Biathlon World Championships, Vittozzi silver in the Mass Start

Lisa Vittozzi’s poker. In the Mass Start of Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic, the Sappadina woman wins the fourth world medal, the third individual including a gold in the Individual. The Friulian is silver behind the French Justine Braisaz, who closes the circle by winning the gold medal without errors and a time of 34’37″2, unattainable for her opponents. But Lisa Vittozzi is still a great protagonist, star of this World Cup just like the Frenchwoman. For the 29-year-old carabinieri from Sappada, this is medal number 12 of her career, of which 5 are individual, exactly like Dorothea Wierer. One of the keys to her success is her 69/70 shooting in the four individual events of the World Championships. The Italian finishes with a 31″2 deficit, but is ahead of the other Frenchwoman Lou Jeanmonnot, bronze medalist, 56″7 behind, with an error. Wierer, with 3 errors and a gap of 2’44” is twentieth.

the race

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At the first shooting range the Italians didn’t make any mistakes. Vittozzi starts immediately after the two leading Frenchmen, Simon and Braisaz, with a 14″5 disadvantage and ahead of three Norwegians. Wierer climbs back to 11th place with 23″7. In the second series of shots another zero arrives for Vittozzi who remains third behind Braisaz and Arnekleiv, 9.7 seconds behind. Wierer instead makes two mistakes and finishes with 1″15. Third polygon that begins to outline the forces on the field: Lisa makes no mistakes and comes out in second place 28 seconds behind Braisaz who flies. Third is Jeanmonnot but 35.8 seconds behind her teammate. Wierer makes no mistakes and climbs back to 18th place. Vittozzi follows her pace, while the Frenchwoman in the lead moves away, but increases her advantage over her immediate pursuers. We move towards the last series of shots. And it is the fourth shooting range that marks the fourth world championship medal at this World Championship for Sappadina, the third individual, with another zero, which projects her towards the finish line with a margin over all the athletes who follow her. Wierer makes another mistake but will finish within twenty.