09:51
medal in sight
It’s about the other medals. Uliana Nigmatulina and Denise Herrmann each use an extra cartridge. But that’s enough. The German goes into the final round behind the ROC relay. That’s ten seconds. Silver is in!
09:50
last shooting
Now is the time. Elvira Öberg has gold in mind. The Swede doesn’t shoot very smoothly, she really wants to score. One reload is enough. The way is paved.
09:49
Herrmann is catching up again
Thanks to her skiing strength, Denise Herrmann catches up again, now grabs the Italian and puts Germany in 3rd place. The ROC athlete is certainly still within reach. Elvira Öberg at the top already has a clear lead.
09:48
Who still has a chance?
Norway and France are not yet to be written off. About half a minute is missing until the German season. Six relays still have medal chances.
09:44
7. Shooting
Elvira Öberg lies on the mat and aims at the targets. The Swede finds a calm and secure rhythm and clears all goals. Then three pursuers sit almost parallel. Uliana Nigmatulina is the quickest to do this. Federica Sanfilippo also scores. Denise Herrmann refuses the last disc, which only gives way in the second attempt.
09:42
Herrmann steps on the gas
Denise Herrmann takes a bold approach and closes the gap to the athlete of the Russian Olympic Committee in no time at all.
09:40
Germany in 4th place
The third-placed ROC relay is 13.5 seconds behind. Denise Herrmann is now running for Germany. Your mortgage is 37 seconds long. Behind them, the Norwegians change in fifth place. And now it’s Marte Olsbu Røiseland’s turn. The French follow with Julia Simon.
09:39
Last change
Then Hanna Öberg made it and hands it over to her younger sister Elvira. A good seven seconds speak for the Swede at this point. Then the surprisingly strong Samuela Comola is there, sending Federica Sanfilippo on the journey for Italy.
09:36
Öberg in front
Hanna Öberg pulls away from the Italian on the track. On their final lap, the athletes can get the most out of themselves.
09:34
Juppe scores now
In the standing position it works with Anna Juppe without any problems. All discs fall straight away. Austria is in 11th place.
09:33
Preuss senses their chance
Franziska Preuss starts very quickly – too quickly. Two extra cartridges must help to clear the targets out of the way. Germany remains in 4th place – but only 31 seconds behind the top. Behind them, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet is working perfectly, putting France in 5th place. But they are still more than a minute away.
09:32
6. Shoot
In the standing position, Svetlana Mironova hesitates – and the first shot promptly misses. This is how the competitors catch up. And the ROC biathlete can’t find a rhythm and has a penalty loop. Samuela Colola uses this to put Italy ahead. Hanna Öberg has to reload, but stays on it.
09:31
Where are the world champions?
The season of the reigning world champion follows the music. Norway’s Ida Lien is almost two minutes behind. France is further back.
09:29
Penalty loops for Austria
Anna Juppe can’t stand the pressure. Two discs don’t want to fall at all. The Austrian has to gyrate and slips down to 15th place.
09:28
Preuss clears up
A squeaky clean prone shooting shows Franziska Preuss. The gap to the front remains within limits. The medal is currently a good 23 seconds away. Jessica Jislová keeps the Czech Republic and Emily Dickson Canada in contention.
09:27
5. Shoot
Svetlana Mironova set up the prone position. The ROC athlete completes the task calmly and unerringly. Samuela Comola also works with such restraint – with success. Hanna Öberg shoots faster, has to reload twice, but finishes it almost as quickly.
09:22
Austria in 7th place
Lisa Theresa Hauser sends Anna Juppe on her journey, just ahead of France. So Justine Braisaz-Bouchet sets out.
09:21
2nd change
Kristina Reztsova let it rip on the final lap, surpassed Dorothea Wierer by almost eleven seconds and is now handing over to Svetlana Mironova. The ROC relay is ahead. Sweden moves to 3rd place, 27 seconds back. From now on, Franziska Preuss will run for Germany – 45 seconds late.
09:18
On the route
The Swedes are behind Italy and Russia. Germany is in 4th position. Slowly, clearer gaps are opening up. At the back, Vanessa Hinz has air to Canada and the Czech Republic. By the way, Dzinara Alimbekava also reduced the chances of the Belarusian relay with a penalty loop in the standing stage.
09:15
Two penalties for Norway
Then another favorite slips up. Tiril Eckhoff, doesn’t get there with the spares. Two targets are missed, resulting in penalties and throwing Norway far back to 12th place. France and Austria, on the other hand, are working their way up a bit.
09:14
4. Shoot
Now the shots are fired again – now standing again. Dorothea Wierer is the first to start – and fires hard as usual. Kristina Reztsova doesn’t take long to get stuck on the Italian. Vanessa Hinz knocks down three discs, ultimately has to reload twice and also paints the last target white.
09:12
Switzerland retired
Now the problem of the Swiss women has been cleared up. Irene Cadurisch fell shortly before the change and apparently injured herself so badly that she had to be transported in an Akia. Therefore, the Confederates are eliminated.
09:10
Penalty loop for France
Things are going badly for Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet. The three reloading cartridges are not enough for the Frenchwoman either. It sets a penalty loop. France falls back to 11th place. After one spare, Austria is in 13th place with Lisa Theresa Hauser.
09:09
3. Shoot
Fire at prone! Vanessa Hinz and her companions work spotlessly. Also with Mona Brorsson and Dorothea Wierer all discs fall. Shortly thereafter, Kristina Reztsova is also shooting strong and keeping her ROC team in business. The Belarusian Dzinara Alimbekava does the same.
09:07
to the situation
On the course, it is important for the athletes to find their pace and not to overdo it. However, the trio at the top stays together. At the back, on the other hand, you have to apply a little more pressure. The top squadrons want to be at the front.
09:05
Zdouc collapsed
After her strong shooting result, Dunja Zdouc collapsed completely on the final lap, losing three quarters of a second. Austria slips to 15th place. And the Swiss have problems. Lena Häcki is supposed to be running now, but she gets off her skis and looks hectic. Something doesn’t seem right there.
09:03
1st change
Then Vanessa Voigt did it, handed over to Vanessa Hinz while in the lead. Sweden and Italy are very close. There is a small gap behind it. Bulgaria, France and Norway follow twelve seconds behind. The ROC season follows a little later.
09:01
Voigt strong on the way
Vanessa Voigt is also running strong. The German starter has courageously taken the lead and is now doing everything to give her successor a good starting position.
08:59
A reloader
Among the favored squadrons there is at most the need for an extra cartridge – for example with the French Anaïs Bescond. Irene Cadurisch has to reload again, which is why Switzerland cannot get away from the bottom of the rankings.
08:58
2. Shoot
Then the starting runners go into the standing position. And there are a few more errors. Vanessa Voigt, Dunja Zdouc and the Norwegian Karolina Knotten work perfectly. Despite one spare each, Linn Persson and Lisa Vitozzi are the first to go back on track.
08:56
On the route
On the track, the strong runners are now trying to pick up the pace. Meanwhile, the Swede Linn Persson leads.
08:54
reloader
Lisa Vitozzi has to reload. And the ROC athlete is also struggling. Irina Kazakevich then also regulates that with an extra cartridge. Irene Cadurisch has to add twice, which means that Switzerland initially takes over the Red Lantern.
08:52
1. Shoot
Then the ski hunters meet at the shooting range for the first time. The prone position is about accuracy. In good conditions, many women shoot flawlessly. Susann Dunklee for the USA is the first to get back on track, followed by Dunja Zdouc. The distances are very small. Even Vanessa Voigt is not naked.
08:49
First timing
At the first split, Lisa Vitozzi leads the field. Now the Swede is also far ahead with Linn Persson.
08:48
Little is happening yet
France and Italy are in front of the field. The pace is still manageable. Therefore, all 20 runners stay close together and will therefore come to the first shooting as a whole.
08:45
begin
The 20 start runners rush off from three starting corridors in what is once again a sensitive cold. At least at 5 p.m. local time the sun was still shining from the blue sky.
08:41
favourites
Other squadrons are preferred. Always on the podium at this winter’s World Cups, France still have three Olympic bronze medalists from 2018 with them in Anaïs Bescond, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet and Justine Braisaz. Sweden is also one of the winners of this season and is also relying on the experience of medal winners from 2018. Linn Persson, Mona Brorsson and Hanna Öberg won silver then and are now supported by the super-nimble Elvira Öberg. Then we have the Norwegians with the outstanding Marte Olsbu Røiseland picking up medals in every competition at those games – including three golds. With Tiril Eckhoff and Ida Lien, there are two more reigning relay world champions. Also this winter, the women skiers of the Russian Olympic Committee have almost always been among the front runners when it comes to team action. And then let’s not forget about the Belarusian champions.
08:36
The squadron of Switzerland
The Confederates are also among the outsiders. Irene Cadurisch is the starting runner and is handed over to Lena Häcki, the 33rd best-placed Swiss in the overall World Cup. This is followed by Selina Gasparin and Amy Baserga.
08:29
Austria’s foursome
Dunja Zdouc, Lisa Theresa Hauser, Anna Juppe and Katharina Innerhofer will be competing for Austria. Of course, this season isn’t balanced at all. The only top biathlete is Hauser, who already led the overall World Cup this winter. The other three athletes are outside the top 75 in the season standings. There are no realistic chances of winning a medal.
08:20
German quartet
There are no surprises in the cast of the German season – only maybe that Vanessa Vogt opens. She is followed by Vanessa Hinz, Franziska Preuss and, as the final runner, individual Olympic champion Denise Herrmann. These four – and that is already certain – have also qualified for the final mass start on Saturday. A medal is definitely possible today and certainly the goal.
08:10
daily task
A total of 20 nations want to face the challenge. On the one hand, this consists in the fact that individual athletes decide on the weal and woe of an entire team and thus their teammates with their performance. The pressure then has an effect on the last runner and especially on the very last shooting. Just like what happened to Philipp Nawrath on Tuesday. In addition, the matter is simply explained. Each athlete has to complete six kilometers, divided into three laps. In between are prone and standing shooting. After the obligatory five shots, there are – unlike in individual competitions – three options for reloading individually. If there are still discs, there will be penalty loops.
08:01
Good morning!
Welcome to another Olympic medal decision in biathlon! After the men yesterday, it’s the women’s turn today with their relay. It is about 4 x 6 kilometers. The competition is scheduled to begin at 8:45 a.m. CET.