Biathlon: Patrick Braunhofer, the first Italian ever to be crowned European champion
In the long history of the European Biathlon Championships, the first of which was held in 1994, an Italian has never been crowned champion. This incongruity has now been rectified, as Patrick Braunhofer won the pursuit at Martell-Val Martello (Italy) on Saturday afternoon.
At home, the Transalpine started in sixteenth position. However, the gaps weren’t abysmal after Friday’s sprint and, above all, he signed the 20/20 on the shooting range. Taking advantage of the mistakes made by the Norwegian favourites, he left the mats for the last time in the race almost 30 seconds clear of silver Isak Frey (18/20).
It was enough for him to win solo and give Italy its first European gold medal. Sverre Dahlen Aspenes (16/20) took bronze ahead of Sivert Guttorm Bakken (17/20), while Iacopo Leonesio (20/20) moved up eighteen places to fifth.
Flowers for Oscar Lombardot
Twelfth after the last shot, Doubiste’s Oscar Lombardot (14/20) made his mark on the track to take sixth place and take part in the flower ceremony. Nicola Romanin (15/20), Jimi Klemettinen (17/20), Fredrik Muehlbacher (17/20) and Roman Rees (17/20) rounded off the top 10.
Among the other French competitors, Gaëtan Paturel (13/20) was fifteenth, Théo Guiraud-Poillot (16/20) twentieth, Rémi Broutier (17/20) twenty-first, Valentin Lejeune (17/20) thirty-second and Edgar Geny (11/20) fifty-first.
Full results
IBU Cup general ranking
- The full programme for the Martell-Val Martello European Championships, the sixth leg of the 2024/2025 IBU Cup
- IBU Cup: the French selection for the European Championships at Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: the Italian selection for the European Championships at Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: thirteen Austrians at the European Championships in Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: Germany with a strong showing at the European Championships in Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: the impressive Norwegian squad for the European Championships at Martell-Val Martello
- Martell-Val Martello: Germany’s Johanna Puff individual European champion, Amandine Mengin fourth
- Martell-Val Martello: Isak Frey takes the individual continental title, Oscar Lombardot best Frenchman
- “I decided to stay cool before every shot”: Fredrik Muehlbacher, the surprise guest on the podium of the European Championships individual event
- Martell-Val Martello: Bresse’s Amandine Mengin finishes runner-up in the European sprint behind Sweden’s Anna-Karin Heijdenberg
- Amandine Mengin tells Nordic Magazine after her European silver medal in the sprint: “I still have the same problem, I don’t realise it!
- “It’s absolutely incredible”: the joy of Anna-Karin Heijdenberg, crowned European sprint champion at Martell-Val Martello
- “This track suits me perfectly”: bronze in the sprint at the European Championships, a bright spot in the season for Latvia’s Baiba Bendika
- Martell-Val Martello: Sivert Guttorm Bakken becomes European sprint champion ahead of Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Théo Guiraud-Poillot in the top 10
- “This victory means a lot”: European sprint champion at Martell-Val Martello, Sivert Guttorm Bakken savours his return to the summit
- Martell-Val Martello: Latvia’s Baiba Bendika crowned European pursuit champion, no medal for the French
