Wiesensarter and Rastorgujevs Win SB WCH Super Sprints

Germany’s Marion Wiesensarter, after a penalty in each of the prone stages rebounded with two clean standing stages, skiing to the Gold medal in the women’s 7.5 km super sprint with a time of 23:13.4 this morning in Osrblie. A few hours later, Latvia’s Andrejs Rastorgujevs won the men’s super sprint Gold medal in 17:38.8. Rastorgujevs. whose first SB WCH appearance was in 2007 won the Gold medal, like the German earlier, by cleaning the standing stages, after his only penalty in the second prone.

“More fun every time”

Wiesensarter was more than pleased with her win. “I am super proud because I always thought that super sprint does not fit me so well. But today I won so I like it a little bit more…It is a little bit more fun every time I do it!”

“I have to hurry up”

She was unsure of victory after the two penalties but stayed focused. “I did not think about it (winning) during the race. I thought about it when I was at the last shooting. Before that I just thought I had to run fast and concentrate. In the last stage, I hoped for it because I like standing a little bit more…When I heard she (Tomingas) had one mistake, I thought I had to hurry up now.” Going full gas in the last loop, she skied to the win unchallenged.

2023 Summer Biathlon World Championships Super Sprints

Women's Super Sprint

Behind Wiesensarter, Estonia’s Tuuli Tomingas, with four penalties won the Silver medal, 9.8 seconds back. Wiesensarter’s teammate Lisa Maria Spark with one penalty won the Bronze medal,15.4 seconds back. Poland’s Joanna Jakiela, with three penalties finished fourth, 25.5 seconds back. Tomingas’ teammate Susan Kuelm, with one penalty finished fifth,29.7b seconds back, while Czech Republic’s Tereza Vobornikova, with three penalties finished sixth, 34.3 seconds back.

Estonians Top Qualifiers

The women’s super sprint opened the second day of the IBU SB WCH under cloudy skies and a warm 26C temperature. Clean shooting propelled Estonian teammates Tomingas in 12:47.9 and Kuelm, 21.9 seconds back to first and second.

Lead Changes

In the 7.5 km final, seven women all clean in the first prone, went out within 8.8 seconds. By the second prone, Lucie Charvátová and Marketa Davidova were in front, but both went to the penalty loop while Tomingas and Kuelm both cleaned moving to 1-2.

Germans Clean Standing Stages

Tomingas had a 20-second on the field coming into the first standing, missing two shots but remaining in the lead. Wiesensarter cleaned as did Spark, to second and third positions, 3 and 12 seconds back, respectively. The German duo again cleaned the last standing while Tomingas missed her last shot, falling 6.6 seconds back, a half second behind Spark.

Wiesensarter pulled away in the last loop to claim the victory while Tomingas took the Silver, skiing much faster than Spark who slipped to the Bronze spot.

Men’s Super Sprint

Rastorgujevs won his first-ever SB WCH Gold medal 6.4 seconds ahead of Czech Republic’s Silver medalist Tomas Mikyska, with three penalties. Ukraine’s Artem Tyshchenko, the only athlete to shoot clean today won the Bronze medal, 7.5 seconds back.

The Gold medalist admitted the win came from a combination of “when the shape is good, then the shooting is good, because they are working together. I was ready today.”

Fourth place went to Romania’s Dmitrii Shamaev, with two penalties, 30 seconds back. Germany’s Dominic Schmuck, with a single penalty finished fifth, 32.3 seconds back. Sweden’s Oskar Brandt, with three penalties, finished sixth, 32.7 seconds back.

The afternoon men’s super sprint qualifying saw another Estonian leading the field into the final. Rene Zahkna shot clean, topping Ukraine’s Ruslan Tkalenko who also shot clean with Sweden’s Jesper Nelin with one penalty in third.

Sunny, windy afternoon

The sun was out and the strong wind still crossing the range from left to right for the final. Ten men, bunched within 12 seconds led the 30-man field out of the first prone with perfect shooting. Mikyska was at the front of the train with Zahkna on his shoulder as they left the stadium. The duo had a few second on the field, going shot-for-shot in the second prone stage, getting away 16.5 seconds ahead of Hornig.

Rastorgujevs and Mikyska Battle for Gold

Mikyska missed two shots in the first standing but retained a 4-second lead while Tyshchenko and Rastorgujevs both cleaned along with Brandt in fourth just 9.3 seconds back. The medals would be decided in the last standing stage. The Latvian and his Czech rival shot side-by-side. Mikyska shot fast and missed a shot while Rastorgujevs shot slower, cleaning and taking a 6-second lead. The 35-year-old veteran held on, taking the Gold medal over his 23-year-old rival. Tyshchenko, after a perfect shooting day claimed the Bronze medal.

The IBU Summer Biathlon World Championships continue tomorrow with sprints for both juniors and seniors.

Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni