World Team Challenge - Biathlon in Schalke: DSV duos narrowly miss out on the podium
The German biathletes narrowly missed out on the podium at the World Team Challenge. After the French duo Julia Simon/Fabien Claude confidently defended their title, Roman Rees was beaten in the final sprint and finished in fourth place together with Janina Hettich-Walz behind the Norwegians Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold and Sturla Holm Laegreid as well as Jakov Fak and Polona Klemencic from Slovenia.
"When you're so close to the podium, you get a bit annoyed. But we really improved at the back," said Hettich-Walz. "Of course we would have loved to have been there at the award ceremony, but unfortunately we're not on Wish You What."
Benedikt Doll and Hanna Kebinger formed the second German team and finished sixth after a mass start race and the pursuit. Kebinger and Rees returned to the traditional ski hunters' event, which is not part of the World Cup, after taking a break due to illness.
"I know from the competition that I'm back in shape to some extent, that I'm back in good shape as far as shooting is concerned," said Rees. "With this feeling, I want, or we want, to go on to Oberhof to get straight back into the competitions." The next World Cup will take place there from January 4 to 7.
However, the majority of fans in the soccer stadium of second division club FC Schalke 04 will still have to wait for their first home success since 2016. Vanessa Hinz and Simon Schempp won back then.
Former world champion Simon and Claude dominated the first part of the event. They finished the mass start with a lead of 50.5 seconds ahead of Kebinger and Doll. This gap was then reduced to 20 seconds for the chase race. Despite the home advantage, however, the four athletes from the German Ski Association were no longer able to catch the repeat offenders. The two Frenchmen won with a lead of 57.5 seconds and were accompanied to the finish line by a standing ovation.
Biathlon at Schalke FC Schalke 04 Climate contribution Snow production contribution
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Source: www.stern.de
