Biathlon: another French podium finish in Oberhof
In the mixed singles relay at the Biathlon World Cup in Oberhof (Germany), held this Sunday in brilliant sunshine, the French team had a new line-up. Quentin Fillon-Maillet from the Jura, the reigning world champion in the speciality, was partnered by Paula Botet.
Together, the two winners of the sprints at the start of the week were the scarecrows of the race at the gun. It has to be said that most of the big names on the circuit decided to take a rest before Ruhpolding (Germany) or to compete in the afternoon’s four-man mixed relay. Added to that, the Bressaude was taking part in her first World Cup mixed singles relay.

That’s how much pressure she was under. Except that the Vosgienne is a specialist in this exercise: in seven starts on the lower circuits, she has never been off the podium! So the race went off without a hitch for the Blues. Although Quentin Fillon-Maillet picked up two errors on his first run to start the race, he put the church back in the middle of the village as soon as he got up.
Finland at the top of its game
After that, still in the leading group, France played for victory right to the end… unlike Norway and Sweden, who were out of the game from the very first shots. In the end, on the final pass over the mats, it was the Finland of Suvi Minkkinen and Tero Seppälä who came out on top.

It was an historic success for the Finns, who won only their third World Cup relay after 1975 and 1989.

With a total of eight picks, Paula Botet and Quentin Fillon-Maillet were second at 5.8 seconds , while Germany’s Selina Grotian and Justus Strelow were third at 24.9 seconds.
POOOODIUM 🇫🇷@quentinfillon and Paula Botet finish 2nd in the Oberhof mixed singles relay 🥈
Our two sprint winners this week were solid and narrowly beaten by Finland.
📸 Nordic Focus pic.twitter.com/PRyPUO0O4W– FFS – Fédération Française de Ski (@FedFranceSki) January 12, 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 long-time friend and former team-mate Chloé Remy.
- 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.
- Oberhof: Lou Jeanmonnot triumphs in the pursuit, flowers for Océane Michelon and Jeanne Richard
- “The aim was to gain a better understanding of what I needed to do and when”: how Lou Jeanmonnot broke out of her downward spiral to win the Oberhof pursuit.
- Oberhof: Sturla Holm Lægreid, Tarjei Boe and Johannes Thingnes Boe respond to the French with a treble in the pursuit
- Paula Botet to replace Sophie Chauveau: the French selection for the Oberhof World Cup
- “She completely 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
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