BIATHLON: Gold and silver for J.T. Boe, sweep for Liza Vittozzi at Oberhof World Cup

Italy's Lisa Vittozzi (Photo: IBU)

We’re approaching the halfway point of the 2018-19 IBU World Cup and in the fourth of nine stages, there were surprises at the Oberhof (GER) stop.

First, after eight races to start the season, someone other than Martin Fourcade (FRA) or Johannes Thingnes Boe (NOR) won a race. Second was the surprise wins by Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi in both the Sprint and Pursuit races.

In the men’s 10 km Sprint, it was Russia’s Alexander Loginov who managed to break through, finishing 25.2 seconds ahead of Boe, thanks in part to a perfect shooting day, while Boe had one miss and suffered a penalty.

But Boe was back in front in snowy and windy conditions for the 12.5 km Pursuit and won by 15 seconds – even with three penalties – over German Arnd Peiffer, with Italy’s Lukas Hoffer less than a second behind for third.

That left Boe with a solid 542-412-342 lead over Loginov and Fourcade, the seven-time defending champion, after 10 of 26 races this season. There is still a long way to go.

Vittozzi, 23, had never won an individual IBU World Cup race before Oberhof, but she triumphed in the Sprint by shooting perfectly and then outlasting France’s Anais Chevalier by just 5.3 seconds for her first World Cup win. She then came back to win the 10 km Pursuit by 14.5 seconds over Slovakia’s three-time Olympic gold medalist Anastasiya Kuzmina.

Said Vittozzi, “I am so happy. It was not an expected victory because I am feeling so tired. I tried to stay concentrated on the shooting range and it was enough to win. It was strange because I was always alone in the race; I knew the girls behind me were strong…I tried to stay calm.”

Italy’s Dorothea Wierer continues to leads the women’s World Cup standings with 438 points, but Vittozzi – a double gold medalist in the 2014 World Junior Championships – has moved up to second with 396. Summaries:

IBU World Cup
Oberhof (GER) ~ 7-13 January 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s 10 km Sprint: 1. Alexander Loginov (RUS), 25:50.9 (0 penalties); 2. Johannes Thingnes Boe (NOR), +25.2 (1); 3. Sebastian Samuelsson (SWE), +36.8 (0); 4. Benedikt Doll (GER), +38.8 (1); 5. Arnd Peiffer (GER), +39.3 (1). Also in the top 25: 22. Sean Doherty (USA), +1:58.4 (2).

Men’s 12.5 km Pursuit: 1. J.T. Boe (NOR), 34:29.8 (3); 2. Peiffer (GER), +15.1 (1); 3. Lukas Hofer (ITA), +15.8; 4. Martin Fourcade (FRA), +32.6 (3); 5. Loginov (RUS), +42.4 (4). Also in the top 25: 18. Doherty (USA), +2:29.9 (2).

Men’s 4×7.5 km Relay: 1. Russia (Tsvetkov, Garanichev, Malyshko, Loginov), 1:20:54.3 (6 penalties); 2. France, +1:01.1 (9); 3. Austria, +2:18.6 (8); 4. Czech Rep., +2:36.0 (11); 5. Sweden (8). Also: 19. United States (Leif Nordgren, Sean Doherty, Travis Cooper, Max Durtschi), lapped (11).

Women’s 7.5 km Sprint: 1. Lisa Vittozzi (ITA), 22:34.6 (0); 2. Anais Chevalier (FRA), +5.3 (0); 3. Hanna Oeberg (SWE), +15.0 (0); 4. Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (NOR), ++18.1 (1); 5. Iryna Kryuko (BLR), +21.6 (0). Also in the top 25: 10. Susan Dunklee (USA), +40.8 (1); … 13. Clare Egan (USA), +49.0 (1).

Women’s 10 km Pursuit: 1. Vittozzi (ITA), 32:32.9 (2); 2. Anastasiya Kuzmina (SVK), +14.5 (4); 3. Chevalier (FRA), +27.9 (5); 4. Anais Bescond (FRA), +36.2 (4); 5. Dorothea Wierer (ITA), +37.4 (3). Also in the top 25: 7. Dunklee (USA), +1:01.2 (5).

Women’x 4×6 km Relay: 1. Russia (Pavlova, Vasileva, Kuklina, Yurlova-Percht), 1:18:46.3 (8 penalties); 2. Germany, +33.5 (12); 3. Czech Republic, +36.7 (7); 4. Norway, +50.6 (9); 5. France, +1:08.4 (18). Also: 12. United States (Susan Dunklee, Clare Egan, Joanne Reid, Emily Dreissigacker), +5:35.8 (21).