was the first-ever World Cup podium for the 23-year-old sprint specialist.
IBU Biathlon
The entire IBU Biathlon World Cup weekend in Antholz-Anterselva (ITA) in January was a blast. It seemed to go like this: another day another podium. At the mass start the Madshus men posted a double podium and three racers in the top-5. Veteran Benedikt Doll (GER) won the race with Sturla Holm Lægreid (NOR) in third and Sivert Bakken (NOR) in fifth place.
And the next day, 24-year-old Lægreid set Norway up for a handsome victory in the men’s relay, while Roman Rees helped Germany to third place in the last World Cup prior to the 2022 Olympics.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
Rising stars
Biathlon
When talking about rising biathlon stars, it is hard to bypass rocket rookie Sivert Guttorm Bakken (NOR) and his amazing breakthrough season. Bakken started the season off by winning the national biathlon season opener at Sjusjøen in November, returning straight from several months of rehabilitation after heart surgery in May 2021. From then, he kept the podiums coming.
And on the final day of the 2022 IBU World Cup season, the bold 23-year-old showed no respect for the established elite in his first World Cup season: he walks right up and snags the overall crystal globe in the mass start World Cup.
But there is more to that story. Bakken won the overall mass start World Cup in the most spectacular way: On the very last day of the 2022 IBU World Cup, Bakken won the mass start competition in a fierce sprint finish, beating fellow Madshus racer Sturla Holm Lægreid (NOR) in front of a huge crowd on home turf in Holmenkollen.
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Photo by: Nordic Focus
Rising stars
Cross-country
Edvin Anger (SWE) – We have been watching the young Swede for several years, and won’t soon forget the 2020 Youth Olympics, where he literally moved in on the podium and took home both gold and silver medals from the championships. This year, Anger made a solid statement at the senior level, winning the sprint at the Swedish national championships, as a rookie on the senior circuit.
Anger, who is now entering his first formal season at the senior level, became the first ever junior racer to win a national championship title in the senior men’s category. Subsequently, the 20-year-old Swede was awarded the prestigious Sixten Jernberg Award. Anger is the youngest skier in history to receive the Sixten Jernberg Award.
And speaking of fast, young Swedes: Alvar Myhlback is certainly one for the future. The 16-year-old super talent is formally just entering his first season at the junior level. But at the Swedish senior national championships, Myhlback helps his team to second place and the silver medal in the team sprint. Throughout the summer, he has continued to impress at the senior level in various international competitions.
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