The 28-year-old Pole finished 9.9 seconds behind third-placed Anais Bescond of France, and 37.5 seconds behind the winner, Hanna Oeberg of Sweden.
Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi took second place in Pokljuka on Sunday.
Poland’s Kamila Żuk, a 22-year-old Biathlon World Cup rookie, finished 17th.
Hojnisz-Staręga is a leading light of Polish biathlon after several teammates retired from competitive sports in recent years.
In December 2018, she came in runner-up in the women’s 15 km individual race in Pokljuka, earning her best-ever World Cup finish.
German Michael Greis last year took over as head coach of Poland’s women’s biathlon team to replace Ukrainian Nadiya Bilova.
Biathlon is an Olympic winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
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Source: Polsat Sport, PAP