Simon Schempp has again narrowly missed a podium position in the second win of the season by outstanding Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bö. At the place of his World Championship title in the mass start from February, the 29-year-old finished fourth in the sprint over 10 km in Hochfilzen, Austria.
Arnd Peiffer (Clausthal-Zellerfeld) in sixth place, Erik Lesser (Frankenhain) in eighth place and surprisingly Philipp Nawrath (Nesselwang) in ninth place completed a strong team result for the German Ski Association (DSV).
“I’m very happy with the race. I was shaking quite a bit standing, but I got away with only one mistake. I also felt very good on the track”, said Schempp and announced for the pursuit on Saturday (12.15 in the LIVE TICKER):”There is still a lot left in it.”
Already at the first World Cup of the Olympic Winter in Östersund, Schempp was fifth in the sprint and narrowly missed the podium. Jakov Fak from Slovenia missed Schempp, who had to put up with a shooting mistake, 11.2 seconds. Second place went to the French superstar Martin Fourcade.
“I am quite satisfied with the result. It can’t always run as perfectly as it did in Östersund,”said Lesser, who finished third in the sprint in Sweden last week:” I hope that I will be able to make up for this in the pursuit tomorrow.
It was by far the best result of his career for the Nawrath, which was faultless at the shooting range. Up to now, the 24-year-old had a 34th birthday. Last winter’s sprint of Kontiolahti from last winter. Peiffer, sprint world champion of 2011, also broke the standard for the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang (9th place). till 25. February), Nawrath secured half the norm. Lesser and Schempp had already made it to Östersund.
At the second World Cup in the Olympic Winter on Saturday the pursuit races are scheduled. From 12.15 the men go to the cross-country ski run. The women’s competition will follow at 2.45 pm. The finale on Sunday will be the men’s (11.30 a. m.) and women’s relay races (14.10 a. m.).