Janina Hettich-Walz, Franziska Preuss and Justus Strelow starred in this weekend's German Championships at Arber’s Hohenzollern Ski Stadium.

Good Shooting Keys Big Wins

Hettich-Walz’s first competitions in almost 18 months were enormously successful with an Individual/Sprint double, followed by second in the Pursuit. Preuss rebounded with a 20-for-20 Pursuit win after two penalties kept her from the podium in the Sprint. Strelow was the steadiest of the men, hitting the podium all three days, capped by winning the pursuit with a strong 19-for-20 range performance.

Beyond this group, Vanessa Voigt and Selina Grotian both shot clean in the sprint, boding well for the upcoming season. On the men’s side, Roman Rees after spending most of last season on the IBU Cup circuit, won Sprint Gold, a solid step towards a return to the World Cup.

Short Individuals to Horn, Hettich-Walz

Short Individuals opened German Championships weekend with a twist: instead of a 45-second penalty added to the final time, each missed shot resulted in a penalty loop. Philipp Horn, overcame driving rain and four penalties, winning the Men’s 15 km Gold medal in 37:21. Lucas Fratzscher, also with four penalties took Silver, 27.3 seconds back. Strelow, fresh off third in Dresden City Biathlon last week, claimed the last podium spot, 29.5 seconds back, with two penalties.

The skies cleared and the sun was shining by the time the women’s 12.5 km competition started. Everyone eagerly awaited IBU Total Score winner Preuss’s return to competition. Preuss was on form, only missing a single shot in the second prone, but that was not enough to win. Hettich-Walz, returning form maternity leave, matched her teammate on the range, skiing away to a 34:24.7 Gold medal effort, leaving Preuss with Silver. Voigt, also on the return trail, shot clean for Bronze, 1:43.2 back.

Hettich-Walz Double

Hettich-Walz, shooting clean confirmed her individual win was no fluke, taking Saturday’s Women’s 7.5 km Sprint Gold medal in 21:07. Silver medalist Selina Grotian and Bronze medalist 21-year-old Charlotte Gallbronner also shot clean, but 20.6 and 37.1 seconds back, respectively. With the top four all shooting clean, Preuss’s two standing penalties dropped her to sixth, 57.7 seconds back.

The Men’s 10 km Sprint came down to ski speed. The top three all had a single penalty, with rebounding Roman Rees taking the Gold medal in 23:35.8, 1.2 seconds up on Philipp Nawrath and 6,7 seconds up on Justus Strelow.

Preuss' Pursuit Rebound; Strelow Wins

The World Cup Total Score titlist thrilled crowd Sunday's crowd with a more typical 20-for-20. winning the Women’s 10 km Pursuit Gold medal, over 30 seconds up on Hettich-Walz who faltered with four penalties. Selina Kastl, winner of the 2021 IBU Summer Biathlon WCH Junior Super Sprint and Pursuit titles took the Bronze medal, moving up from eighth at the start.

After Bronze medals the two previous days, Strelow moved into the Gold medal spot in the Men’s 12.5 km Pursuit. Strelow missed a single shot in the last standing stage, cruising to a 30:02.8 win over Fratzscher, with two penalties, 12.9 seconds back. Nawrath, with three penalties, all in standing won the Bronze medal, 44.4 seconds back.

Photos: IBU/Harald Deubert