The last five seasons, Elvira Öberg has started the seasons well with podium places and several top five placings during the first two competitions in Kontiolahti/Östersund and Hochfilzen.
This year, she achieved three podium places – third, second, and first – in the individual races in Kontiolahti. However, she shot herself out of contention in Hochfilzen – 25th and eighth.
This season, she hopes to be able to maintain her form for a longer period.
We've done something different this year, training more in the lead-up to the season, maintaining a higher training volume into the competition weeks. The idea is to be able to maintain the same form over a longer period, she said.
A third competition spot is scheduled before Christmas, in French Annecy-Le Grand Bornand this week. Then, there will be a three-week break over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
It's one of the few training windows we have, so I'll try to train a lot and get in some basic training.
"Has the capacity"
She said before the season that she wanted to be in the mix for the overall World Cup title this season.
It will probably require a lot, but I know I have the capacity and hope to reach that level, she said.
After the premiere weeks in Kontiolahti, she could conclude:
I'm a better biathlete now than I've ever been. I've had a very good training year, am stronger and better on the range.
Elvira Öberg is already one of the strongest biathletes in the world elite. To take a step forward in biathlon, the solution was more and changed strength training for the upper body.
We've seen that what separates the female and male biathletes the most is upper body strength, so it's something we've tried to focus more on.
Now, we've worked on maintaining strength despite me already skiing fast.
Avoids high-altitude competitions
She has also made some changes in her shooting. According to shooting coach Jean-Marc Chabloz, they have made a balance adjustment in the rifle and changed the lying position, which has made her more secure.
Öberg also hopes that this season's competition program will benefit her now that the North American competition venues Soldier Hollow and Canmore, both located at high altitude, are not included.
It's a schedule that suits me better, with relatively few competitions at high altitude, said Öberg.
Born: February 26, 1999 (24 years old), grew up in Svensbyn outside Piteå.
Lives: Östersund.
Club: Piteå Biathlon Club
Main merits: OS: one gold and two silver. World Championship: one gold, two bronze. Nine individual World Cup victories.
Season start placings, individual World Cup races:
2024/25: 3–2–1–25–8.
23/24: 39–11–10–2–1.
22/23: 9–12–3–4–4.
21/22: 18–8–2–7–17–3.
20/21: 4–24–3–8–11–7–5–3–6.
