The hopes of Franziska Preuß and Selina Grotian taking part in the upcoming Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen have been dashed. Both were still in the provisional squad on Tuesday, but on Wednesday it became clear that neither could start.
The biathlon team of the German Ski Association (DSV) is starting the second World Cup of the winter without last year’s overall World Cup winner. Franziska Preuß did not get fit in time after her corona infection and is skipping the competitions in Austria that start on Friday, as is Selina Grotian. “Last night brought clarity”explained DSV sports director Felix Bitterling on Wednesday (December 10th, 2025), after it was hoped the day before that both athletes were in the provisional squad for Hochfilzen.
You will “full focus” now focus on the World Cup after next in Le Grand-Bornand, France (December 19th to 21st). “We want to get back into the game there and gain self-confidence before we go into the Christmas break.”says Bitterling.
DSV loses a starting place in Hochfilzen
For Preuß, who only grabbed the big crystal ball in the last competition of the season last winter, no other DSV athlete can be nominated because, as the defending champion, she has a separate additional starting place in the World Cup. Marlene Fichtner will join the team for Grotian. She was already there at the start in Östersund, but actually should have given up her place.
Zobel and Kink new to the team
Because instead of Fichtner, the Sprint 48 in Sweden. and Pursuit-44. Julia Kink is scheduled to move up from the second-tier IBU Cup to the World Cup. Now both will compete in the Tyrolean Alps. David Zobel is also new to the German team, replacing Lucas Fratzscher. He missed out on Sprint-64. the pursuit at the World Cup in Östersund.
“Julia is also a very young athlete, she already took her first steps in the World Cup last season”says Bitterling about Kink’s nomination. “She is an athlete who basically has relatively good running strength. So we hope that she can take her next step. She showed good performances. Especially in the domestic qualification, where it was very close.”
Six men and six women nominated
The Germans go to Hochfilzen with six men and six women. The men’s team consists of Justus Strelow, Philipp Nawrath, Philipp Horn, Danilo Riethmüller, Simon Kaiser and David Zobel. The women’s sextet consists of Vanessa Voigt, Janina Hettich-Walz, Julia Tannheimer, Anna Weidel, Fichtner and Kink.
Only two eighth individual places in Östersund
The German biathletes missed out on a podium finish at the start of the World Cup. In the relay and individual races, the DSV athletes came fourth twice, eighth three times and tenth once. The best individual placings were achieved by Julia Tannheimer in eighth place in the sprint and Philipp Horn in eighth place individually.
Last year’s overall World Cup winner, Franziska Preuß, missed the sprint and pursuit due to illness after finishing 29th in the individual. After finishing 30th in the sprint, Grotian also withdrew from the pursuit due to illness.
Source: Dirk Hofmeister and Raphael Crass