Janina Hettich-Walz, Selina Grotian, Vanessa Voigt and Franziska Preuß rang in the World Cup weekend with the first relay podium of the season.
Strong start for the German relay quartet. Janina Hettich-Walz, Selina Grotian, Vanessa Voigt and Franziska Preuß started the second World Cup weekend with a podium finish. The basis for third place was not only the good running performance, but also the strong shooting performance in the ice-cold Swedish Östersund. The German team only had four missed shots in the Norwegians’ victory. Second place went to Sweden (+41.6 seconds). Germany was 47.9 seconds behind.
Hettich-Walz stays cool at the shooting range
Starting runner Janina Hettich-Walz had to keep a good pace right from the start. When shooting, she withstood the pressure that Norway, Sweden and France, among others, put up. The 27-year-old cleared almost perfectly. Although one target remained standing, the reloader fit. “II was nervous at the shooting range, but I managed to stay cool“, she said in the ZDF interview.
Grotian doesn’t let himself be disturbed on his debut
In fifth place, Hettich-Walz, 15 seconds behind the leader, handed over to Selina Grotian, who made her World Cup relay debut at short notice after Sophia Schneider was out due to illness. The four-time junior world champion from 2023 only used two spares, which she hit the target quickly and confidently. The gap to the leading Norwegians had grown to 47.1 seconds. But Grotian was still able to send Vanessa Voigt into the race in fourth place. The 19-year-old was relieved after her debut: “At first my heart was pounding, wondering how I managed it all,” said Grotian. But, “now I definitely know that I have what it takes.”
Voigt gives hope for the podium
Voigt showed a strong performance on the shooting range and in the individual. With ten hits, she shortened the gap and moved into third place behind Sweden and Norway. A strong starting position for final runner Franziska Preuß. The Upper Bavarian was 29.4 seconds short of moving to the front with Hanna Öberg, who wanted to run home the race for Sweden ahead of Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (NOR).
Since Öberg scored a penalty lap, things got even more exciting on the last lap in the battle for positions. Preuß had a spare in the last shooting, but she finished in second position behind Landmark Tandrevold. But Öberg passed. But Preuß was able to safely take home third place.