Preuss called the home victory, “Amazing! Also to have some seconds before the second place. I tried to push as hard as I could until the last split time. Into the stadium, I just tried to enjoy it; inhale this atmosphere. It was really great!”
The win came with solid legs by all four women who faced huge pressure from the raucous crowd in the stadium and along the tracks filled with German fans. “I think every one of us did a really, really good race. It is not so easy in front of the home crowd. The pressure is high of course. Everyone wants to see a good race from us. But we handled it in a really good way. I am proud of all of us. Also, the technicians did a really good job; we had amazing skis! It was just fun to race today.”
Norway, with ten spare rounds finished second, 17.4 seconds back. Norwegian anchor Ragnild Femsteinevik just up from the IBU Cup, called her anchor leg, “really hard. Franzi shooting clean in front of the German tribune is amazing…I heard everything (noise) but just focused on myself… I tried to do my best and am happy with my performance.”
France rebounded from 20th after the first prone to third, 25.8 seconds back, with a penalty and seven spares. Switzerland, with eight spares finished fourth, 35.8 seconds back. Sweden, with a penalty and twelve spares finished fifth, 1:06.8 back. Austria, with five spares finished sixth, 1:41.3 back.
Another beautiful biathlon day at a packed Chiemgau Arena opened with Anna Magnusson cleaning prone and standing in ten shots. Sweden led at the first exchange with five teams including Norway and Germany within 11 seconds. Juni Arnekleiv and Ella Halvarsson left the exchange zone in a dead heat. The Norwegian cleaned prone in five shots; the Swede fell to third. Arnekleiv needed a spare in standing, retaining the lead, with Grotian second.
At the second exchange, Finland and Germany were less than a second with Norway next. After prone, Schneider was third, 4 seconds back, behind Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide. The German cleaned standing first, taking a small lead and tagging Preuss first, but a very small lead. Preuss’ clean prone and calm standing stage sealed the German win; Norway and France followed her to the finish. Preuss grabbed a small German flag near the finish waving it joyfully in victory.
Photos: IBU/Svoboda, Nordic Focus