The World Championships in Para Biathlon will take place in Slovenia from Thursday (06.02.2025). The German team drives with a tailwind to the Pokljuka.
With seven podium on two days, the German Para Biathlon team at the World Cup in Val had the Fiemme, which was not only a World Cup general rehearsal, but also a test run for the Paralympic Games next year, again a good portion of self-confidence for the upcoming world championships (6th to February 9).
First impression of the Pokljuka is right
“We want to build on our services from Val di Fiemme. Maybe in terms of performance, we can even put a little shovel on it”national coach Ralf Rombach looks ahead. The conditions in Slovenia fit. “Everything makes a good impression”Rombach describes his first impressions.
Conditions such as the Para Alpine World Cup, where a variety of competitions had to be canceled before the start, are not to be expected at the Pokljuka. There you know each other at the plateau in the Triglav National Park. The place is a constant in the biathlon calendar, but the World Cup is now the premiere in para biathlon. And there the requirements are different.
The German team travels to Slovenia with three athletes and six athletes including four guides. Leoni Walter has great chances of a medal. The 21-year-old with visual impairment is currently in World Cup and showed her skills two years ago in Östersund with three medals (2x gold, 1x bronze). She is also an Olympic champion about the 10-kilometer distance. Despite their young age, they do not burden their results: “If I put pressure on myself, it doesn’t get any better. I try to have fun.”
Triple world champion Kazmaier is missing
Anja Wicker, paralyzed, also comes to the Pokljuka with the feeling of the World Cup. The 33-year-old had recently won second place in the fleeine valley. After double silver in the previous year, the Stuttgart native is now looking at her third World Cup title after 2017 and 2021.
On the other hand, the triple world champion of 2024, Linn Kazmaier. The 18 -year -old para biathlete with visual impairment, which was successful in Prince George in Sprint, in the persecution and individual, was not able to start the winter due to health problems and accordingly still has training deficit. The World Cup would come too early for you, instead the focus is already on the 2026 Paralympics.
The German contingent in the overview
Women with visual impairment
- Johanna Recktenwald (23/Biathlon team Saarland/with Guide Emily Weiß)
- Leonie Walter (21/SC St. Peter/with Guide Christian Krasman)
Women sitting
- Anja Wicker (33/Stuttgart)
Men with visual impairment
- Nico Messinger (30/ring of the body disabled Freiburg/with Guide Robin Wunderle)
- Lennart Volkert (21/PSV Munich/with Guide Nils Kolb)
Men standing
- Alexander Ehller (55/SV Kirchzarten)
- Steffen Lehmer (36/WSV Clausthal-Zellerfeld)
- Max Long (18/SV Kirchzarten)
- Marco Maier (25/SV Kirchzarten)
Timetable of the Para Biathlon World Cup
- Thursday, February 6th: Sprint (7.5 km)
- Saturday, February 8th: Sprint tracking (2.4 km for a seated class, 3.6 km for standing classes)
- Sunday, February 9th: single races (12.5 km)