Lacking confidence behind the rifle since the start of the season – only a podium in the sprint in Hochfilzen (Austria) – while she has almost always had the best skiing time with the Swedish Elvira Oeberg (absent), Justine Braisaz -Bouchet set the target this Friday (19/20) to win the individual Antholz-Anterselva (Italy) ahead of her compatriot Julia Simon, 4and podium of the season, and Sweden’s Mona Brorsson.
In the absence of six of the fifteen best in the world, including World Cup leader Marte Olsbu Roeiseland and the Oeberg sisters, Braisaz-Bouchet seized his chance by showing good dispositions from his first shot. Very calm behind the rifle, the Frenchwoman, very often missed since the start of the season, seemed to be in a new approach.
“I’m tired of missing out on races because of shooting, stakes that make me think about the results and that put me next to my pumps, she blurted out to Ruhpolding. I knew it was going to go through a real decision-making on the launch pad. »
Third World Cup victory
Words validated by actions since after whitewashing her first ten targets, the Frenchwoman dropped one on her third shot, before being able to recover. She extended this maneuver on her fourth pass on the launch pad by firing her first three beautiful shots, then waiting for a burst to come out with the 19/20.
At the sight of his rods since the start of the season (even better skiing time), Braisaz-Bouchet then had a boulevard to come and win his third career World Cup victory (after the individual of Ostersund in 2019-2020 and the Grand-Bornand mass start in 2017-2018).
“She is doing good this race, she said at the microphone of the L’Équipe channel. I fought on each shot by letting the gusts pass, recovering myself because I felt that I had imbalances. It was a waiting race. »
On the line, Braisaz-Bouchet is ahead of her compatriot Julia Simon (2nd at 51”1, 2 faults) and the Swede Mona Brorsson (3rd at 1’37”2, 2 faults). Simon, once again very solid, adds a fourth second place in her season, proving that she has really turned a corner in shooting since her rout of Hochfilzen.
Also engaged this Friday, Anaïs Bescond missed her shot (77th at 8’09”5, 7 faults), while Chloé Chevalier signed a new top 20 (17th at 3’46”2, 3 faults ). Surprising behind the rifle (19/20, the young Paula Bottet finished in 40th place (at 5’18”3).