Biathlon World Cup Season Opening: Italian Women Seek Success As A Team

Teams from 27 countries have signed up for the Biathlon World Cup season opening at Kontiolahti. The event takes place in the end of November and early December and counts as the broadest ever at Kontiolahti.

Seven competition days and ten events cover all World Cup event forms except the Pursuit.

“A handful of other nations have the right to participate, but not all countries are taking part. Most of these are countries whose teams consist of only few athletes”, says Jarno Lautamatti of the organizer Kontiolahti Sport Club. 

Italy tunes in to the Olympics

One interesting team in the season opening is the Italian women's national team.

During the summer training season, last season’s total World Cup winner Lisa Vittozzi, as well as Samuela Comola, Hannah Auchentaller, Beatrice Trabucchi, Rebecca Passler and Michaela Carrera have trained in the women’s national team. Dorothea Wierer has trained with the men’s national team,

Finnish Jonne Kähkönen, who started his second two-year contract as the head coach of the women’s national team this spring, is leading his team towards the Olympic events taking place at home in Anterselva in February 2026.

The Italian women’s national team’s goal this season is to improve their performance as a team. The team is expected to improve to the point where it is realistic to expect success in the upcoming Olympic relay.

“The first World Championship relay gold in 2023 shows that there is potential in the young athletes. On the other hand, last year we were unsuccessful at the most important point of the World Championship relay. The competition is tough, and all four must succeed”, says Kähkönen.

“Others have trained, too”

The spectators in Kontiolahti may keep an eye on all Italians, not only Vittozzi and Wierer.

“Our obvious goal is to succeed as a team. We aim to be less volatile and gain steadier performances throughout the season.”

Kähkönen will not make closer predictions of success in the season opening.

“When you only see your own athletes during the summer and fall, it all looks great and you can see improvement. The fact is, everyone else has trained and improved, too. It is difficult to evaluate in advance the individual and team improvement compared to others."

Say it in Italian  

Kähkönen praises the clear roles within the coaching team. Three coaches each have their own responsibilities. 

“Everyone can focus on their own work. As the women’s head coach I am responsible for the shooting, and it is not my job to think about skiing.”  

Kähkönen’s improved Italian skills also receive praise. 

Already during his first two-year period the team’s number one language was Italian. The head coach’s practical training has now delivered results. 

“It is getting pretty easy with the language”, says Kähkönen, who lives in Lahti, Finland.

Among the coaches, the team’s working language is always Italian. Most of the time, Kähkönen speaks Italian with the athletes as well.

Some speak English, too, but not out of Kähkönen’s initiative.

“Athletes, for instance Lisa, would like to practice English and occasionally speak in English.”     

INFO: Participating Teams at Biathlon World Cup season opening 2024-25 on 30.11.-08.12.2024: 

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA.