Sturla Holm Laegreid has grabbed the coveted title of the overall winner in his career for the first time in his career-just before Skijäger-Licht figure Johannes Thingnes Bö. The 28-year-old was now beaten at the Norwegian championships.
Surprise in Norway: Not top favorite Sturla Holm Laegreid but IBU Cup starter Sverre Dahlen Aspenes won the sprint at the National Biathlon Championships in Stklestad on Friday afternoon. The 27-year-old was able to defend his title with it, and last year he was successful in the sprint.
The biathlete achieved a perfect race. All ten shots sat, he was also in top constitution in the trail. Sturla Holm Laegreid (+11.6 seconds) finished second. Johan Olav Botn completed the podium.
“I know Sverre. We are almost the same age and compete with each other from the start. When he meets 10 out of 10, he is difficult to beat,” the top star at “NRK” paid tribute: “Today he delivered world class.”
Aspenes only active in the IBU Cup
Aspenes’ success comes as a surprise in that he did not appear in the Biathlon World Cup in the current season. Instead, the ski hunter competed in the second division, the IBU Cup. There he took fourth place in the overall ranking.
“It should have been a sprint at the national championships all year round,” he joked.
Maren Hjelmeset Kirkeeide had previously prevailed among women. The 22-year-old won in a narrow race ahead of Hanna Börve and Karoline Erdal.
The key to success was a brilliant final round on which the tenth of the overall World Cup could make up for around 30 seconds on Börve. “It is absolutely mad. What a last round,” enthused “NRK” expert Marte Olsbu Røiseland.