Oslo, Norway – Vanessa Voigt delivered a strong performance in the women’s pursuit race at the Biathlon World Cup in Oslo on Saturday, finishing sixth and marking the best result for the German team. The 28-year-old’s flawless shooting helped propel her ten positions up the leaderboard, though she ultimately finished 1 minute and 12 seconds behind race winner Hanna Öberg of Sweden. The result comes as a boost for the German team, who are looking to secure fifth place in the Nations Cup standings.
Öberg secured her victory with a time of 25:48.8, despite three penalties, edging out France’s Julia Simon by just 0.5 seconds. Elvira Öberg completed the podium for Sweden, finishing 23.2 seconds behind her sister. The race, held at the Holmenkollen ski jump venue, saw significant movement throughout the field as athletes battled both the course and the challenging shooting conditions.
Voigt’s impressive climb from 16th place was fueled by the second-fastest overall course time. “I was able to mix it up at the front again and see that I can retain pace with Tandrevold and Jeanmonnot,” Voigt told ZDF after the race, expressing satisfaction with her improving form. “To be rewarded with a flower ceremony now is something I’ve worked for.”
The German team as a whole demonstrated a marked improvement compared to their performances in the sprint event earlier in the week. Julia Tannheimer showcased the fastest course time of the day, moving up twelve places to finish tenth, 1 minute and 50.8 seconds off the pace. Selina Grotian also had a strong showing, improving from 26th to 14th, while Janina Hettich-Walz secured a 16th-place finish. Marlene Fichtner finished 30th, and Julia Kink placed 54th.
The pursuit race also saw Lou Jeanmonnot of France clinch the little crystal globe in the pursuit discipline, adding to her overall World Cup title. She finished fourth in the race, overtaking Suvi Minkkinen of Finland in the discipline standings.
Despite the positive results, the German team is still searching for their first World Cup victory of the season. This season marks the first time in history that the German team is at risk of completing a winter without a single World Cup win. The absence of Franziska Preuß, who retired after the Olympic Winter Games in February, has been keenly felt.
Preuß secured the team’s only individual podium finish this season, taking third place in the 12.5km race in Nove Mesto. The team will have one final opportunity to secure a victory at the Mass Start events on Sunday, with the women’s race scheduled for 13:30 and the men’s race at 16:30 local time (UTC+1), broadcast live on Eurosport and HBO Max.
The pressure is on the German biathletes to finish the season strong, but without Preuß, the challenge will be significant. The team will need to deliver exceptional performances in the Mass Start to avoid a winless winter, a scenario that hasn’t occurred in two years.
(Reported by dpa)
What’s Next: The Biathlon World Cup in Oslo concludes on Sunday with Mass Start events for both men and women. Coverage begins at 13:30 and 16:30 local time (UTC+1) on Eurosport and HBO Max.
What are your thoughts on Voigt’s performance and the German team’s chances in the Mass Start? Share your predictions in the comments below!
