Elvira Oeberg Sprints to Ruhpolding Win

Sweden’s Elvira Oeberg took control the Ruhpolding women’s 7.5 km sprint this afternoon and never looked back, shooting clean, sprinting over the last 2.5 km to claim her third win of the season in 19:45.2. The Yellow Bib-wearing Marte Olsbu Roeiseland of Norway also shot clean but finished second, 21.6 seconds back. Italy’s Dorothea Wierer, also shooting clean finished third, 29.7 seconds back for her first podium of the 2021/22 season.

BMW IBU World Cup Ruhpolding Women's Sprint 22

Sprint Perfection

There was no question in Elvira’s mind that today was a perfect win. “For me this was a perfect race today. Finally clean shooting in a sprint; I have been struggling with shooting in the sprint. I have had two mistakes in most of them. For me, prone shooting was the key. I have been feeling very comfortable in standing but not so much in prone. So, when I managed to hit all of the targets in prone, I knew that now this can be my day.”

“Good feeling in standing…calm and confident” Shooting clean on Ruhpolding’s easy range is usually the key to victory or the podium. “I knew when I was approaching the standing shooting that I was probably shooting for a really good position. That is a bit special. I have not been in that situation that many times but since I have had a very good feeling in standing, I felt quite calm and confident; I knew I could do it. It is special to race in Ruhpolding. It usually has really tight races, so you never know and it was tough fight on the final lap but it was a perfect race for me today. I am super happy!”

Dzinara Alimbekava of Belarus, also shooting clean finished fourth, 30.2 seconds back. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet of France with one penalty finished fifth, 40 seconds back while Austria’s clean-shooting Lisa Theresa Hauser finished sixth, 42.1 seconds back.

Perfect conditions; good prone shooting

The first BMW IBU World Cup competition in Ruhpolding in two years had perfect conditions, with clear skies, -5C on the thermometer and absolutely no wind at the easiest shooting range on the circuit. Simon got off to a good start with a fast first loop and clean prone stage to take the early lead. Hauser followed shortly with another perfect stage, just 5 seconds slower. As has been the case recently, everything changed when Olsbu Roeiseland came to prone: five steady perfect shots and the Yellow Bib took over as the fastest, 4.5 seconds quicker than Simon. Next up the speedy Elvira, ready to challenge with a fast clean prone, five seconds faster than the Norwegian. Alimbekava matched the top two, but was eight seconds back after the first stage.

Standing battle

Simon missed three shots in standing falling out of contention, with teammates Jessica Jislova and Marketa Davidova both going to 10-for-10 to top the early leaderboard. Hauser continued to shoot well, also shooting clean, leaving with a 14-second lead over the Czech duo. The Yellow Bib was not about to go down without a fight, cleaning standing to go 14 seconds up on Hauser. Elvira shot very conservatively but clean, leaving the range 8.4 seconds up on Olsbu Roeiseland. Alimbekava shot as well as her Swedish and Norwegian rivals, holding third, but 14 seconds back. For almost the first time this season, Wierer looked like her old self. After cleaning prone but 15.2 seconds back, she did the same in standing with by far the fastest tempo, putting her fourth, just 1.8 seconds slower than the Belarusian,.

Elvira’s sterling last loop

The Yellow Bib pushed the last loop, knowing Elvira was still to come and in the virtual lead. However, Elvira was not to be denied. With her first clean shooting of the season and a sterling last loop over 13 seconds faster than Olsbu Roeiseland, the 22-year-old claimed her third career win and third win of the season.

Wierer’s last loop

Wierer had an equally spectacular last loop. 2.1 seconds behind Alimbekava with 800 meters to go, the Italian sped down the last hill, to finish a half-second ahead of the Belarusian for third place. The Italian acknowledged the importance of the last loop that secured her first podium since the Nove Mesto sprint last season. “I am really happy about my shooting today. I think on the track is was also pretty good. Of course, in the first round, I wanted to start really fast but then I heard I was a lot of seconds behind the other girls. The prone shooting was pretty good and fast. Then my legs were better and my head said you could do it. The final lap was really important today.”

Olsbu Roeiseland: “like a victory”

Despite finishing second, Olsbu Roeiseland also though she had a prefect day, especially since it was her first-ever podium at the Chiemgau Arena. “I am really satisfied about my race today. It was almost perfect for me. I hit ten targets; I did what I can in the track. I know Elvira is really strong these days and I think Ruhpolding is really perfect for her. I just tried to do my best. It was almost like a win for me. I have never been so strong in Ruhpolding. It is my first podium place I think, so this was like a victory for me.”

Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni

Share this article