At the start of the Biathlon World Cup, Franziska Preuß and Philipp Nawrath set the highlights from a German perspective with their individual race podium places. But the offspring also left big exclamation marks. And more “young, wild people” can take part in the upcoming World Cup.
Franziska Preuß collapsed for a brief moment during the final biathlon mass start in Kontiolahti. Before the final fourth shooting, the 30-year-old still had the best chance of winning, but with a shooting error she fell back to fifth place. Thoroughly frustrated, Preuß returned to the track. But the anger only lasted for a short time. Preuß’ young teammate Julia Tannheimer came flying in from behind. “When Julia walked past me, she was so euphoric. That infected me.”Preuss later reported.
Mass start: Three Germans in the top 5
Preuß hung on to Tannheimer, and together with Vanessa Voigt, the German trio intercepted the Swede Anna Magnusson. Preuß came third and celebrated her 16th World Cup podium. Also thanks to Tannheimers, who are eleven years younger and their infectious euphoria. As a reward, both of them were allowed to go to the Flower Ceremony together with Voigt, Preuß in third place, Voigt in fourth place, Tannheimer in fifth place.
Tannheimer: Four individual starts, two Flower Ceremony
The 19-year-old from Tannheim was allowed to compete four times at the World Cup opener in Kontiolathi. With places six (sprint) and fifth (mass start), the woman from Ulm broke the World Cup standard at the first World Cup station and was allowed to go to the so-called Flower Ceremony, the award ceremony for the best six, twice. “This is unreal. I can’t believe it”said the young talent happily.
Preuss: “That’s one motivation for murder”
Last winter, Tannheimer already hinted at her potential when she finished 15th in the sprint at her World Cup debut in Ruhpolding. became. In Kontiolahti, the strong running five-time Junior World Championship medalist showed straight away that she is a force to be reckoned with in the World Cup. “It’s refreshing when someone is really happy again. The whole team can benefit from that.”observed the experienced Preuß, who is already in her twelfth World Cup season. “We have a lot of young people with us. That’s great motivation for the others when they see that Julia can do it.”
Bitterling praises “youngest athlete”
And German sports director Felix Bitterling was also satisfied: “Very, very pleasing”the Bavarian found the Germans’ performance at the start of the World Cup and lifted it up “also the achievements of our youngest athlete, Julia Tannheimer”out.
In addition to the German sprint champion, Danilo Riethmüller, a second “freshman” was also able to impress. The 25-year-old achieved a mass start for the first time on Sunday (December 8th, 2024) in only his eleventh World Cup race. And even got a taste of the podium places here.
Riethmüller fights for third place – “Roll the dice on the finish line”
Together with the top athletes Sturla Holm Laegreid from Norway and the Frenchman Quentin Fillon Maillet, he went into the final round after only one shooting error in four shooting sessions and fought with both of them for second and third place on the podium: “I was hoping that the two of them would be so kind and roll the dice with me on the home straight. But they didn’t do me that favor, they picked up the pace on the climb. Then I thought to myself, I can’t do that anymore. That just looks ridiculous. I let it go.”said Riethmüller after the race with a wink.
Riethmüller ended up with fourth place and still his best career result “quite satisfied.” Finally the race was over “Very successful with fourth place and 95 percent hit performance.” Just up “I had a hard time on the route”.
Nevertheless, the German ran the tenth best time in his race. In the women’s mass start, Preuß, Tannheimer and Voigt also made it into the running top 10 with the third, fifth and sixth best times.
Bitterling explains tactics: “Top form in January and February”
Overall, the Germans were rarely among the top runners at the World Cup opener in Kontionlahti. And there is a reason for that, as Bitterling explains: “In terms of running, we have simply planned a different structure this year than last. We want to be in top form, especially in January and February.”explains the DSV biathlon sports director.
“There’s definitely still some catching up to do” in shooting
However, Bitterling was more critical of the German team’s performance at the shooting range. At least three athletes made it through the six individual races without any mistakes: Philipp Nawrath and Tannheimer in the sprint, Voigt in the mass start. “We definitely still have some catching up to do there. We have to find better focus now. We simply have to work more concentratedly.”
Fichtner and Kaiser: Two World Cup debutants in Hochfilzen
With two error-free shooting sessions and first and second place, another talent impressed in the IBU Cup last weekend: Marlene Fichtner. The 21-year-old is being rewarded for her strong performances this week: the three-time Junior World Championship medalist from Traunstein is making her World Cup debut at the World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria. Simon Kaiser can also look forward to his first World Cup race. After finishing third in the IBU Cup individual in Geilo, the 25-year-old Oberhofer was also nominated.
Fichtner replaces Johanna Puff, who was recently injured, in the DSV squad. Kaiser displaces his Thuringian base colleague David Zobel, who disappointed in the individual races in Kontiolahti with 60th (individual) and 62nd (sprint).
In addition to Tannheimer, Riethmüller, Julia Kink and Selina Grotian, there are others in Hochfilzen with Fichnter and Kaiser “young savages” to the German team. And, Bitterling already knew that before the Kontiolathi World Cup: “They are absolutely a promise for the future.”