First-ever Victory for Lou Jeanmonnot

France’s Lou Jeanmonnot took control of this afternoon’s Oestersund Women’s 7.5 km Sprint when she closed the last standing target for a perfect shooting day and skied a strong last loop to claim her first-ever BMW IBU World Cup victory in 21:04.1. The 2022 IBU Cup Total Score winner’s first win came after two second place finishes in her rookie season last year.

Unexpected Victory

Jeanmonnot was all smiles after the finish and the long wait after starting with Bib 27, admitting that her first win felt, “Really good; I hope for more! (The waiting) was awful. It was the worst part of the race!” Her clean-shooting victory was unexpected after feeling far from perfect before the start. “I was afraid it was not possible for me because I was not feeling so great during the warm-up. But the shooting was not so good overall today so that allowed me to win.”

Watch the Highlights Here

Knotten and Preuss In Yellow

Norwegians Karoline Offigstad Knotten and Juni Arnekleiv, both with single penalties finished second and third, 8.5 and 17.6 seconds back. Knotten’s second place was a career best topping her third-place sprints in 2021 and 2022. Her second place today plus fourth in Sunday’s 15 km Individual gave Knotten her first-ever Yellow Bib for Sunday’s pursuit, with fourth place Franziska Preuss also wearing Yellow. The Norwegian and German are tied for first in the World Cup Total Score. Arnekleiv picked up her first-ever podium, improving from her previous best 12th place in the IBU WCH sprint last February.

Over 100 women started the season’s first sprint with light snow falling, and -11C temperature and light shooting range winds. Seventh starter Voigt took the early lead with a clean prone stage. Lisa Vittozzi, wearing Yellow matched. Tandrevold skied into the range fast, shot steadily, leaving 14 seconds ahead of Voigt. Arnekleiv and Jeanmonnot followed with clean stages, leaving 3 and 7 seconds behind Tandrevold.

Jeanmonnot Cleans Standing, Skis to Victory

Voigt missed a standing shot, while Vittozzi went to 10-for-10. Tandrevold skied a fast loop but picked up two penalties. Arnekleiv missed a shot but left with the lead; Knotten cleaned after a prone penalty, leaving second. Everything changed when Jeanmonnot cleaned standing, leaving almost 10 seconds up on the Norwegians.

Despite shooting clean, Vittozzi slowed in the last loop, as did Tandrevold, dropping both from podium contention. At the 6.3 km split, Jeanmonnot remained 7 seconds ahead of Knotten who finished in quick succession after Arnekleiv making them 1-2 momentarily. However, the rising French star was not to be denied, holding the lead through the final split time and sprinting the last 100 meters for her first-ever victory.

BMW IBU World Cup 1 Oestersund Women's Sprint

Germany’s Franziska Preuss with two penalties and Vanessa Voigt, with one penalty finished fourth and fifth, 18.3 and 20 seconds back. Norway’s Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, with two penalties finished sixth, 23.8 seconds back. Teammate Marthe Krakstad Johansen followed Tandrevold in seventh place, giving Norway four of the top seven finishers.

Photos: IBU/Per Danielsson, Nordic Focus

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