Biathlon World Championships

The first Biathlon World Championships (BWCH) was held in 1958, with individual and team contests for men. The original team event, Team (time), was held for the last time in 1965, to be replaced in 1966 by the team event, Relay (4 × 7.5 km), which we know today. The number of events has grown significantly over the years. Beginning in 1984, women biathletes had their own World Championships, and finally, from 1989, both genders have been participating in joint Biathlon World Championships. In 1978 the development was enhanced by the change from the large army rifle calibre to a small bore rifle, while the range to the target was reduced from 150 to 50 meters.
The Biathlon World Championships of the season takes place during February or March. Some years it has been necessary to schedule parts of the Championships at other than the main venue because of weather and/or snow conditions. Full, joint Biathlon World Championships have never been held in Olympic Winter Games seasons. Biathlon World Championships in non-IOC events, however, have been held in Olympic seasons. In 2005, the then new event of Mixed Relay (two legs done by women, two legs by men) was arranged separately from the ordinary Championships.
Past Championships:
Numbers in brackets denotes number of victories in corresponding disciplines. Boldface denotes record number of victories.
This event was first held in 1958.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1974.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1997.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1999.
Medal table
This event was first held unofficially in 1965. It was a success, and replaced the team competition as an official event in 1966.
Medal table
This event was held from 1958 to 1965. The times of the top 3 athletes from each country in the 20 km individual were added together (in 1958 the top 4).
Medal table
This event, a patrol race, was held from 1989 to 1998. 1989–93: 20 km. 1994–98: 10 km.
Medal table
Numbers in brackets denotes number of victories in corresponding disciplines. Boldface denotes record number of victories.
This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988 the distance was 10 km.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988 the distance was 5 km.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1997.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1999.
Medal table
This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988, the event was 3 × 5 km. 1989–91: 3 × 7.5 km. 1993–2001: 4 × 7.5 km. In 2003, the leg distance was set to 6 km.
Medal table
This event, a patrol race, was held from 1989 to 1998. 1989–93: 15 km. 1994–98: 7.5 km.
Medal table
Numbers in brackets denotes number of victories in corresponding disciplines. Boldface denotes record number of victories.
This event was first held in 2005, at the Biathlon World Cup finals in Khanty-Mansiysk. In 2005–20, the women biathletes did the first two legs and the men did the following two (except 2006 when sequence was woman–man–woman–man), the women's ski legs were 6 km each while men ski legs were 7.5 km each (except 2005, 2006 and 2020 when ski legs were 6 km each for all relay members). In 2021, the starting gender became the result of an alternation: for the first time, men opened the relay and women closed it. Since then, this sequence alternates for each following edition. The distance skied became the same for all genders and depending on the one running the first leg (7.5 km if men run first, 6 km if women do), but in 2024 it became 6 km for every relay member no matter who runs first leg.
Medal table
This event was first held in 2019. Each team consists of two members - man and woman. The first of the team members runs the first and third legs (3 km each), the other team member – the second and fourth legs (3 km and 4.5 km respectively). In 2019 and 2020 the women biathletes started single mixed relay and the men biathletes finished it, in 2021 this order was reversed. Since then, this order alternates for each following edition.
Medal table
Updated after the 2025 Championships.
Boldface denotes active biathletes and highest medal count among all biathletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.
Media related to Biathlon World Championships at Wikimedia Commons