Biathlon: Norway (also) goes for a hat-trick
They were not to be trifled with. The day after the French men’s team completed a fabulous hat-trick of victories in the sprint at the Biathlon World Cup in Oberhof (Germany), it was the Norwegians who shone in the pursuit. In a race that was totally decanted and full of suspense, the kingdom’s biathletes came out on top in the prone shots, the ones that count.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Fabien Claude and Emilien Jacquelin started out in the lead after their fine sprint, but were unable to hold on to their position. However, up until the halfway point, it was the blue-white-and-red riders who were at the top of the rankings. The rider from Bassur had scored a 10/10 and was alone in the lead at the first standing.
Fabien Claude misses on the first stand, the Norwegians take advantage
For the first time in his career in this situation, Fabien Claude lost his footing… missing four out of five targets. From then on, it was Quentin Fillon-Maillet, despite a poor 11/15, who was France’s best chance. Third with one shot to go, the Jurassien dropped an extra ball on his final salvo. Norway then took advantage of this opportunity to complete a hat-trick of victories.
It was Sturla Holm Lægreid, at 18/20, who took victory with his number 6, while Tarjei Boe (19/20) and Johannes Thingnes Boe (17/20) completed the day’s top 3 thanks to a 5/5 on the last standing. At the foot of the podium were Quentin Fillon-Maillet (15/20) and Eric Perrot (17/20), while Dmytro Pidruchnyi (17/20), in sixth place, confirmed his current good form.
Emilien Jacquelin (15/20) was eleventh, Emilien Claude (17/20) thirteenth, Fabien Claude (15/20) eighteenth and Antonin Guigonnat (18/20) nineteenth.
Tour of flowers 💐@quentinfillon and @eric_perrot1 finish 4th and 5th in the Oberhof pursuit 🇫🇷
📸 Nordic Focus pic.twitter.com/eYEuWDaTpR– 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. Eighth in the Oberhof sprint, Emilien Claude found the problem with his rifle and achieved the best World Cup result of his career.
- 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
