Femsteinevik and Oeverby win sprints in Obertilliach

Ragnhild Femsteinevik and Mats Oeverby, both of Norway and with a 10/10 score on the shooting range, are the winners of the Sprint at the IBU Cup in Obertilliach, Austria.

They both won for the first time in the 2023/2024 season.

Femsteinevik finds form at the end of the season

Femsteinevik was second after the prone and took the lead after Oceane Michelon of France missed one shot in the standing. Femsteinevik won in 21:49.5, 14.4 seconds ahead of Michelon, the seconds-fastest skier of the day. Austrian Kristina Oberthaler, with 10/10, scored her career-first IBU Cup podium in third place, 40.4 behind the winner.

The Winner's Words - Ragnhild Femsteinevik

I got C-19 at the beginning of November, and my body needed a lot of time to recover. Then, I went through the confidence crisis on the shooting range. To finally put together a perfect shooting performance and skiing at my best is a relief. I am so happy!

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE

Increasing her lead atop the Total Score standings, clean-shooting Jenny Enodd of Norway finished in fourth place, 48.6 back. Her teammate Marthe Krakstad Johansen, with 9/10, finished fifth, 58 seconds behind the winner. Anastasiya Kuzmina of Slovakia and Karoline Erdal of Norway, both with two misses, shared sixth place, 1:15.8 seconds behind Femsteinevik.

Oeverby’s first win of the season

Searching for a perfect race for the whole season, Oeverby found it in the Sprint in Obertilliach, as he triumphed in 23:34.7. The win put him in the driving seat to win the IBU Cup Total Score for the 2023/2024 season.

Oeverby opened his race with the fastest first lap. Composed on the shooting range, he cleared all ten targets and withstood the challenges from his teammates. Sindre Fjellheim Jorde, with 8/10, finished second, 39.9 behind Oeverby. Sverre Dahlen Aspenes, with three misses, finished third, 47 seconds back. He was the fastest skier of the day.

The Winner's Words - Mats Oeverby

I was powerful today. It was my best performance in the Sprint ever. I have started to like difficult snow conditions this season. My goal is to win the IBU Cup Total Score.

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE

Competing in the IBU Cup for the first time since the 2018/2019 season, Joergen Saeter of Norway, with 10/10, finished fourth, 55.8 back. Martin Nevland of Norway, with 9/10, finished in fifth place, 1:03.5 behind the winner. Clean-shooting David Zobel of Germany completed the Flower ceremony, 1:08.6 behind Oeverby.

After today's win, Oeverby has 1,045 points, 90 less than still-leader Johan Olav Botn. But with Botn joining the Norwegian World Cup team and four IBU Cup competitions scheduled until the end of the season, Oeverby looks set to beat Botn's mark.