# 1998–99 Biathlon World Cup

The 1998–99 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union. The season started on 11 December 1998 in Hochfilzen, Austria, and ended on 14 March 1999 in Holmenkollen, Norway. It was the 22nd season of the Biathlon World Cup.

## Calendar

Below is the IBU World Cup calendar for the 1998–99 season.
| Location | Date | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass start | Relay |
| Hochfilzen | 11–13 December | ● | ● | ● | | |
| Osrblie | 16–20 December | ● | ● | ● | | ● |
| Oberhof | 8–10 January | | ● | ● | | ● |
| Ruhpolding | 13–17 January | | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Antholz | 22–24 January | | ● | ● | | ● |
| Kontiolahti | 12–14 February | | ● | ● | | ● |
| Lake Placid | 26–28 February | | ● | ● | | ● |
| Valcartier | 4–6 March | | ● | ● | | |
| Holmenkollen | 11–14 March | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Total | Total | 3 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 6 |

## World Cup Podium
### Men

| Stage | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third | Yellow bib (After competition) | Det. |
| 1 | 11 December 1998 | Hochfilzen | 10 km Sprint | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Raphaël Poirée | Pavel Rostovtsev | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 1 | 12 December 1998 | Hochfilzen | 12.5 km Pursuit | Raphaël Poirée | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Sven Fischer | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 1 | 13 December 1998 | Hochfilzen | 20 km Individual | Oleg Ryzhenkov | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Ivan Masařík | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 2 | 16 December 1998 | Brezno-Osrblie | 20 km Individual | Pavel Rostovtsev | Vesa Hietalahti | René Cattarinussi | Pavel Rostovtsev | Detail |
| 2 | 19 December 1998 | Brezno-Osrblie | 10 km Sprint | Sven Fischer | Oļegs Maļuhins | Raphaël Poirée | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 2 | 20 December 1998 | Brezno-Osrblie | 12.5 km Pursuit | Sven Fischer | Raphaël Poirée | Pavel Rostovtsev | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 3 | 8 January 1999 | Oberhof | 10 km Sprint | Vladimir Drachev | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Ricco Groß | Pavel Rostovtsev | Detail |
| 3 | 9 January 1999 | Oberhof | 12.5 km Pursuit | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Ricco Groß | Frank Luck | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 4 | 13 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 15 km Mass Start | Raphaël Poirée | Frank Luck | Sergei Rozhkov | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| 4 | 16 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 10 km Sprint | Alexei Aidarov | Sylfest Glimsdal | Fredrik Kuoppa | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 4 | 17 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 12.5 km Pursuit | Raphaël Poirée | Ricco Groß | Sven Fischer | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 5 | 22 January 1999 | Antholz-Anterselva | 10 km Sprint | René Cattarinussi | Frank Luck | Ricco Groß | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 5 | 23 January 1999 | Antholz-Anterselva | 12.5 km Pursuit | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Carsten Heymann | Halvard Hanevold | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Detail |
| WC | 12 February 1999 | Kontiolahti | 10 km Sprint | Frank Luck | Patrick Favre | Frode Andresen | Frank Luck | Detail |
| WC | 13 February 1999 | Kontiolahti | 12.5 km Pursuit | Ricco Groß | Frank Luck | Sven Fischer | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 6 | 26 February 1999 | Lake Placid | 10 km Sprint | Sven Fischer | René Cattarinussi | Jan Wüstenfeld | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 6 | 27 February 1999 | Lake Placid | 12.5 km Pursuit | Raphaël Poirée | Peter Sendel | Sven Fischer | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 7 | 4 March 1999 | Val Cartier | 10 km Sprint | Oļegs Maļuhins | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Frode Andresen | Frank Luck | Detail |
| 7 | 6 March 1999 | Val Cartier | 12.5 km Pursuit | Frode Andresen | Halvard Hanevold | Sven Fischer | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| WC | 11 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 20 km Individual | Sven Fischer | Ricco Groß | Vadim Sashurin | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 8 | 12 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 10 km Sprint | Halvard Hanevold Sven Fischer | | Andriy Deryzemlya | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| WC | 13 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 15 km Mass Start | Sven Fischer | Vladimir Drachev | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Sven Fischer | Detail |
| 8 | 14 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 12.5 km Pursuit | Frank Luck | Raphaël Poirée | Ricco Groß | Sven Fischer | Detail |

### Women

| Stage | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third | Yellow bib (After competition) | Det. |
| 1 | 11 December 1998 | Hochfilzen | 7.5 km Sprint | Magdalena Forsberg | Corinne Niogret | Galina Koukleva | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 1 | 12 December 1998 | Hochfilzen | 10 km Pursuit | Magdalena Forsberg | Corinne Niogret | Simone Greiner-Petter-M. | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 1 | 13 December 1998 | Hochfilzen | 15 km Individual | Uschi Disl | Magdalena Forsberg | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 2 | 16 December 1998 | Brezno-Osrblie | 15 km Individual | Uschi Disl | Albina Akhatova | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 2 | 19 December 1998 | Brezno-Osrblie | 7.5 km Sprint | Simone Greiner-Petter-M. | Uschi Disl | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 2 | 20 December 1998 | Brezno-Osrblie | 10 km Pursuit | Uschi Disl | Simone Greiner-Petter-M. | Katrin Apel | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 3 | 8 January 1999 | Oberhof | 7.5 km Sprint | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Olena Zubrilova | Nadezhda Talanova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 3 | 9 January 1999 | Oberhof | 10 km Pursuit | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Olena Zubrilova | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 4 | 13 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 12.5 km Mass Start | Uschi Disl | Olena Zubrilova | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 4 | 16 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 7.5 km Sprint | Olena Zubrilova | Corinne Niogret | Gro Marit Istad | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 4 | 17 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 10 km Pursuit | Olena Zubrilova | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 5 | 22 January 1999 | Antholz-Anterselva | 7.5 km Sprint | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Petrova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 5 | 23 January 1999 | Antholz-Anterselva | 10 km Pursuit | Corinne Niogret | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Petrova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| WC | 12 February 1999 | Kontiolahti | 7.5 km Sprint | Martina Zellner | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Zubrilova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| WC | 13 February 1999 | Kontiolahti | 10 km Pursuit | Olena Zubrilova | Martina Schwarzbacherová | Martina Zellner | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 6 | 25 February 1999 | Lake Placid | 7.5 km Sprint | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Zubrilova | Martina Schwarzbacherová | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 6 | 27 February 1999 | Lake Placid | 10 km Pursuit | Olena Zubrilova | Magdalena Forsberg | Uschi Disl | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 7 | 5 March 1999 | Val Cartier | 7.5 km Sprint | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | Katrin Apel | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 7 | 6 March 1999 | Val Cartier | 10 km Pursuit | Magdalena Forsberg | Olena Zubrilova | Martina Schwarzbacherová | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| WC | 11 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 15 km Individual | Olena Zubrilova | Corinne Niogret | Albina Akhatova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 8 | 12 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 7.5 km Sprint | Olena Zubrilova | Ann-Elen Skjelbreid | Olena Petrova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| WC | 13 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 12.5 km Mass Start | Olena Zubrilova | Olena Petrova | Magdalena Forsberg | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |
| 8 | 14 March 1999 | Oslo Holmenkollen | 10 km Pursuit | Olena Zubrilova | Ann-Elen Skjelbreid | Olena Petrova | Magdalena Forsberg | Detail |

### Men's team

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2 | 18 December 1998 | Osrblie | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Belarus Alexei Aidarov Ivan Pesterev Vadim Sashurin Oleg Ryzhenkov | Norway Halvard Hanevold Egil Gjelland Dag Bjørndalen Ole Einar Bjørndalen |
| 3 | 10 January 1999 | Oberhof | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Russia Sergei Rozhkov Vladimir Drachev Vyacheslav Kunayev Viktor Maigourov | Norway Egil Gjelland Sylfest Glimsdal Frode Andresen Halvard Hanevold |
| 4 | 14 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Russia Viktor Maigourov Vladimir Drachev Sergei Rozhkov Pavel Rostovtsev | Finland Ville Raikkonen Vesa Hietalahti Mikko Uusipaikka Paavo Puurunen |
| 5 | 24 January 1999 | Antholz-Anterselva | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer Frank Luck | Italy Rene Cattarinussi Patrick Favre Wilfried Pallhuber Pieralberto Carrara | Norway Halvard Hanevold Dag Bjørndalen Egil Gjelland Ole Einar Bjørndalen |
| WC | 14 February 1999 | Kontiolahti | 4x7.5 km Relay | Belarus Alexei Aidarov Petr Ivashko Vadim Sashurin Oleg Ryzhenkov | Russia Viktor Maigourov Vladimir Drachev Sergei Rozhkov Pavel Rostovtsev | Norway Halvard Hanevold Dag Bjørndalen Frode Andresen Ole Einar Bjørndalen |
| 6 | 28 February 1999 | Lake Placid | 4x7.5 km Relay | Russia Viktor Maigourov Vladimir Drachev Sergei Rozhkov Pavel Rostovtsev | Germany Frank Luck Ricco Gross Peter Sendel Sven Fischer | Norway Frode Andresen Dag Bjørndalen Sylfest Glimsdal Halvard Hanevold |

### Women's team

| Event | Date | Place | Discipline | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2 | 18 December 1998 | Osrblie | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Uschi Disl Simone Greiner Katrin Apel Martina Zellner | Belarus Irina Tananayko Svetlana Paramygina Nataliya Moroz Natalia Ryzhenkova | Russia Anna Volkova Galina Kukleva Olga Romasko Albina Akhatova |
| 3 | 10 January 1999 | Oberhof | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Uschi Disl Simone Greiner Andrea Henkel Martina Zellner | Russia Anna Volkova Olga Romasko Albina Akhatova Nadezhda Talanova | France Delphyne Burlet Emmanuelle Claret Anne Briand Corinne Niogret |
| 4 | 14 January 1999 | Ruhpolding | 4x7.5 km Relay | Ukraine Olena Zubrilova Olena Petrova Nina Lemesh Tetyana Vodopyanova | Germany Uschi Disl Katrin Apel Simone Greiner Martina Zellner | Russia Anna Volkova Nadezhda Talanova Svetlana Ishmouratova Olga Romasko |
| 5 | 24 January 1999 | Antholz-Anterselva | 4x7.5 km Relay | Russia Albina Akhatova Anna Volkova Svetlana Ishmouratova Galina Kukleva | Germany Uschi Disl Katrin Apel Andrea Henkel Katja Beer | France Florence Baverel Christelle Gros Emmanuelle Claret Corinne Niogret |
| WC | 14 February 1999 | Kontiolahti | 4x7.5 km Relay | Germany Uschi Disl Simone Greiner Katrin Apel Martina Zellner | Russia Nadezhda Talanova Galina Kukleva Olga Romasko Albina Akhatova | France Delphyne Burlet Florence Baverel Christelle Gros Corinne Niogret |
| 6 | 28 February 1999 | Lake Placid | 4x7.5 km Relay | Norway Ann-Elen Skjelbreid Gro Marit Istad Liv Grete Skjelbreid Gunn Margit Andreassen | Ukraine Tetyana Rud Olena Petrova Oksana Khvostenko Olena Zubrilova | Finland Katja Holanti Outi Kettunen Annukka Mallat Eija Salonen |

## Standings: Men
### Overall

| Pos. | | Points |
| 1. | Sven Fischer | 443 |
| 2. | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | 397 |
| 3. | Frank Luck | 390 |
| 4. | Ricco Groß | 367 |
| 5. | Raphaël Poirée | 365 |
* Final standings after 23 races.

## Standings: Women
### Overall

| Pos. | | Points |
| 1. | Magdalena Forsberg | 478 |
| 2. | Olena Zubrilova | 467 |
| 3. | Uschi Disl | 420 |
| 4. | Corinne Niogret | 375 |
| 5. | Liv Grete Skjelbreid | 313 |
* Final standings after 23 races.

## Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Germany | 22 | 14 | 14 | 50 |
| 2 | Norway | 9 | 8 | 11 | 28 |
| 3 | Ukraine | 9 | 7 | 6 | 22 |
| 4 | France | 6 | 8 | 6 | 20 |
| 5 | Russia | 4 | 7 | 8 | 19 |
| 6 | Sweden | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15 |
| 7 | Belarus | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Italy | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Latvia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Finland | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Slovakia | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | Czech Republic | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (12 entries) | Totals (12 entries) | 59 | 57 | 58 | 174 |

## Retirements

The following notable biathletes retired after the 1998–99 season:
* Mark Kirchner (GER)
* Fredrik Kuoppa (SWE)
* Mari Lampinen (FIN)
* Anne Briand (FRA)
* Kathi Schwaab (GER)
* Annette Sikveland (NOR)
* Nadezhda Talanova (RUS)