Biathlon: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold does the double in Norway’s opening races
At midday on Sunday, the women’s mass-start of the Norwegian biathlon opening races in Sjusjøen (Norway) was on the programme in Innlandet county. For this first head-to-head competition of the winter, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold was the clear favourite.
In the absence of Slovakia’s Anastasiya Kuzmina and mainly against her compatriots, last season’s world number 3 first put in a fine display in the first half of the race. Her shooting was perfect and she went into the first upright alone in the lead. A fault on this first burst, but above all two on the last of the race, complicated her affairs.
Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (17/20) had what looked like an easy win, but in the end she had to work hard on the final lap. Firstly, she had to make up a few seconds on Maren Kirkeeide (19/20) as she exited the shooting range, then she tried to overtake her on the course’s big bump. But she didn’t succeed.
Dorothea Wierer launches her winter
It was therefore in the sprint that first place came down to the wire and, with experience, the Norwegian narrowly managed to get the better of her younger rival, who was trapped entering the final straight. On the third step of the podium was an excellent Dorothea Wierer (18/20) at 31 sec 2.
Karoline Knotten (17/20), Karoline Erdal (16/20), Joanna Jakiela (16/20), Kamila Zuk (15/20), the surprising Mari Torsteinsrud (18/20) with her number 54, Siri Skar (17/20) and Anne Bunemann De Besche (19/20) completed the top 10. Difficult performances, however, from Juni Arnekleiv (15/20), twelfth, Ida Lien (15/20), fifteenth, Emilie Kalkenberg (13/20), sixteenth, and Marit Ishol Skogan (16/20), nineteenth.
Last but not least, eighteenth place went to Belgium’s Maya Cloetens (16/20), who was in contention for the top 10 right up to the last shot, and sixtieth to Julie Baverel (15/20).
Full results
- Norwegian opening races in Sjusjøen: Florent Claude on the mass-start B podium
- Norwegian opening races in Sjusjøen: Eric Perrot fourth in the sprint won by Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Fabien Claude fifth
- Tenth in the Sjusjøen sprint, Johannes Thingnes Boe is still breaking in
- “A good first race”, “I’ll remember the 9/10 above all”: Eric Perrot and Fabien Claude, fourth and fifth in the Sjusjøen sprint, are satisfied.
- “The aim is to be consistent throughout the season”: in Sjusjøen, Emilien Jacquelin launches his shooting career once again
- Sjusjøen: Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold strongest in the sprint of the Norwegian opening races, Anastasiya Kuzmina surprisingly fourth
- A solid winner of the Sjusjøen sprint, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold has put her mind at rest after a troubled summer.
- The full programme of Norwegian opening races at Sjusjøen in which the French will be taking part
- Norwegian opening races in Sjusjøen: who will French riders Julie Baverel, Oscar Lombardot, Fabien Claude, Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin be up against?
- “The signs are pretty much green for everyone”: Oscar Lombardot, Fabien Claude, Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin training on the snow at Sjusjøen
- “A real mouth-watering start to the season”: the day the French men’s team set off on their training camp in Sjusjøen
- Dorothea Wierer and the Italian men’s national team head for Sjusjøen
- Before Les Bleus arrive, Sjusjøen opens its first cross-country ski run
- Relief for Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold: the Norwegian should be ready for the races at Sjusjøen
