World Cup in Lenzerheide - Altitude causes problems for biathletes: "Very exhausting"
The altitude of the Lenzerheide competition venue is giving the biathletes a hard time at the World Cup premiere in Switzerland.
"It's very exhausting, but I tried not to think about it too much," said Janina Hettich-Walz, who finished twelfth in the sprint race won by Justine Braisaz-Bouchet from France.
"I tried to tell myself that it was the same for everyone and that everyone was a bit knocked out." However, Hettich-Walz was still able to celebrate. Thanks to her second top 15 result this season, she broke the internal World Championship standard.
Lenzerheide lies at almost 1500 meters above sea level. Previously, the athletes competed in Östersund at just over 300 meters and in Hochfilzen at just under 1000 meters.
"My body needs a break. I didn't feel well on the track," said young talent Selina Grotian. She finished 38th in the sprint, but only came 54th in the running list. This put her 2:31 minutes behind the fastest runner, Anamarija Lampic from Slovenia.
"The altitude separates the wheat from the chaff here," said sports director Felix Bitterling. "Selina was beaten below her best. We have to see if we can do better with a view to the pursuit." This is on the program on Saturday.
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Women athletes, like Janina Hettich-Walz, are facing challenges due to the high altitude in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, during the Biathlon World Cup. The German biathlete finished twelfth despite finding the conditions exhausting. France's Justine Braisaz-Bouchet emerged victorious in the sprint race. Winter sports athletes typically compete at lower altitudes, such as in Östersund and Hochfilzen. The Swiss venue lies at nearly 1500 meters, making it a significant challenge for competitors.
Source: www.stern.de
