Auchentaller and Jorde take Short Individuals in Pokljuka

Hannah Auchentaller of Italy and Sindre Fjellheim Jorde of Norway are the winners of the Short Individuals in Pokljuka. Auchentaller won with the bib 23, just like Lisa Vittozzi in Ruhpolding. For Jorde, it was the first IBU Cup competition of the season.

Auchentaller goes 20/20 for her first IBU Cup win

Auchentaller shot 20/20 and won for the first time in the IBU Cup in 39:24.7. She knew her legs were heavy from yesterday’s training sessions and invested most of her energy into the shooting accuracy. It paid off handsomely.

“I relied on my shooting today. I knew my skiing would be average at best after yesterday’s training. To win with number 23 - just like Lisa Vittozzi yesterday - is great. We trained with Lisa for the whole summer and learned from her. I hope this will continue in the coming seasons,” said Auchentaller.

Hanna Kebinger of German, after a long recovery from falling sick in November 2022, returned to the IBU Cup with a strong skiing performance. She missed twice and was 27 seconds behind the winner from South Tirol. Paula Botet of France, who felt weak in the morning and had serious doubts about taking part in today’s competition, focused on her shooting, missed the 18th shot, and finished third, 30.5 seconds behind Auchentaller.

Fourth place went to Lisa Maria Spark of Germany, with one miss, 48.9 seconds behind the winner from Italy. Tilda Johansson from Sweden, shooting 17/20, finished in fifth place, 53.6 seconds behind Auchentaller. Austrian Lea Rothschopf, with 19/20, crossed the finish line sixth, completing the flower ceremony.

Gilonne Guigonnat finished 14th today, but with Maren Kirkeeide competing in Ruhpolding, she retook the lead in the Total Score standings, 17 points ahead of the Norwegian.

IBU Cup Pokljuka - Short Individuals

Skiing excellence brings Jorde a win

Jorde started the competition, his first in the IBU Cup in 2022/2023, with one miss in the first prone shooting stage and then structured his race around fast skiing and spotless shooting for a win in 38:17.2. It was his second win in the IBU Cup.

“It is a very good day for me. Apart from the one miss, I did a perfect biathlon. Hard work and fierce competitions in the Norwegian Cup paid off,” said Jorde.

Mats Oeverby, clearing all 20 targets for the first time in his first season in the IBU Cup, finished second, 39.5 seconds behind Jorde. Vebjoern Soerum, a former two-time Sprint Junior World champion, with 19/20, completed the all-Norwegian podium, 56.1 seconds behind the winner. Soerum, like Jorde, started in the IBU Cup for the first time this winter, such is the depth of the Norwegian men's team.

Dominic Schmuck of Germany had a 20/20 day on the shooting range and finished fourth, 1:05.2 minutes behind the winner from Norway. IBU Cup Total Score leader Endre Stroemsheim missed twice for fifth place, 1:19.7 minutes behind Jorde. The Italian team had a very good reason to be satisfied today, as still only 19-years old Marco Barale, competing in his first-ever IBU Cup, completed the podium in sixth place, 1:40.4 seconds behind Jorde. Barale had one miss.

Stroemsheim kept his lead in the Total Score standings, 99 points ahead of Oeverby.

Photo: IBU/H. Deubert

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