Swedish biathlon star Elvira Öberg will skip the World Cup opener weekend in Östersund after not feeling fully fit. The 26-year-old called the situation incredibly frustrating and hopes to return on Tuesday. The relay team has been announced without her.
Elvira Öberg, one of Sweden's top biathletes, is skipping Saturday's women's relay and Sunday's mixed relay at the World Cup opener in Östersund. The reason is that she has not felt completely well during the week, a situation reminiscent of the issues before last winter's World Championships when she grappled with questions of being sick, healthy, or in between.
"It is incredibly frustrating," the 26-year-old told Dagens Nyheter.
On Instagram, Öberg wrote: "Unfortunately, I will start this year's World Cup season from the sidelines. I haven't felt completely 100 this week but hope to be on the start line on Tuesday."
The team for the weekend's relays in Östersund has been announced by the Swedish Biathlon Association. For the women, Johanna Skottheim from Lima SKG and Sara Andersson take the last two spots in the World Cup, while Anna-Karin Heijdenberg gets a chance in the IBU Cup. The selected women are Johanna Skottheim, Anna Magnusson from Piteå skidskytteklubb, Ella Halvarsson from Biathlon Östersund, and Hanna Öberg from Piteå skidskytteklubb.
The men's team consists of Viktor Brandt from I 2 IF, Jesper Nelin from Biathlon Östersund, Martin Ponsiluoma from Tullus SG, and Sebastian Samuelsson from I 21 IF.
The women's relay starts at 13:15 on Saturday and the men's at 16:55. SVT will broadcast both events. The World Cup premiere begins tomorrow, November 29, 2025.