The men's IBU World Cup leader Bø travelled to the World Championships having won the last six events on the circuit, and he underlined his status as the best biathlete on the planet by adding to yesterday's sprint success with victory in the 12.5 kilometres pursuit.

It is the first time that the five-time Olympic gold medallist has won a sprint and pursuit double at the World Championships, meaning he now has a world title in every biathlon discipline.

Bø proved too strong for the rest of the field, shooting clean and finishing in 33min 34.5sec at the Arena am Rennsteig to triumph by more than one minute.

"Today the flag was going straight down - there were no wind issues, no fog," he reflected afterwards.

"I could go out in the lead and felt really good on the skis.

"The best day so far in the Championships.

"It looks like the shape is coming and shooting clean as well which is not too often.

"I am very proud of the race today."

Sturla Holm Lægreid was the only other athlete who shot clean, and made it a Norwegian one-two in 34:45.7.

Sweden's Sebastian Samuelsson took third in a final lap battle with Norwegian pair Tarjei Bø and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen after the trio all picked up two penalties on the last standing stage.

Samuelsson and Christiansen had previously shot clean, while Bø - the elder brother of Johannes Thingnes - earned two penalties on the first standing stage.

Samuelsson and Bø broke clear early on the last loop, and the Norwegian led until the final few hundred metres.

However, Samuelsson, who started in 11^th position, produced a powerful sprint to finish in 35:28.6, 3.2 clear of Bø.

Women's World Cup leader Simon won her first individual World Championships gold in the 10km pursuit, clocking 32:00.8 to beat German home favourite Denise Herrmann-Wick by 27 seconds.

Sprint winner Herrmann-Wick started the pursuit race first with a 1:03 advantage over Simon, and had narrowly regained the lead before the final standing stage.

However, two penalties to Simon's one made it advantage to the French athlete.

Simon started 10^th but had shot clean to that point, while Herrmann-Wick picked up a penalty on the first prone and standing stage.

Norway's Olympic sprint and pursuit champion Marte Olsbu Røiseland collected one penalty on the first three shooting stages, but a clean final standing stage propelled her to third place in 32:38.5.

Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold of Norway also picked up three penalties throughout the race and finished fourth in 33:01.1.

After the race, Simon admitted it was "new for me" to start as one of the pre-race favourites, and said she was confident she could overcome the deficit she began with.

"I started far away but believed in my chances," she commented.

"I was counting on some mistakes from my opponents.

"It is really nice to have medal in this place with an amazing crowd.

"The atmosphere was totally crazy."

Tomorrow is a rest day at the World Championships, with the men's 20km individual race scheduled for Tuesday (February 14) and women's 15km individual event for Wednesday (February 15).