# 2008–09 Biathlon World Cup

The 2008–09 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union. The season started on 2 December 2008 in Östersund, Sweden and ends on 29 March 2009 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

## Calendar

Below is the World Cup calendar for the 2008–09 season.
| Location | Date | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass start | Relay | Details |
| Östersund | 2–7 December | ● | ● | ● | | | details |
| Hochfilzen | 11–14 December | | ● | ● | | ● | details |
| Hochfilzen | 17–21 December | ● | ● | | | ● | details |
| Oberhof | 6–11 January | | ● | | ● | ● | details |
| Ruhpolding | 13–18 January | | ● | ● | | ● | details |
| Antholz | 22–25 January | | ● | ● | ● | | details |
| Pyeongchang | 13–22 February | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | World Championships |
| Vancouver | 10–15 March | ● | ● | | | ● | details |
| Trondheim | 18–22 March | | ● | ● | ● | | details |
| Khanty-Mansiysk | 25–29 March | | ● | ● | ● | | details |
| Total | Total | 4 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 6 | |

## World Cup podiums
### Men

| Stage | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third | Yellow bib (After competition) | Det. |
| 1 | 3 December 2008 | Östersund | 20 km Individual | Michael Greis | Alexander Os | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Michael Greis | Detail |
| 1 | 6 December 2008 | Östersund | 10 km Sprint | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Tomasz Sikora | Simon Fourcade | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 1 | 7 December 2008 | Östersund | 12.5 km Pursuit | Tomasz Sikora | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 2 | 12 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 10 km Sprint | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Ivan Tcherezov | Alexander Os | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 2 | 13 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 12.5 km Pursuit | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Tomasz Sikora | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 3 | 18 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 20 km Individual | Maxim Tchoudov | Ivan Tcherezov | Björn Ferry | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 3 | 20 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 10 km Sprint | Lars Berger | Alexander Os | Carl Johan Bergman | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 4 | 10 January 2009 | Oberhof | 10 km Sprint | Maxim Tchoudov | Michael Rösch | Tomasz Sikora | Tomasz Sikora | Detail |
| 4 | 11 January 2009 | Oberhof | 15 km Mass Start | Christoph Sumann | Carl Johan Bergman | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 5 | 17 January 2009 | Ruhpolding | 10 km Sprint | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Dominik Landertinger | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 5 | 18 January 2009 | Ruhpolding | 12.5 km Pursuit | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Dominik Landertinger | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 6 | 23 January 2009 | Antholz-Anterselva | 10 km Sprint | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Björn Ferry | Tomasz Sikora | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 6 | 24 January 2009 | Antholz-Anterselva | 12.5 km Pursuit | Björn Ferry | Simon Eder | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| 6 | 25 January 2009 | Antholz-Anterselva | 15 km Mass Start | Christoph Stephan | Dominik Landertinger | Ivan Tcherezov | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| WC | 14 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 10 km Sprint | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Lars Berger | Halvard Hanevold | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Detail |
| WC | 15 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 12.5 km Pursuit | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Maxim Tchoudov | Alexander Os | Tomasz Sikora | Detail |
| WC | 17 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 20 km Individual | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Christoph Stephan | Jakov Fak | Tomasz Sikora | Detail |
| WC | 21 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 15 km Mass Start | Dominik Landertinger | Christoph Sumann | Ivan Tcherezov | Tomasz Sikora | Detail |
| 7 | 11 March 2009 | Whistler | 20 km Individual | Vincent Jay | Daniel Böhm | Jeremy Teela | Tomasz Sikora | Detail |
| 7 | 13 March 2009 | Whistler | 10 km Sprint | Lars Berger | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Christoph Sumann | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 8 | 19 March 2009 | Trondheim | 10 km Sprint | Michael Greis | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Simon Eder | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 8 | 21 March 2009 | Trondheim | 12.5 km Pursuit | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Simon Eder | Tomasz Sikora | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 8 | 22 March 2009 | Trondheim | 15 km Mass Start | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Simon Eder | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 9 | 26 March 2009 | Khanty-Mansiysk | 10 km Sprint | Arnd Peiffer | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Christoph Sumann | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 9 | 28 March 2009 | Khanty-Mansiysk | 12.5 km Pursuit | Emil Hegle Svendsen | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Christoph Sumann | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 9 | 29 March 2009 | Khanty-Mansiysk | 15 km Mass Start | Simon Eder | Dominik Landertinger | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |

### Women

| Stage | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third | Yellow bib (After competition) | Det. |
| 1 | 4 December 2008 | Östersund | 15 km Individual | Helena Jonsson | Kati Wilhelm | Magdalena Neuner | Helena Jonsson | Detail |
| 1 | 6 December 2008 | Östersund | 7.5 km Sprint | Wang Chunli | Tora Berger | Magdalena Neuner | Magdalena Neuner | Detail |
| 1 | 7 December 2008 | Östersund | 10 km Pursuit | Martina Beck | Svetlana Sleptsova | Kati Wilhelm | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 2 | 12 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 7.5 km Sprint | Simone Hauswald | Svetlana Sleptsova | Andrea Henkel | Tora Berger | Detail |
| 2 | 13 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 10 km Pursuit | Martina Beck | Svetlana Sleptsova | Simone Hauswald | Martina Beck | Detail |
| 3 | 18 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 15 km Individual | Éva Tófalvi | Svetlana Sleptsova | Simone Hauswald | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 3 | 20 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 7.5 km Sprint | Svetlana Sleptsova | Vita Semerenko | Helena Jonsson | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 4 | 9 January 2009 | Oberhof | 7.5 km Sprint | Andrea Henkel | Helena Jonsson | Tora Berger | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 4 | 11 January 2009 | Oberhof | 12.5 km Mass Start | Kati Wilhelm | Olga Medvedtseva | Helena Jonsson | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 5 | 16 January 2009 | Ruhpolding | 7.5 km Sprint | Magdalena Neuner | Kati Wilhelm | Darya Domracheva | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 5 | 18 January 2009 | Ruhpolding | 10 km Pursuit | Magdalena Neuner | Kati Wilhelm | Tora Berger | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 6 | 22 January 2009 | Antholz-Anterselva | 7.5 km Sprint | Tora Berger | Darya Domracheva | Kati Wilhelm | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 6 | 24 January 2009 | Antholz-Anterselva | 10 km Pursuit | Anna Boulygina | Kaisa Mäkäräinen | Darya Domracheva | Svetlana Sleptsova | Detail |
| 6 | 25 January 2009 | Antholz-Anterselva | 12.5 km Mass Start | Helena Jonsson | Kaisa Mäkäräinen | Kati Wilhelm | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| WC | 14 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 7.5 km Sprint | Kati Wilhelm | Simone Hauswald | Olga Zaitseva | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| WC | 15 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 10 km Pursuit | Helena Jonsson | Kati Wilhelm | Olga Zaitseva | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| WC | 18 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 15 km Individual | Kati Wilhelm | Teja Gregorin | Tora Berger | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| WC | 22 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 12.5 km Mass Start | Olga Zaitseva | Anastázia Kuzminová | Helena Jonsson | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 7 | 11 March 2009 | Whistler | 15 km Individual | Simone Hauswald | Olga Zaitseva | Vita Semerenko | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 7 | 13 March 2009 | Whistler | 7.5 km Sprint | Helena Jonsson | Magdalena Neuner | Olga Zaitseva | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 8 | 19 March 2009 | Trondheim | 7.5 km Sprint | Olga Zaitseva | Helena Jonsson | Sylvie Becaert | Helena Jonsson | Detail |
| 8 | 21 March 2009 | Trondheim | 10 km Pursuit | Andrea Henkel | Olga Zaitseva | Marie-Laure Brunet | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 8 | 22 March 2009 | Trondheim | 12.5 km Mass Start | Tora Berger | Simone Hauswald | Sandrine Bailly | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 9 | 27 March 2009 | Khanty-Mansiysk | 7.5 km Sprint | Tina Bachmann | Simone Hauswald | Anna Carin Olofsson-Zidek | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 9 | 28 March 2009 | Khanty-Mansiysk | 10 km Pursuit | Magdalena Neuner | Michela Ponza | Marie Dorin | Kati Wilhelm | Detail |
| 9 | 29 March 2009 | Khanty-Mansiysk | 12.5 km Mass Start | Simone Hauswald | Helena Jonsson | Andrea Henkel | Helena Jonsson | Detail |

### Men's team

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2 | 14 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 4x7.5 km Relay | Russia Ivan Tcherezov Maxim Tchoudov Maxim Maksimov Nikolay Kruglov | Austria Daniel Mesotitsch Friedrich Pinter Dominik Landertinger Christoph Sumann | Ukraine Vyacheslav Derkach Andriy Deryzemlya Oleh Berezhnyi Serhiy Sednev |
| 3 | 21 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 4x7.5 km Relay | Austria Daniel Mesotitsch Friedrich Pinter Tobias Eberhard Christoph Sumann | Sweden Magnus Jonsson Mattias Nilsson Björn Ferry Carl Johan Bergman | France Vincent Jay Vincent Defrasne Jean-Guillaume Béatrix Simon Fourcade |
| 4 | 8 January 2009 | Oberhof | 4x7.5 km Relay | Austria Daniel Mesotitsch Friedrich Pinter Dominik Landertinger Christoph Sumann | Germany Michael Greis Michael Rösch Arnd Peiffer Toni Lang | Norway Emil Hegle Svendsen Rune Brattsveen Halvard Hanevold Ole Einar Bjørndalen |
| 5 | 15 January 2009 | Ruhpolding | 4x7.5 km Relay | Norway Emil Hegle Svendsen Alexander Os Halvard Hanevold Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Germany Michael Rösch Christoph Stephan Arnd Peiffer Toni Lang | Austria Daniel Mesotitsch Friedrich Pinter Tobias Eberhard Christoph Sumann |
| WC | 16 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 4x7.5 km Relay | Norway Emil Hegle Svendsen Lars Berger Halvard Hanevold Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Austria Daniel Mesotitsch Simon Eder Dominik Landertinger Christoph Sumann | Germany Michael Rösch Christoph Stephan Arnd Peiffer Michael Greis |
| 7 | 15 March 2009 | Vancouver | 4x7.5 km Relay | Sweden David Ekholm Mattias Nilsson Fredrik Lindström Carl Johan Bergman | France Vincent Jay Vincent Defrasne Martin Fourcade Simon Fourcade | Germany Simon Schempp Daniel Böhm Arnd Peiffer Michael Rösch |

### Women's team

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2 | 14 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 4x6 km Relay | Norway Solveig Rogstad Julie Bonnevie-Svendsen Ann Kristin Flatland Tora Berger | France Marie-Laure Brunet Sylvie Becaert Julie Carraz Sandrine Bailly | Germany Andrea Henkel Martina Beck Simone Hauswald Kati Wilhelm |
| 3 | 21 December 2008 | Hochfilzen | 4x6 km Relay | Germany Andrea Henkel Simone Hauswald Magdalena Neuner Kathrin Hitzer | France Marie-Laure Brunet Sylvie Becaert Julie Carraz Sandrine Bailly | Poland Krystyna Palka Magdalena Gwizdon Weronika Nowakowska Agnieszka Cyl |
| 4 | 7 January 2009 | Oberhof | 4x6 km Relay | Ukraine Olena Pidhrushna Valj Semerenko Vita Semerenko Oksana Khvostenko | Germany Simone Hauswald Kati Wilhelm Sabrina Buchholz Kathrin Hitzer | France Marie-Laure Brunet Sylvie Becaert Pauline Macabies Marie Dorin |
| 5 | 14 January 2009 | Ruhpolding | 4x6 km Relay | Germany Andrea Henkel Kati Wilhelm Kathrin Hitzer Magdalena Neuner | Sweden Sofia Domeij Helena Jonsson Anna Carin Zidek Anna Maria Nilsson | China Wang Chunli Liu Xianying Dong Xue Song Chaoqing |
| WC | 21 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 4x6 km Relay | Russia Svetlana Sleptsova Anna Boulygina Olga Medvedtseva Olga Zaitseva | Germany Martina Beck Magdalena Neuner Andrea Henkel Kati Wilhelm | France Marie-Laure Brunet Sylvie Becaert Marie Dorin Sandrine Bailly |
| 7 | 14 March 2009 | Vancouver | 4x6 km Relay | Germany Kati Wilhelm Magdalena Neuner Martina Beck Andrea Henkel | China Wang Chunli Liu Xianying Dong Xue Liu Yuanyuan | Russia Svetlana Sleptsova Anna Boulygina Olga Medvedtseva Olga Zaitseva |

### Mixed

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| WC | 19 February 2009 | Pyeongchang | 2x6 km + 2x7.5 km Mixed Relay | France Marie-Laure Brunet Sylvie Becaert Vincent Defrasne Simon Fourcade | Sweden Helena Jonsson Anna Carin Zidek David Ekholm Carl Johan Bergman | Germany Andrea Henkel Simone Hauswald Arnd Peiffer Michael Greis |

## Standings: Men
### Overall

| Pos. | | Points |
| 1. | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | 1080 |
| 2. | Tomasz Sikora | 870 |
| 3. | Emil Hegle Svendsen | 844 |
| 4. | Michael Greis | 804 |
| 5. | Maxim Tchoudov | 780 |
* Final standings after 26 races.

## Standings: Women
### Overall

| Pos. | | Points |
| 1. | Helena Jonsson | 952 |
| 2. | Kati Wilhelm | 952 |
| 3. | Tora Berger | 894 |
| 4. | Magdalena Neuner | 891 |
| 5. | Andrea Henkel | 838 |
* Final standings after 26 races.

## Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Germany | 21 | 15 | 13 | 49 |
| 2 | Norway | 19 | 11 | 14 | 44 |
| 3 | Russia | 8 | 10 | 6 | 24 |
| 4 | Sweden | 6 | 8 | 6 | 20 |
| 5 | Austria | 5 | 9 | 6 | 20 |
| 6 | France | 2 | 3 | 8 | 13 |
| 7 | Poland | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 8 | Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | China | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Romania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Finland | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Belarus | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 13 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Slovakia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Slovenia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Croatia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | United States | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (17 entries) | Totals (17 entries) | 65 | 65 | 65 | 195 |

## Achievements
### First World Cup career victory

* Wang Chunli (CHN), 25, in her 3rd season — the WC 1 Sprint in Östersund; also her first individual podium
* Simone Hauswald (GER), 29, in her 9th season — the WC 2 Sprint in Hochfilzen; first podium was 2004-05 Pursuit in Antholz-Anterselva
* Éva Tófalvi (ROU), 30, in her 13th season — the WC 3 Individual in Hochfilzen; also her first individual podium
* Anna Boulygina (RUS), 25, in her 3rd season — the WC 6 Pursuit in Antholz-Anterselva; also her first individual podium
* Christoph Stephan (GER), 23, in his 4th season — the WC 6 Mass Start in Antholz-Anterselva; also his first individual podium
* Dominik Landertinger (AUT), 20, in his 2nd season — the WCh Mass Start in Pyeong Chang; first podium was 2008-09 Sprint in Ruhpolding
* Vincent Jay (FRA), 23, in his 4th season — the WC 7 Individual in Vancouver; also his first individual podium
* Arnd Peiffer (GER), 22, in his 1st season — the WC 9 Sprint in Khanty-Mansiysk; also his first individual podium
* Tina Bachmann (GER), 22, in her 1st season — the WC 9 Sprint in Khanty-Mansiysk; also her first individual podium
* Simon Eder (AUT), 25, in his 6th season — the WC 9 Mass Start in Khanty-Mansiysk; first podium was 2008-09 Pursuit in Antholz-Anterselva

### First World Cup podium

* Vita Semerenko (UKR), 22, in her 3rd season — no. 2 in the WC 3 Sprint in Hochfilzen
* Darya Domracheva (BLR), 22, in her 3rd season — no. 3 in the WC 5 Sprint in Ruhpolding
* Jakov Fak (CRO), 21, in his 3rd season — no. 3 in the WCh Individual in Pyeong Chang
* Teja Gregorin (SLO), 28, in her 6th season — no. 2 in the WCh Individual in Pyeong Chang
* Anastasiya Kuzmina (SVK), 24, in her 2nd season — no. 2 in the WCh Mass Start in Pyeong Chang
* Daniel Bohm (GER), 22, in his 1st season — no. 2 in the WC 7 Individual in Vancouver
* Jeremy Teela (USA), 32, in his 13th season — no. 3 in the WC 7 Individual in Vancouver
* Marie-Laure Brunet (FRA), 20, in her 2nd season — no. 3 in the WC 8 Pursuit in Trondheim
* Marie Dorin (FRA), 22, in her 2nd season — no. 3 in the WC 9 Pursuit in Khanty-Mansiysk

### Victory in this World Cup (all-time number of victories in parentheses)
## Retirements

Following notable biathletes retired after the 2008–09 season:
* Olegs Maluhins (LAT)
* Stian Eckhoff (NOR)
* Mikhail Kochkin (RUS)
* Pavlina Filipova (BUL)
* Romy Beer (GER)
* Albina Akhatova (RUS)
* Olga Anisimova (RUS)
* Oksana Neupokoeva (RUS)
* Tetiana Rud (UKR)