Germany’s Justus Strelow and Janina Hettich-Walz bowled over the nine other teams in this evening’s World Team Challenge at Veltins Arena, taking the closing pursuit title in a wire-to-wire 33:12.9 after also winning the precluding mass start. The duo was almost perfect in forty-shot pursuit finale, missing just one shot.

Strelow’s final clean standing stage sealed the victory for the home team, their first in this annual post-Christmas event since 2016 when Simon Schempp and Vanessa Hinz claimed the title.

France with Lou Jeanmonnot and Fabien Claude finished second, with four penalties, 21.4 seconds back. Norway with Juni Arnekleiv and Mats Overby finished third, with four penalties, 1:12.8 back.

Germany Takes Opening Mass Start

44,000 enthusiastic German fans sent the women out as the mass start opened the competitions. The eight-stage alternating male/female competition had multiple lead changes from start to finish but in the end the Germany, France and Norway prevailed at the top. Jeanmonnot cleaned the first prone tagging Claude 2 seconds up on Overby. Overby and Strelow cleaned their prone stage quickly tagging their partners almost together.

Hettich-Walz and Arnekleiv opened a huge gap on the field into the first standing stage but had two penalties. Strelow again was perfect in standing, retaking the lead.

Jeanmonnot and her German rival both went 5-for-5 taking the lead out of the second prone stage. Strelow’s perfect shooting gave his partner a 15-second lead over the French team at the exchange.

All of the women and men missed shots in the final standing, but Strelow came off the loop first, cruising to a 33:13.9 German victory, with four penalties, followed by France with seven penalties, 10.8 seconds back, and Norway with four penalties, 28.9 seconds back.

Times Back Halved for Pursuit

Times back were halved for the pursuit with Germany going out first seeking their first World Team Challenge in almost a decade. The small starting gaps disappeared by the first prone where Hettich-Walz and Jeanmonnot cleaned easily for the lead at the first exchange. Their male partners, staying in front as the women took over.

The Germans took a sole 10.5 second lead when Jeanmonnot missed a standing target. Strelow added to the lead while Claude went for two penalties, dropping 29 seconds back.

Nothing changed when Hettich-Walz easily closed her last five prone targets. Strelow kept the same 29-second gap with more prone perfection.

Strelow Secures Win

Clean standing shooting by Jeanmonnot narrowed the gap to 11 seconds as Hettich-Walz ran a penalty loop. With the crowd roaring, Strelow closed the final five standing targets of the day, securing the victory, giving the fans the win they so coveted for their young sports heroes.

Photos: IBU/Yevenko