Biathlon: Lou Jeanmonnot’s German triumph
At midday on Saturday, the women’s pursuit at the Biathlon World Cup in Oberhof (Germany) was shaping up to be a fireworks display for the French team. With six girls in the top twelve at the start, there was plenty to look forward to for the girls coached by Cyril Burdet, Jean-Paul Giachino and Patrick Favre.
The first of these was, of course, Paula Botet. Winner of the sprint on Thursday, she set off in the lead more than 30 seconds ahead of her nearest rival. After a perfect first shot and an increased lead following her switch to the prone, the Bressaude cracked from the second prone onwards.
However, the French group had some reserves for this Thuringian pursuit and it was Lou Jeanmonnot (19/20) who came out of the hat. Seventh at 53 seconds at the start of the race, she put in an (almost) perfect pursuit to win like the boss. After a series of races with disappointing results for her (lofty) ambitions, she won 5/5 solo on the last standing.
Another top result for Océane Michelon
On the podium, the Doubiste rider from Olympic Mont d’Or was joined by Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide (18/20), who took her second consecutive second place, and Sweden’s Elvira Oeberg (19/20). Thirty-seventh in the sprint, more than 2 minutes behind the leader, she made a fantastic comeback to finish third, 26.2 seconds behind Lou Jeanmonnot.
Océane Michelon (18/20), fourth, once again achieved the best result of her career, while Selina Grotian (18/20) and Jeanne Richard (18/20) completed the ceremony of flowers… 50% French. Disappointments, however, for Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (16/20), ninth, and Julia Simon (15/20), tenth and in distress at the finish. Both missed four targets on one of their shots.
Lastly, Paula Botet (15/20) was fourteenth in her first World Cup pursuit in the lead.
QUEEN LOU 👑
Another victory for the Frenchwoman, brilliant in the Oberhof pursuit 🏆
Already 3rd of the year 🔥
📸 Nordic Focus pic.twitter.com/4WVQTCp4N2– FFS – Fédération Française de Ski (@FedFranceSki) January 11, 2025
Full results
- The full programme for the Oberhof World Cup, the fourth stage of the 2024/2025 season
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Oberhof
- Oberhof: Paula Botet, with 10/10, dominates the sprint and wins her first World Cup title
- “I realise it, but I think it’s crazy”: Paula Botet recounts her improbable victory in the Oberhof World Cup sprint
- “With the difficulties she’s faced over the last two seasons, this is exceptional”: Cyril Burdet touched by Paula Botet’s performance at Oberhof
- Oberhof: the photo album of Paula Botet’s first World Cup victory
- Oberhof: Paula Botet, the thirteenth Frenchwoman to win individually on the World Cup circuit
- “Her victory is proof that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”: Paula Botet’s first World Cup success as seen by Chloé Remy, a lifelong friend and former team-mate.
- Oberhof: third in the sprint, Bulgarian Milena Todorova gives Bulgaria its first women’s World Cup podium since… 13 March 2004
- “I wanted to fight with the weapons of the day”: Océane Michelon, who was suffering from flu, won her very first flowers ceremony at the Oberhof sprint.
- Oberhof: victory for Quentin Fillon-Maillet in the sprint, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin give France a treble
- Oberhof: foreign media impressed by the hat-trick of Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin
- Quentin Fillon-Maillet after his success in the Oberhof sprint: “It was a tough road back to victory”.
- The photo album of the magnificent triple win by Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin in the Oberhof sprint
- “Every time I fired, the shot went off randomly…”. Eighth in the Oberhof sprint, Emilien Claude found the problem with his rifle and achieved the best World Cup result of his career.
- “It’s the setting that had the biggest effect on my position”: 2 centimetres added to the back of Quentin Fillon-Maillet’s rifle, the secret of his success in the Oberhof sprint.
- Östersund 2019, Kontiolahti 2020, Oberhof 2025: Quentin Fillon-Maillet, the man behind the French men’s team’s three World Cup trebles
- Paula Botet to replace Sophie Chauveau: the French selection for the Oberhof World Cup
- “She totally deserves to go up”: why the team staff decided to replace Sophie Chauveau with Paula Botet for the Oberhof World Cup
- “I can’t ski with the athletes”: Simon Fourcade, coach of the French men’s team, ruptures the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee
