Jakov Fak thrilled the passionate Slovenian crowd on the opening day of the BMW IBU World Cup Biathlon Pokljuka 2025 by winning the short individual race. This marks his seventh career World Cup victory. Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid finished second, while Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma secured third place.
Slovenia’s top biathlete, Jakov Fak, achieved another remarkable career milestone on the first competition day of the BMW IBU World Cup Biathlon Pokljuka 2025. After a decade, he once again stood on the highest podium position in a World Cup event, beating his closest rival, Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, by 34 seconds. Laegreid made a shooting error on the final stage, while Ponsiluoma missed twice, ultimately finishing third, 44 seconds behind Fak.
Fak, whose last World Cup victory came in the 2014/15 season, excelled not only in flawless shooting but produced fast skiing, securing his ninth career win, including two World Champion titles. Reflecting on his success in challenging conditions, he said:
“Luckily, I managed to stay focused and relaxed on the shooting range while maintaining a good pace on the track. Big thanks to Anže, the service team, and all the coaches who have been with me throughout the years.”
This is not Fak’s first triumph in Pokljuka—he previously won the sprint race here 12 years ago. “Today’s conditions were much tougher. But winning is always special, and you never get tired of these feelings,” he added. Fak was one of only two biathletes, alongside Germany’s Justus Strelow, to complete the race without a single missed shot.
The 37-year-old Slovenian representative, who last stood on a World Cup podium in Ruhpolding in 2023, received crucial updates on his rivals throughout the race, including Johannes Thingnes Bø, who is set to retire at the end of this season. “He hasn’t been feeling well the past few days—he’s been a bit sick—but he’s still incredibly fast. Of course, I was happy to hear those updates. Regardless, I’m mainly satisfied with my own performance, my shooting, and my skiing.”
Anton Vidmar achieved one of the best results of his career, finishing 31st with three missed shots. Lovro Planko placed 35th, while Miha Dovžan narrowly missed earning World Cup points, finishing 44th.
With his second-place finish in the short individual race, Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid secured the Small Crystal Globe for winning the overall standings in this discipline and reclaimed the top spot in the overall World Cup standings.
Friday is a rest day in Pokljuka, with Mass Start races scheduled for Saturday.