Biathlon: Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, a small IBU Cup globe at the age of 19
Voldiya Galmace-Paulin from Montblanc was delighted to finish fourth in the individual short race at theIBU Biathlon Cup in Otepää (Estonia) on Wednesday afternoon. This place enabled her to win the small crystal globe of the speciality. It was a first for the 19-year-old who has been putting in some magnificent performances since the start of the winter.
“I’m just super happy and it shows that I’ve been consistent in this format throughout the season, she told Nordic Magazine. It’s my first small globe and I’m super proud because winning a globe is what represents consistency, either in a format or the season in general. It’s really something to be proud of.”
Now in her first year on the IBU Cup circuit, Voldiya Galmace-Paulin admits that this globe “gives her even more ideas for the future”. “When I see that I’ve already managed to win a small globe, it’s obviously encouraging for what’s to come and for the seasons to come”, she notes.
The big globe will be hard to come by
In a battle with Camille Bened for the big crystal globe of overall winner, the Haut-Savoyard rider nevertheless dropped a further 10 points. This brings her deficit to 86 points with just one race to go before the end of the winter, scheduled for Friday in a sprint.
“I’m a bit behind in the race for the big globe, but I don’t regret missing last week’s sprint and pursuit to go and compete in the World Junior Championships, says Voldiya Galmace-Paulin. I learnt a lot by going and it gave me a lot of experience. Playing for the big globe is something I wasn’t thinking about at all at the start of the season. It’s something that came along, but it’s never been my main objective.”
On the other hand, the small globe in the sprint could come back to her: currently, Voldiya Galmace-Paulin is second in the hierarchy, 30 points behind Paula Botet.
The final general ranking of the IBU Cup individual event
- The full programme for the second IBU Cup in Otepää, the ninth and final leg of the 2024/2025 B circuit season
- IBU Cup: Camille Bened wins the crystal globe in the pursuit, taking over from Océane Michelon
- IBU Cup: Chablais’ Camille Bened lifts the crystal globe in the mass start
- “I just want to enjoy myself”: how Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, second overall, is approaching the final stretch of the IBU Cup season.
- Otepää: Susan Kuelm wins the IBU Cup individual short, Camille Bened, third, takes a big step towards the big globe
- IBU Cup: at just 19, Voldiya Galmace-Paulin wins the small globe in the individual event
