A tense 15 km mass start in Holmenkollen decided the final standings and delivered a surprise finish that shifted season narratives. Norwegian winner Johan-Olav Botn crossed the line narrowly ahead, while Ukrainian ambitions ended with mixed results that left questions for next season.
In Holmenkollen, Norway, the final stage of the 2025/26 Biathlon World Cup season has concluded, with the 15 km mass start serving as the culmination of the year.
The men’s race produced victory for Norwegian Johan-Olav Botn. He finished in 37 minutes 15.6 seconds, 3.7 seconds ahead of his closest rivals.
In second place was German Philipp Navrat with zero misses; third place went to Erik Perro with a 13.7-second deficit and two misses.
The lone Ukrainian competitor, Vitaliy Mandzin, finished 22nd, +2:23.7 behind, and made three misses.
Season Summaries and Ukrainian Performances
By the season’s end, among men the leader was Frenchman Erik Perro; among Ukrainians the best was Vitaliy Mandzin, who finished 25th. In the women’s mass start race, victory went to Frenchwoman Lou Jeanmonnot, and Khrystyna Dmytrenko from Ukraine finished the season in 52nd place. The Holmenkollen events capped the season and demonstrated the high level of the athletes’ mastery on the world stage.