Big surprise at the Norwegian biathlon summer championships in Molde. In the women’s sprint, an outsider prevailed despite a prominently occupied field. In the men’s race, however, victory went to a usual suspect.
The Norwegian biathlon summer championships experienced their first big surprise on Saturday. In the women’s sprint, none of the experienced World Cup runners prevailed, but the 24-year-old Frida Dokken, who actually belongs to the second row and is only allowed to work regularly in the IBU Cup.
Dokken came across the line with a shooting error after 21: 27.9 minutes and thus secured the title ahead of Marthe Kraktstad Johansen, who also only shot one mistake, but was on the track in the end. Anne Bünemann de Gesche, who has started for Denmark since this year, became third. She was the only one of the top-placed remained flawless and had a gap of 14 seconds at the finish line.
Norway’s World Cup runner Maren Kirkeeide made two shooting errors and came across the line as fourth. This race also disappointed for Ingrid Landmark Teldrevold (a mistake), which left a weak impression in the first races of the summer. The four-time biathlon world champion ultimately had to be satisfied with eighth place.
Biathlon: Top favorite does not burn anything in the sprint
Meanwhile, the men’s sprint failed to surprise. Here overall World Cup winner Sturla Holm Lægreid did not burn anything and stormed to victory in 25: 34.5 minutes.
Vebjørn Sørum and Sivt Bakken also appeared directly behind him. Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen secured fourth place, fifth place went to Sverre Dahlen Aspenes.
Einar Hedegart, who wants to concentrate fully on biathlon sports from this season and ended his career as a cross-country skier, became sixth.