Last year, the German women’s relay team created a celebratory atmosphere at the Biathlon World Cup in Ruhpolding. This time there were long faces, especially Franziska Preuß.
The overall World Cup winner from last season had to go into the penalty loop after the last shooting at her home game. The German quartet with Preuß, Vanessa Voigt, Julia Tannheimer and Janina Hettich-Walz only achieved sixth place (8 spares + 1 penalty). “Of course you are disappointed. I’m incredibly sorry“, Preuss later explained in the ZDF interview. “But there was so much pressure in the last shooting. That just wasn’t good and it has to be put aside now.”
Last year, Preuß won the relay in her home country. This time the gap to the victorious Norwegians (9+0) at the finish was more than a minute. Italy came in second (4+0/+0.9 seconds), having to admit defeat in a thrilling sprint to the finish. Sweden (7+0/+3) completed the podium.
Strong start by Voigt and Tannheimer
Voigt, who had returned to the team as starting runner in place of Selina Grotian, who had recently been out of form, had already excelled at the shooting range in pursuit of Oberhof. In Ruhpolding, the Thuringian continued her performance seamlessly and cleared all the targets both lying down and standing. However, most of the competition also shot strongly, so that by the first change a larger chasing group had formed behind the leading French women. “The position of starting runner suits me” Voigt said happily afterwards. “I like doing my things in the tumult.“
Tannheimer was able to close the gap to the front by the third shooting – also because the German equipment obviously worked well that day. And even at the shooting range, the 20-year-old hardly showed any nerves, followed up a recumbent shot while lying down with a spotless standing shot and temporarily put her team in the lead. “I’m very satisfied. We had great skiing today and I was able to make up a lot of time“, was Tannheimer’s conclusion, who presented herself extremely well, especially in terms of running, and had meanwhile gained 16 seconds on the track.
Hettich-Walz has to tremble, Preuß into the penalty loop
The field was still close together after half the race. Only eight seconds separated the first seven teams. As the third German runner in the prone position, Hettich-Walz also needed an additional cartridge, but she kept the gap to France and Sweden at the top within limits. But then errors crept in. After a promising start, she was just able to avoid the penalty loop at the shooting range, but had lost a few seconds to the Czechs, who were completely unexpectedly leading at the time. “That was a few spares too many, but the deficit is still okay” said Hettich-Walz afterwards after she had given final runner Preuß ten seconds behind on the podium.
She has proven many times in the past that the overall World Cup winner from the previous season feels right at home in her home country. And this time too, things went smoothly at the shooting range, which she knows inside out. After a flawless performance while lying down, Preuss moved up a few places and in the final standing position had every chance of getting on the podium and possibly even winning the day. But then her nerves gave out. Preuß had to go into the penalty loop and fell far behind. Instead, others made the victory. Until shortly before the end, Italy looked like the sure winner, before Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide crowned her rapid comeback and Lisa Vittozzi intercepted on the home straight.