Klaus Siebert(GDR), 22, in his 1st season — the WC 1 Individual in Ruhpolding; it also was his first podium and the first podium for an East German biathlete
Sigleif Johansen(NOR), 29, in his 1st season — the WC 1 Sprint in Ruhpolding; it also was his first podium and the first podium for a Norwegian biathlete
Frank Ullrich(GDR), 20, in his 1st season — the WC 2 Individual in Ruhpolding; first podium was 1977–78 Sprint in Ruhpolding
Odd Lirhus(NOR), 21, in his 1st season — the World Championships Individual in Hochfilzen; it also was his first podium
Nikolay Kruglov(URS), 28, in his 1st season — the WC 3 Individual in Murmansk; first podium was 1977–78 Individual in Antholz-Anterselva
Vladimir Barnashov(URS), 27, in his 1st season — the WC 4 Sprint in Sodankylä; first podium was 1977–78 Sprint in Antholz-Anterselva
First World Cup podium
Eberhard Rösch(GDR), 27, in his 1st season — no. 2 in the WC 1 Individual in Ruhpolding
Andreas Schweiger(FRG), 24, in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 1 Individual in Ruhpolding; it also was the first podium for a West German biathlete
Frank Ullrich(GDR), 19, in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 1 Sprint in Ruhpolding
Alexander Ushakov(URS), 29, in his 1st season — no. 2 in the WC 2 Individual in Antholz-Anterselva; it also was the first podium for a Soviet biathlete
Nikolay Kruglov(URS), 28, in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 2 Individual in Antholz-Anterselva
Anatoly Alyabyev(URS), 26, in his 1st season — no. 2 in the WC 3 Individual in Murmansk
Vladimir Artemiev(URS), in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 3 Individual in Murmansk
Vladimir Barnashov(URS), 26, in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 2 Sprint in Antholz-Anterselva
Vladimir Otchnev(URS), in his 1st season — no. 2 in the WC 4 Individual in Sodankylä
Svein Engen(NOR), 25, in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 4 Individual in Sodankylä
Heikki Ikola(FIN), 30, in his 1st season — no. 2 in the WC 4 Sprint in Sodankylä; it also was the first podium for a Finnish biathlete
Alexander Tikhonov(URS), 31, in his 1st season — no. 3 in the WC 4 Sprint in Sodankylä
Victory in this World Cup (all-time number of victories in parentheses)