The German men’s relay wanted to attack at the World Cup in Nové Město. However, the team had problems at the shooting range, fought – and narrowly missed the podium.
The German men’s relay around David Zobel, Philipp Nawrath, Philipp Horn and Johannes Kühn in Nové Město actually had a lot. But the difficult wind conditions were creating the team at the shooting range. David Zobel and Johannes Kühn in particular fail – the latter also fell to Nawrath when the relay was handed over. In the end, it was not enough for a medal. The victory went to France off Norway and Ukraine. Germany secured fourth place.
David Zobel sorted in at the front and left the pace work at the head of Norway and France. There was a lot of wind at the first lying attack. Zobel had to reload once and came back on the route as an eighth. Sweden, Italy and the Czech Republic led the field. Zobel gave everything on the track and was able to make up for a place. However, Zobel missed four times during the standing stop. His followers were sitting, but he had to go into the round – and slipped far back in the ranking.
Norway, the Czech Republic and France were at the top. Zobel sorted back into 16th place and was over a minute behind the leading nation. Zobel handed over to Philipp Nawrath as 15th. Zobel then said: “Four mistakes must never happen. I brutally wobbled. I didn’t get it at all. I’m sorry for the team.”
Nawrath started directly with a lot of energy and was able to make up for the front. However, he also missed once in the lying stop, but the relief was sitting. He sorted back in ninth. How difficult the wind conditions were was also shown at Norway, since Tarjei Bö had to reload twice in the standing stop. Nawrath once missed the disc, but sorted itself to sixth due to its quick pace – and suddenly the podium seemed possible again.
However, Nawrath and Johannes Kühn had problems when handing over and the latter fell. ARD expert Erik Lesser Kühn criticized Kühn and said that he should have been pushed up instead of starting directly. At the sight of the repetition, Lesser said: “Zack, drove over the top, there is just annoying.” Nawrath said after his race: “I tried everything.”
There was also a change at the top after the lying stop, since France passed Norway. Kühn presented himself strongly and showed a perfect series. He came back to the trail as fifth and was only ten seconds behind in third place. He made another place on the track.
But Kühn broke everything back in the standing stop when he missed five slices and had to complete two penalty rounds. The medal chance was gone. He sorted himself into seventh place with over two minutes behind. At the top, Norway and France made the victory among themselves.
Horn remained error -free and sorted himself to the sixth. Third place was possible again due to errors of the competition. France drove away from a flawless performance by Quentin Fillon Maillet, Norway had to go to the penalty round. Johannes Thingnes Bø produced a penalty in his last men’s season.
Then there was a struggle for third place in the last shooting: Switzerland had to play twice. Ukraine and Germany remained flawless. The two nations fought for third place. Ukraine took third place, Germany finished fourth.