The German single mixed relay narrowly missed the biathlon podium in the IBU Cup on Wednesday afternoon.
Leonhard Pfund and Selina Marie Kastl took fourth place in Lenzerheide after a total of seven spare rounds and one penalty. The gap to the leader at the finish was 57.1 seconds.
The French siblings Antonin and Gilonne Guigonnat (six spares) secured victory. Behind them, Finland (+31.4 seconds/seven spares) and Austria (+46.3 seconds/nine spares) landed on the podium.
German podium coup in biathlon
At the start of the biathlon week in Switzerland, the German mixed relay team around Roman Rees, Lucas Fratzscher, Sophia Schneider and Hanna Kebinger finished in a strong third place. The DSV quartet only had to admit defeat to France and Italy. Rees, Fratzscher, Schneider and Kebinger ended up ahead of the strong Norwegian biathlon team, which had to settle for fourth place.
Before the Christmas break, the IBU Cup still has two sprint races and two mass starts on the program. The second biathlon league in Germany continues on the Arber on January 8th.
Biathlon stars come to Germany
The World Cup gets down to business in Annecy, France, before Christmas. Two sprint races, two pursuit races and two mass starts are planned here from Thursday to Sunday. Overall World Cup winner Franziska Preuß is back in the DSV squad after her retirement in Hochfilzen. Meanwhile, Selina Grotian has to continue passing.
The highest biathlon league in Germany will also continue in the new year, with events in Oberhof (January 8th to 11th) and Ruhpolding (January 14th to 18th). The highlight of the season is undoubtedly the 2026 Winter Olympics (February 6th to 22nd) in Italy.