Guigonnat and Botn win the Otepaa Pursuit
Gillone Guigonnat of France and Johan Olav Botn of Norway claimed victory in the Pursuit of the IBU Cup in Otepaa. Guigonnat used her win in the Sprint as a springboard for a convincing win. Norway dominated the race, securing the top five positions with strong team performance. Isak Frey, finishing fourth today, secured the IBU Cup Total Score title, his first.
Guigonnat dominates from start to finish
Guigonnat delivered a commanding performance in the women’s Pursuit, leading from start to finish and securing her second consecutive victory after winning the Sprint two days ago. She crossed the finish line in 34:05.7, with just one missed shot. Her compatriot Camille Bened also shot clean and finished 15.4 seconds behind, claiming second place. Juni Arnekleiv of Norway fought her way onto the podium despite four missed targets, finishing 1:06.0 minutes behind.
THE WINNER’S WORDS - GILONNE GUIGONNAT
I am happy about the win, my second in as many races. My legs were shaking in the standing shooting. I wasn't sure if I would win as I had not finished two Pursuits due to health issues. So this would be my message for all the women today: keep believing in yourself.
France’s Paula Botet, with five misses and the fastest skiing time, secured fourth place, 1:10.2 minutes back. Italy’s Rebeca Passler also struggled on the range with four penalties, placing fifth, 1:11.9 minutes behind. Fany Bertrand of France, the only athlete in the top six to shoot clean, finished sixth, 1:13.2 minutes behind.
IBU Cup 7 Otepaa - Pursuits
Botn wins the Norwegian battle
Botn delivered an impressive performance with only one missed shot. He crossed the finish line in 36:55.6, securing a comfortable lead of 44.1 seconds over his compatriot Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, who also missed just one target. Another Norwegian, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, finished third, 1:03.5 minutes behind, after accumulating three penalties.
THE WINNER’S WORDS - JOHAN OLAV BOTN
It was a really tough race with warm temperatures and slow conditions. In the last downhill, I felt that my skis had stopped moving completely. It was a nice battle until the end with Vetle and Johannes. I have struggled with my health after Christmas, but I am now back to full health. I want to win all the remaining races in Otepaa.
Isak Frey, the winner of the Sprint, placed fourth with four misses, finishing 1:46.7 minutes behind Botn. Sivert Guttorm Bakken managed fifth place, 2:08.3 minutes back, with three shooting errors. The only non-Norwegian in the top six was Germany’s Lucas. Fratzscher, who finished sixth, 2:10.1 minutes behind, with two penalties.
Frey wins the Total Score
Isak Frey, still only 21, won the Total Score and Pursuit Score Cup title. After winning multiple gold medals at the IBU Youth&Junior World Championships and at the IBU Open European Championships, Frey is building a phenomenal career. He has not yet made his debut in the BMW IBU World Cup.
Photo: Hendrik Osula
Sign up for our newsletter
Follow us on:
Sign In
IT
Search
