France’s Justine Braisaz-Bouchet never led at any point in this evening’s Nove Mesto Women’s 12.5 km Short Individual; at one point trailing teammate Lou Jeanmonnot by 46 seconds. With a clean final standing stage and a hard-fought last loop, she finally prevailed for a 35.50.3 victory, 1.4 seconds faster than runner-up Jeanmonnot. Tonight’s one-penalty victory was Braisaz-Bouchet’s first win and podium of the season and her first in a Short Individual, and like teammate Eric Perrot now has a victory in every discipline.

Second place Jeanmonnot, after leading much of the competition was in the top spot after the last standing stage, but was unable to hold her slim margin over the last 2.5 km. Germany’s Franziska Preuss, with two penalties finished in third, 1:02.2 back, her first podium of the season.

Sweden’s Anna Magnusson with two penalties finished fourth, 1:06.8 back. Switzerland’s Lena Haecki-Gross, with one penalty finished in a season-best fifth place, 1:15.7 back. Austria’s Tamara Steiner shot clean for a career-best sixth place1:27 back, improving on her previous best 13th place from two years ago also at Nove Mesto.

Photos: IBU/Jaroslav Svoboda, Yevenko, Nordic Focus