Germany’s Justus Strelow and Janina Hettich-Walz bowled over the nine other teams in this evening’s World Team Challenge at Veltins Arena, taking the closing pursuit title in a wire-to-wire 33:12.9 after also winning the precluding mass start. The duo was almost perfect in forty-shot pursuit finale, missing just one shot.

Strelow’s final clean standing stage sealed the victory for the home team, their first in this annual post-Christmas event since 2016 when Simon Schempp and Vanessa Hinz claimed the title.

France with Lou Jeanmonnot and Fabien Claude finished second, with four penalties, 21.4 seconds back. Norway with Juni Arnekleiv and Mats Overby finished third, with four penalties, 1:12.8 back.

Photos: IBU/Yevenko