Denise Herrmann represented Laura Dahlmeier excellently and set a real exclamation mark two and a half months before the Olympic Games.
The 28-year-old rider from Oberwiesenthal triumphed in the sprint over 7.5 km in Östersund, Sweden, despite a shooting mistake after a very good mileage and clinched by far the best World Cup place in her still young biathlon career.
So far, it’s been an 18th. The best result of the former cross-country skier in last season’s sprint was in second place.
Herrmann, who also secured her ticket to the Olympics, won 15.2 seconds ahead of Justine Braisaz from France and Julija Dschyma from Ukraine (19.6 seconds behind).
Relay World Champion Franziska Hildebrand also broke the Olympic norm, Vanessa Hinz in 14th place. also met half the norm.
Maren Hammerschmidt missed a better ranking with two shooting mistakes and finished in 16th place. Franziska Preuß did not make it into the World Cup ranks, as did Karolin Horchler.
Despite a disappointing individual, the men enter their 10 km sprint race on Saturday (14.45 hrs in the LIVETICKER) ambitiously.
In addition to Germany’s number one Simon Schempp, sprint world champion Benedikt Dol has high hopes for a good ranking. On Sunday, the women’s programme includes persecution.