# 1997–98 Biathlon World Cup

The 1997–98 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union. The season started on 6 December 1997 in Lillehammer, Norway, and ended on 15 March 1998 in Hochfilzen, Austria. It was the 21st season of the Biathlon World Cup.

## Calendar

Below is the IBU World Cup calendar for the 1997–98 season.
| Location | Date | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass start | Relay |
| Lillehammer | 6–7 December | | ● | ● | | |
| Östersund | 11–14 December | ● | ● | | | ● |
| Kontiolahti | 18–21 December | | ● | ● | | ● |
| Ruhpolding | 8–11 January | | ●● | | | ● |
| Antholz | 15–18 January | ● | ● | | | ● |
| Nagano | 11–21 February | ● | ● | | | ● |
| Pokljuka | 3–8 March | ● | ●● | ● | | |
| Hochfilzen | 12–15 March | ● | ● | | | |
| Total | Total | 5 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 5 |

## World Cup Podium
### Men

| Stage | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third | Yellow bib (After competition) | Det. |
| 1 | 6 December 1997 | Lillehammer | 10 km Sprint | Frank Luck | Dag Bjørndalen | Raphaël Poirée | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 1 | 7 December 1997 | Lillehammer | 12.5 km Pursuit | Alexei Aidarov | Halvard Hanevold | Pavel Mouslimov | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 2 | 11 December 1997 | Östersund | 20 km Individual | Sylfest Glimsdal | Alexei Kobelev | Viktor Maigourov | Dag Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 2 | 13 December 1997 | Östersund | 10 km Sprint | Alexei Kobelev | Raphaël Poirée | Carsten Heymann | Pavel Mouslimov | Detail |
| 3 | 18 December 1997 | Kontiolahti | 10 km Sprint | Jan Wüstenfeld | Ricco Groß | Sven Fischer | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 3 | 20 December 1997 | Kontiolahti | 12.5 km Pursuit | Sven Fischer | Ludwig Gredler | Jan Wüstenfeld | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 4 | 8 January 1998 | Ruhpolding | 10 km Sprint | Raphaël Poirée | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Ricco Groß | Ricco Groß | Detail |
| 4 | 10 January 1998 | Ruhpolding | 10 km Sprint | Frode Andresen | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Raphaël Poirée | Raphaël Poirée | Detail |
| 5 | 15 January 1998 | Antholz-Anterselva | 20 km Individual | Halvard Hanevold | Ricco Groß | Alexei Aidarov | Ricco Groß | Detail |
| 5 | 17 January 1998 | Antholz-Anterselva | 10 km Sprint | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Frode Andresen | Viktor Maigourov | Ricco Groß | Detail |
| OG | 11 February 1998 | Nagano | 20 km Individual | Halvard Hanevold | Pieralberto Carrara | Alexei Aidarov | Ricco Groß | Detail |
| OG | 18 February 1998 | Nagano | 10 km Sprint | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Frode Andresen | Ville Räikkönen | Ricco Groß | Detail |
| 6 | 3 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 20 km Individual | Ricco Groß | Egil Gjelland | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Ricco Groß | Detail |
| 6 | 5 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 10 km Sprint | Frank Luck | Raphaël Poirée | Viktor Maigourov | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 7 | 7 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 10 km Sprint | Vladimir Drachev | Sven Fischer | Ilmārs Bricis | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| WC | 8 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 12.5 km Pursuit | Vladimir Drachev | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Raphaël Poirée | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 8 | 12 March 1998 | Hochfilzen | 20 km Individual | Vladimir Drachev | Halvard Hanevold | Viktor Maigourov | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 8 | 14 March 1998 | Hochfilzen | 10 km Sprint | Vladimir Drachev | Ilmārs Bricis | Sven Fischer | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |

### Women

| Stage | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third | Yellow bib (After competition) | Det. |
| 1 | 6 December 1997 | Lillehammer | 7.5 km Sprint | Galina Koukleva | Olga Melnik | Magdalena Forsberg | Galina Koukleva | Detail |
| 1 | 7 December 1997 | Lillehammer | 10 km Pursuit | Galina Koukleva | Magdalena Forsberg | Uschi Disl | Galina Koukleva | Detail |
| 2 | 11 December 1997 | Östersund | 15 km Individual | Andreja Grašič | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Petrova | Galina Koukleva | Detail |
| 2 | 13 December 1997 | Östersund | 7.5 km Sprint | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Zubrilova | Galina Koukleva | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 3 | 18 December 1997 | Kontiolahti | 7.5 km Sprint | Uschi Disl | Martina Zellner | Svetlana Ishmouratova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 3 | 20 December 1997 | Kontiolahti | 10 km Pursuit | Magdalena Forsberg | Svetlana Ishmouratova | Martina Zellner | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 4 | 8 January 1998 | Ruhpolding | 7.5 km Sprint | Magdalena Forsberg | Petra Behle | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 4 | 10 January 1998 | Ruhpolding | 7.5 km Sprint | Petra Behle | Martina Zellner | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 5 | 15 January 1998 | Antholz-Anterselva | 15 km Individual | Olga Romasko | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 5 | 17 January 1998 | Antholz-Anterselva | 7.5 km Sprint | Nina Lemesh | Svetlana Ishmouratova | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| OG | 9 February 1998 | Nagano | 15 km Individual | Ekaterina Dafovska | Olena Petrova | Uschi Disl | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| OG | 15 February 1998 | Nagano | 7.5 km Sprint | Galina Koukleva | Uschi Disl | Katrin Apel | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 6 | 3 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 15 km Individual | Magdalena Forsberg | Florence Baverel | Uschi Disl | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 6 | 5 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 7.5 km Sprint | Corinne Niogret | Emmanuelle Claret | Annette Sikveland | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 7 | 7 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 7.5 km Sprint | Magdalena Forsberg | Ann-Elen Skjelbreid | Christelle Gros | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| WC | 8 March 1998 | Pokljuka | 10 km Pursuit | Magdalena Forsberg | Corinne Niogret | Martina Zellner | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 8 | 12 March 1998 | Hochfilzen | 15 km Individual | Uschi Disl | Andreja Grašič | Martina Zellner | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 8 | 14 March 1998 | Hochfilzen | 7.5 km Sprint | Uschi Disl | Magdalena Forsberg | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |

### Men's team

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2 | 14 December 1997 | Östersund | 4x7.5 km Relay | Norway Egil Gjelland Sylfest Glimsdal Halvard Hanevold Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Germany Jan Wüstenfeld Carsten Heymann Marco Morgenstern Sven Fischer | Italy Patrick Favre Wilfried Pallhuber Pieralberto Carrara Rene Cattarinussi |
| 3 | 21 December 1997 | Kontiolahti | 4x7.5 km Relay | Russia Sergei Rozhkov Vladimir Drachev Sergei Tarasov Pavel Rostovtsev | Belarus Alexei Aidarov Oleg Ryzhenkov Vadim Sashurin Alexander Popov | Italy Patrick Favre Wilfried Pallhuber Pieralberto Carrara Rene Cattarinussi |
| 4 | 11 January 1998 | Ruhpolding | 4x7.5 km Relay | Norway Egil Gjelland Frode Andresen Dag Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Germany Ricco Gross Jan Wüstenfeld Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Russia Sergei Rozhkov Pavel Vavilov Pavel Rostovtsev Alexei Kobelev |
| 5 | 18 January 1998 | Antholz-Anterselva | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Norway Egil Gjelland Halvard Hanevold Frode Andresen Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Belarus Alexei Aidarov Oleg Ryzhenkov Alexander Popov Vadim Sashurin |
| OG | 21 February 1998 | Nagano | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Norway Egil Gjelland Halvard Hanevold Dag Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Russia Pavel Mouslimov Vladimir Drachev Sergei Tarasov Viktor Maigourov |
| WC | 15 March 1998 | Hochfilzen | Team event | Norway Egil Gjelland Sylfest Glimsdal Halvard Hanevold Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Germany Ricco Gross Carsten Heymann Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Russia Vladimir Drachev Alexei Kobelev Sergei Rozhkov Viktor Maigourov |

### Women's team

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2 | 14 December 1997 | Östersund | 4x7.5 km Relay | France Florence Baverel Emmanuelle Claret Christelle Gros Corinne Niogret | Germany Uschi Disl Martina Zellner Katrin Apel Petra Behle | Russia Olga Melnik Galina Kukleva Albina Akhatova Anna Volkova |
| 3 | 21 December 1997 | Kontiolahti | 4x7.5 km Relay | Czech Republic Kateřina Losmanová Jiřina Pelcová Irena Česneková Eva Háková | France Florence Baverel Anne Briand Christelle Gros Corinne Niogret | Germany Uschi Disl Simone Greiner Katrin Apel Martina Zellner |
| 4 | 11 January 1998 | Ruhpolding | 4x7.5 km Relay | Russia Olga Melnik Galina Kukleva Nadezhda Talanova Albina Akhatova | Germany Uschi Disl Martina Zellner Katrin Apel Petra Behle | Norway Ann-Elen Skjelbreid Annette Sikveland Gunn Margit Andreassen Liv Grete Skjelbreid |
| 5 | 18 January 1998 | Antholz-Anterselva | 4x7.5 km Relay | Russia Anna Volkova Galina Kukleva Olga Romasko Albina Akhatova | Norway Ann-Elen Skjelbreid Annette Sikveland Gunn Margit Andreassen Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Germany Uschi Disl Martina Zellner Katrin Apel Katja Beer |
| OG | 19 February 1998 | Nagano | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Uschi Disl Martina Zellner Katrin Apel Petra Behle | Russia Olga Melnik Galina Kukleva Albina Akhatova Olga Romasko | Norway Ann-Elen Skjelbreid Annette Sikveland Gunn Margit Andreassen Liv Grete Skjelbreid |

## Standings: Men
### Overall

| Pos. | | Points |
| 1. | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | 289 |
| 2. | Ricco Groß | 286 |
| 3. | Sven Fischer | 270 |
| 4. | Halvard Hanevold | 263 |
| 5. | Raphaël Poirée | 249 |
* Final standings after 18 races.

## Standings: Women
### Overall

| Pos. | | Points |
| 1. | Magdalena Forsberg | 387 |
| 2. | Uschi Disl | 325 |
| 3. | Martina Zellner | 255 |
| 4. | Corinne Niogret | 238 |
| 5. | Galina Kukleva | 227 |
* Final standings after 18 races.

## Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Germany | 12 | 11 | 14 | 37 |
| 2 | Russia | 12 | 5 | 10 | 27 |
| 3 | Norway | 8 | 14 | 5 | 27 |
| 4 | Sweden | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| 5 | France | 3 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
| 6 | Ukraine | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Belarus | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 8 | Slovenia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Bulgaria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Czech Republic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | Latvia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | Austria | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Finland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (14 entries) | Totals (14 entries) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 138 |

## Retirements

Following notable biathletes retired after the 1997–98 season:
* Alexandr Popov (BLR)
* Patrice Bailly-Salins (FRA)
* Hubert Leitgeb (ITA)
* Jon Åge Tyldum (NOR)
* Sergei Tarasov (RUS)
* Mikael Löfgren (SWE)
* Myriam Bédard (CAN)
* Jiřina Pelcová (CZE)
* Petra Behle (GER)
* Hildegunn Mikkelsplass (NOR)
* Olga Melnik (RUS)
* Valentyna Tserbe-Nessina (UKR)