We were expecting Boe… and we got the Blues! In the wind of the German station of Oberhof, the tricolor quartet Guigonnat, Claude, Jacquelin and Fillon Maillet won the title of relay world champion ahead of Norway and Sweden. Norway, Olympic champion ahead of France in Beijing in 2022, was nevertheless the big favorite.
But the Grand Slam dream of finisher Johannes Boe (who had so far won five gold medals in five races) flew away from a failed first stint… and on a sumptuous last standing shot from Fillon Maillet. In the final, the French hero of the 2022 Games managed his lead over the 2023 man of the year.
It is barely the third time in history (after 2001 and 2020) that the Habs, who had until then been disappointing individually, have climbed to the top step of the podium in the World Championships.
“It’s a consecration, smiles Fabien Claude on Eurosport. When you know all the way you have to do to get there. It comes after Games money. I’m happy for Anto (Editor’s note: Guigonnat) who has often missed a medal in the relay since the beginning of his career and who has the best today. We had difficult moments, we will have others. We are really happy, we just have to appreciate it. »
“It’s a moment of immense joy, breathes Guigonnat. A team result is even more beautiful. It crowns all the staff and all of French biathlon. In the first stint, I was alone against myself, I managed the stress and I won this battle. The other three did the same. And thank you Quentin. With his last shot, we had no time to stress (Editor’s note: on a possible return of Boe). Here we beat the Norwegians! »
