3:02 p.m
Quintet flies away
Led by the incredibly strong running Tannheimer, a group of five, including the Swede Gestblom, broke away at the front. Behind them is a group 10-15 seconds behind, which also includes France and Norway after three spare rounds each.
3:00 p.m
Fourth shooting
3:00 p.m
Fourth shooting
What a performance by Julia Tannheimer! The German had to invest a lot on the second lap, but still makes everyone turn white for targets in a standing position and is the first to go on her last lap! Wierer, Hauser and the Czech Charvatova also came through cleanly and were only a few seconds behind.
14:57
Meanwhile
14:57
Everything back together
Shortly before the next shooting everything is back together again! Wierer was unable to break away from the front and a group of eight nations approached the stadium. Julia Tannheimer and Lisa Hauser are also fully involved, as are Sweden and Norway.
14:54
Tannheimer has to fight
Julia Tannheimer needs a reloader at the shooting range and doesn’t shoot too quickly, so she starts the round again at the front of a small group, 17 seconds behind. The Swiss Amy Baserga is another ten seconds behind.
14:54
Third shooting
14:54
Third shooting
What a shooting performance from Dorothea Wierer! The Italian starts at lightning speed and rivets all five panes in under 20 seconds. Italy takes the lead with a five-second lead over Norway’s Juni Arnekleiv. This is followed by the Czech Republic, Austria, France and Sweden.
14:52
Gap closed!
Dorothea Wierer now sets the pace for her pursuers and continues to reduce the gap to Michelon. Shortly before the third shooting the gap is almost closed.
14:51
Meanwhile
14:51
The lead remains constant
Michelon keeps the French lead at around eight seconds on their first lap. Julia Tannheimer is now in the chasing group for Germany and is competing against, among others, Dorothea Wierer from Italy and the Austrian Lisa Hauser.
2:48 p.m
First change
2:48 p.m
First change
Unsurprisingly, Lou Jeanmonnot hands over the lead to Oceane Michelon. After two perfect shooting sessions, the overall World Cup leader would certainly have liked to have had a lead of more than six seconds. Hannah Auchentaller passes for Italy in second position directly in front of Anna Gandler from Austria. Vanessa Voigt follows a few seconds later, the Swiss Lea Meier has another ten seconds in her bag.
2:46 p.m
Jeanmonnot can’t get any further away
On the last lap, Lou Jeanmonnot could of course give it his all, but he either gambled away or the pursuers gained ground. The Frenchwoman can’t get any further away and the gap is actually getting smaller. Voigt can’t be at the front of the chasing group, but he keeps up.
2:44 p.m
Voigt is fully involved
Yep! Vanessa Voigt also remains flawless and delivers a top performance. Together with the squadrons from Sweden, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Austria, we set off in pursuit of Jeanmonnot. Norway had to reload twice and is a few seconds behind.
2:42 p.m
Second shooting
2:42 p.m
Second shooting
With almost nine seconds lead, Jeanmonnot comes to the standing stage and goes back to one. The Frenchwoman took her time with the first shot and then fired perfectly into the target five times. France will go into the final round with a clear lead.
14:41
The gap opens
Jeanmonnot irresistibly leads the way in the one-one technique and distances himself further and further from the competition. Voigt and Co. are now seven seconds behind. The German runs at her own pace and doesn’t even try to catch up with the Frenchwoman.
2:39 p.m
Meanwhile
2:39 p.m
Eight nations ahead
A group of eight runners has now formed at the front and they have a small lead. This is led by Lou Jeanmonnot, who is now really pushing the pace. Anna Gandler follows a little behind and has to close a small gap.
2:37 p.m
First shooting
2:37 p.m
First shooting
Now it’s time for the windows for the first time! Jeanmonnot goes to the first mat and shoots with a flawless series. But that also applies to Vanessa Voigt, who is very quick to attack and knocks down all five targets in a flash. The other top nations Sweden and Norway as well as Austria with Anna Gandler and Switzerland with Lea Meier also get through without a spare.
2:35 p.m
Jeanmonnot and Voigt pick up the pace
In addition to the fast Frenchwoman Jeanmonnot, Vanessa Voigt also shows herself at the front again and again on this first lap. The German, who traditionally has her strengths primarily at the shooting range, seems to be feeling good today and is now the first athlete to come to the first shooting.
2:33 p.m
Meanwhile
2:32 p.m
Field remains closed
On the somewhat more demanding route in Oberhof, Jeanmonnot pulled away on the first lap. It is not certain whether that was the French team’s plan again today, but in any case the field remains close together for the first kilometer.
2:31 p.m
start
2:31 p.m
Starting signal
Off we go! The women’s relay team from Ruhpolding is on the way. Vanessa Voigt is on the road for Germany and is competing against, among others, the French Lou Jeanmonnot, Marthe Kråkstad Johansen from Norway and the Swede Johanna Skottheim.
14:26
It’s about to start!
Slowly but surely the tension is rising in Ruhpolding! The starting runners from a total of 19 nations have already lined up at the start and are getting ready for what will hopefully be an exciting and fair competition. The conditions are very good this Wednesday. We look in vain for fresh snow or fog and the wind is also limited.
2:18 p.m
Switzerland unchanged
After the fiasco in Oberhof with two penalties, twelve spare rounds and 13th place, the team from Switzerland can prove itself again with the same line-up. Lea Meier, Amy Baserga, Aita Gasparin and Lena Häcki-Groß were nominated again.
2:14 p.m
Austria again with Hauser
The ÖSV team can rely on Lisa Theresa Hauser again today. The pursuit winner from Östersund recently had to miss the relay in Oberhof due to illness and will take over from Anna Gandler in second place today. Anna Andexer is also back in the team and then hands over to final runner Anna Juppe. Dunja Zdouc and Lea Rothschopf have to make way compared to the previous week.
2:06 p.m
A change in the DSV team
The German team will be competing slightly differently compared to the last relay race in Oberhof. Instead of Selina Grotian, Vanessa Voigt will open today and hand over to Julia Tannheimer. Janina Hettich-Walz is running in third place and will try to send last runner Franziska Preuß into the race so that another podium place is possible for the DSV.
2:01 p.m
Dress rehearsal for the Olympics
The fourth season of this winter is also the last before the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and therefore the last chance for the competing nations to find the optimal line-up. Of the three previous relays, two went to the French team led by overall World Cup leader Lou Jeanmonnot, and Sweden won once. After a catastrophic start in Östersund, the German team recently impressed with two third places in Hochfilzen and Oberhof.
2:00 p.m
Welcome
Hello and welcome to the Biathlon World Cup in Ruhpolding! The women’s relay race over 4×6 kilometers starts at 2:30 p.m.!