Winner Magdalena Neuner of Germany celebrates a race and overall victory at the biathlon World Cup in Russia on Saturday. (Mihail Metzel/Associated Press)

Olympic gold medallist Emil Hegle Svendsen of Norway won his first overall World Cup biathlon title Saturday at Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, behind nine podium finishes and five victories this season.

Svendsen entered the final race, the men’s 15-kilometre mass start, tied with Austria’s Christoph Sumann in the overall standings.

The Norwegian was leading until he missed two targets on the last shooting range and finished 14th, one minute behind the winner and world mass start champion, Dominik Landertinger of Austria. But Svendsen still had enough points to take the title.

Jean-Philippe Le Guellec of Shannon, Que., finished 27th.

It was Landertinger’s first victory of the season, as he overcame one penalty loop to win the race in 38:19.8.

On the women’s side, Olympic champion Magdalena Neuner of Germany won the second World Cup title of her career, capping an impressive couple of months in international competition.

Neuner, who won gold in both the pursuit and mass start in Vancouver, overcame three penalty loops to win the women’s season-ending 12.5-kilometre mass start race in 36:20.0.

The 2008 champion finished with 933 points this season, behind the strength of five victories and 13 podium appearances in 25 races.

Fellow German Simone Hauswald, who entered the race just 33 points behind her teammate, missed seven targets to finish in 18th but remained second overall with 854 points.

Helena Jonsson of Sweden, the 2009 champion, finished third in the overall standings with 813.

Zina Kocher of Canmore, Alta., came in 30th.