Prior to these races, the Frenchman had won the four previous hunting starts in the World Cup.
Eduard Latypov took the silver and Tarjei Bö followed up yesterday's bronze in the sprint with a new medal in the same denomination.
At the third shot, the first in standing, Thingnes Bö started in the wind where he tried to wait for a calmer wind but got three initial booms and had to take two rounds.
Fillon Maillet was having a great game - if anything the pouring rain seemed to be spurring him on!
He went out in the lead with ten seconds to spare on Eduard Latypov.
Samuelsson was there ten after two new booms, two minutes from the bronze.
Ponsiluoma collapsed in total and got four new rounds: Out as 29th and the competition was as night black as the Beijing sky.
In the second horizontal shot, leading Thingnes Bö had a hard time finding the right position and missed his first two shots.
Chasing Fillon Maillet had problems with the magazine but shot full and went out as second only 13 seconds behind the Norwegian.
It was a strong wind and Samuelsson had two booms and Ponsiluoma three.
They really lost in the difficult conditions.
Samuelsson finished seventh and Ponsiluoma 13th.
Already in the first shot, Ponsiluoma deteriorated the starting position with two booms while Samuelsson lost time in the lead after one boom but advanced a position up to fourth place.