Nastya Kuzminová & Remeňov Sisters: Race Highlights

OBERHOF – Swedish biathlete Elvira Öbergová won Thursday’s sprint of the 4th round of the World Cup. In Oberhof, Germany, she hit all ten targets and crossed the finish line in 22:00.6 minutes.

Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen finished second with a loss of 21.1 seconds, and Julie Simonová from France was third (+23.6 seconds). Out of the Slovenian quartet, Anastasia Kuzminová finished the highest in 20th place, missing one target and losing 1:23.5 minutes.

Twenty-six-year-old Elvira Öbergová claimed the eleventh individual victory in the WC in her career and the first in almost a year. She triumphed last year on January 19 in Ruhpolding in a race with a mass start. She managed the Thursday sprint quickly and cleanly on the shooting range and took the lead with a lead of 23 seconds ahead of the previous leader Simonová.

Of the other competitors, only Minkinen got closer to her, the fourth Maren Kirkeede also scored cleanly, but she was more than half a minute short at the finish line.

The sprint in Oberhof went after the Slovak representatives and their colleagues, as three of them got points. In addition to 20th Kuzminová, sisters Mária (34th) and Zuzana Remeňová (37th) made it to the top 40.

“I could have shot better, but in this weather and conditions I was also pleased with the zero from the handstand. It was longer in time, but I held the last shot. As for the run, I have to praise the service. The skis went decently and it was possible to fight and keep up with the other opponents.” said the three-time Olympic champion in an interview for STVR.

Kuzminová missed one target on the layup, whitewashed the handstand, if she had avoided the penalty circle, she could have finished in the top ten. Twentieth place is her best in the SP since the last return to her career.

Mária Remeňová also made one mistake, finishing 1:53.9 minutes behind the winner and scoring points for the first time in her career. Her sister Zuzana knocked down all ten targets, but she slowed down at the end and finished by less than seven seconds.

“I didn’t recognize Oberhof today, on the one hand there was no wind here and I’ve never seen it covered in snow like this. I’m glad that I finally put into practice what I’ve been showing in training. In the end, I lost a bit of strength, since I only pulled away in the first lap, and I had to drag the next one by myself. I’m happy that I finally got into the fighter and also that I’ll be there with my sister.” she stated for STVR.

Júlia Machyniaková, the fourth Slovak at the start, hit all the targets, but fell significantly behind on the course and ended up in 90th place (+4:41.7). Paulína Bátovská Fialková and Ema Kapustová missed the fourth round in Oberhof.

• Author: © List/
• Source: TASR