Pokljuka is not on the World Cup schedule next year but will return for the 2026/27 season.

Fak rolled back the clock on Thursday by winning the 15 km short individual competition, his first victory in almost 10 years. It was his second individual win in Pokljuka during his career. He was also victorious in the 10 km sprint race there in December 2012.

In total, he has won 9 individual World Cup and World Championship competitions during a glittering career, which has also yielded one bronze and one silver medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 and the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea in 2018, respectively. The first of those medals was won while representing Croatia, before he switched to the Slovenian team in 2010.

The popular biathlete has also won numerous World Championship medals, including a bronze medal for Croatia and the whole set - two golds, one silver and one bronze medal - representing Slovenia.

This week's events on the Pokljuka plateau were brought to an end by the 4 x 6 km mixed relay competition, which was won by Sweden, followed by France in 2nd place and Norway in 3rd.