JT Boe Dominates Antholz Short Individual
Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe shot four times zero and skied with his usual authority, dominating the Antholz 15 km Short Individual for his fourth victory of the season. JT’s clean shooting keyed the 37:28 victory with none of his closest rivals able to match him on the range on a foggy but windless afternoon. Teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid’s slight lead after the first standing stage was the only drama in this second-ever BMW IBU World Cup short individual. Once Laegreid missed twice in the second prone, the only question was how much JT’s margin of victory would be. JT’s brother Tarjei answered that question, finishing second with two penalties, distant 1:36.1 back, the third Boedium of the season.
“Did a good job on the range”
The man in Yellow who now also leads the World Cup Individual Score admitted that shooting clean in Antholz’s thin air was not as easy as it looked. “It was not easy. I think I did a good job on the range. I have not seen the results but I think the precision was quite high, especially in standing. The sighting was just locked on the target. When you shoot twenty, it is not easy.”
“I think I am back again”
After missing several days due to illness last week, the Norwegian now with ten victories in Antholz feels like he is back to normal. “It feels good. I was lucky in Ruhpolding because the sickness was not too hard. I was out of training for four days; the body felt good right after. This week, I have been training a little bit and I felt good all the days here. I think I am back again.”
Germany’s Johannes Kuehn, also with two penalties finished in a season-best third place, 1:44 back. Kuehn’s first individual podium came after being close with seven top 10 results this season.
The Boe brother’s teammate Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, with three 45-second penalties finished fourth, 1:47.3 back. Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma, also with three penalties finished fifth, 1:58.6 back. Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen was Norway’s fourth man in the Flower Ceremony, finishing sixth, with two penalties, 2:16.4 back.
Foggy Afternoon
After two beautiful training days, heavy fog rolled in today, delaying the start by 10 minutes, later returning complicating shooting at this 1600-meter high venue. JT opened the day with a perfect first prone stage, after the fog initially lifted. A minute Tarjei shot cautiously but also clean, with Kuehn doing the same. Laegreid challenged, going 5-for-5 a second faster than the Yellow Bib.
2024 BMW IBU World Cup 6 Antholz Men's 15 km Short Individual
Total Control
JT’s blazing first standing stage put him a minute up on the field until Laegreid shot matched, going six seconds up. The red-haired Norwegian then took total control, closing the next ten targets with ease, after Laegreid missed two shots in the second prone. Tarjei solidified second place despite missing a shot in the last standing. Kuehn hit every target in the last three stages, finishing third.
Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Nordic Focus
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