Julia Tannheimer is the face of a new era in women’s biathlon. The 18-year-old shines at the home World Cup in Ruhpolding. About “racing cannons”, fan chants and childhood dreams.
She bounces her right knee as the brass band in the stands plays DJ Ötzi’s “The Brightest Star.” Julia Tannheimer’s star could rise in the World Cup on Friday (January 12, 2024) – it is her debut. She has her blonde hair tied in a braid, she is smiling, with no trace of tension.
“I’m so happy. I’ve wanted this my whole life and I’m training all the time to experience it. That’s why it’s going to be really cool,” describes the 18-year-old and starts sprinting in place. When Vanessa Voigt crossed the finish line with start number one, Julia Tannheimer was just starting to warm up. She starts 94th – a little test of patience.
“She has a really good machine”
Julia Tannheimer is one of the youngsters in the German team. Similar to Selina Grotian or Sophia Schneider before her, she impressed in the IBU Cup and has the chance to attack in front of her home crowd. She is the youngest winner in an IBU Cup race, the second division of biathlon
Above all, Tannheimer has a lot of running potential, explains national coach Christian Mehringer: “On the climb, when the others can’t do it anymore, she can really improve again. So one of her strengths is on the track, she has a really good machine, as we as trainers say.”
Between the World Cup and the Abitur exam
The young biathlete only found out about her commitment in Ruhpolding last Saturday. Actually, the woman from Ulm is currently in a state of abistress: “I have an exam next Wednesday. Luckily, I always get all the notes and study sheets from my classmates. When I’m at school, everyone helps me (pauses briefly and laughs), especially with math.”
The black, red and yellow German suit fits naturally on her body, as if she has been there forever. Inside, things look a little different, the young athlete reveals: “During training I kept looking at the others and thinking, oh my God, I’m really standing next to a Lisa Vitozzi, that was really cool.”
The long wait for the start
The women’s sprint is now in full swing. While the top stars, including Franziska Preuß, Justina Braisaz-Bouchet and the eventual winner Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, are already giving their interviews after the competition in the mixed zone, Julia Tannheimer gets her racing skis and gets ready.
What she doesn’t know at this point is that Julia Tannheimer will be the last one running from interview to interview a good hour and a half later.
“You fly up the slopes”
As she leaves the starting house, the stadium announcer announces “the racing cannon” and just manages to get “Julia” over the loudspeakers when the stands roar a deafening “Tannheimer” through the Chiemgau Arena.
And the youth world champion delivers, shows herself as strong as usual and doesn’t miss a target: “It was really awesome – all along the route. I was cheered on everywhere, you fly up the climbs, the fans are awesome.”
The father is the first to congratulate
At the finish line she stands tall, her head hanging down, her upper body supported on the ski poles. When she catches her breath, the first look is towards the stands. Tannheimer waves with one hand and the crowd cheers her on. The first well-wisher to hug her is her father: “The pressure is already very high in Ruhpolding. I’m really happy for Julia. The fact that she’s getting zero-zero is crazy.”
And the daughter is also extremely happy about her strong 15th place at the World Cup premiere: “I think it’s really cool. My dad hasn’t watched that much because he has to work so much. It’s really nice that he’s still here and so is my mom.”
The face of a new era
Then he begins her answer marathon in front of the television cameras. “I’m more excited before the interview than I was before the race,” she says live on ZDF. The permanent grin doesn’t want to go away – why should it?
Julia Tannheimer passed this first appearance. She represents the face of a new generation of biathlon that Sport Germany could still have a lot of fun with. Maybe again on Sunday in the pursuit race.