Biathlon : third World Cup start and first top 10 for Siri Skar
On Friday night in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic), Norway’s Siri Skar came into her own. In her third World Cup start, the 22-year-old biathlete took seventh place in the individual short with a 19/20 behind the rifle and the 25th fastest ski time.
“It was really fun, in any case. There was a lot of noise, so I couldn’t hear myself speak,” she told TV2 with a smile. “It’s completely crazy running here. It feels like a club race… except that there are thousands of people around.”
Her performance did not leave her compatriot Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold indifferent. “It’s completely crazy. She’s only competing in her third World Cup race and she’s doing it here, in front of a huge crowd. It’s great to see new girls shine. She really needs to build her confidence.
Second best Norwegian result of the winter
With her seventh place, Siri Skar recorded the second best individual performance by a Norwegian this winter – only Maren Kirkeeide did better. A top result, but not enough to open the doors to the Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina, as the selection was frozen before her explosion in Nove Mesto.
For Torgeir Bjoern, biathlon consultant for NRK, the conclusion is clear: “It’s absolutely brilliant what she’s doing. But given the progress of the Olympic Games, it’s a bit late. If she’d been able to race in Oberhof or Ruhpolding, she would have been selected. It’s as simple as that.
For her part, there are no Olympic plans after the finish line, and the biathlete prefers to concentrate on the moment and the opportunity that lies ahead of her in the World Cup. “Who knows when I’ll have the chance to return to the World Cup? So I have to seize that opportunity, “ she confides.
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