After winning the single mixed, the German Ski Association’s biathlon selection was unable to convince in the mixed relay at the World Cup in Antholz.
After an incorrect performance, Janina Hettich-Walz, Sophia Schneider, Johannes Kühn and Benedikt Doll only managed eighth place (2+12/+3:15.2). Justus Strelow and Vanessa Voigt had previously won in the single mixed.
In the mixed relay, Norway (0+8) with top stars Tarjei and Johannes Thingnes Bö triumphed 29.4 seconds ahead of Italy (0+5) and 1:33.3 minutes ahead of Sweden (0+9).
Right from the start, things didn’t go according to plan for Germany. Starting runner Hettich-Walz had to reload twice in the second shooting and handed over to Schneider in fourth place, who also didn’t hit all the targets. “It was a really tough race today. You had to push hard from the start,” said Schneider on “ARD” after her change.
Kühn, third in the individual the day before, took sixth place, a good 51 seconds behind. After zero errors in the first shooting, he had to run a penalty loop after his second round.
“Unfortunately this is biathlon. Sometimes it gets better, sometimes it gets worse. I didn’t have my best day today. I had to fight physically,” he said. Final runner Doll was no longer able to convince either.
At the end of the World Cup dress rehearsal, the mass starts for men (12.30 p.m.) and women (2.45 p.m./all ARD and Eurosport) will follow on Sunday. It is unclear whether Franziska Preuss can compete again. Like Selina Grotian, she took a break and was missing due to a gastrointestinal infection.