Winter sports: Biathlon World Cup in Oberhof: hopes rest on Herrmann-Wick

winter sports
Biathlon World Cup in Oberhof: hopes rest on Herrmann-Wick

Numerous employees and volunteers prepare the course for the competitions. photo

© Michael Reichel/dpa

Twelve German biathletes are fighting for twelve titles at the home world championships in Oberhof. It starts on Wednesday with the mixed relay. The favorites come mainly from Norway.

For the first time in eleven years, a Biathlon World Championship will take place in Germany. A total of 160,000 fans are expected in Oberhof from Wednesday. Twelve titles are at stake over nine days of competition. The German Press Agency answers the most important questions before the skiers’ season highlight in Thuringia.

Where are we going?

For the second time, Oberhof is hosting the Skijäger World Championships. There was a festival in 2004, Germany won seven medals, including the world title for Ricco Groß in the pursuit and the men’s relay. Millions have now been invested in the modernization of the Arena am Rennsteig. Oberhof with its 1,500 inhabitants is also an important training base for German biathletes. During the World Cup, the team sleeps in the Bundeswehr barracks of the sports promotion group on Grenzadler to escape the hustle and bustle.

How is the snow situation?

Terrific. A few weeks ago there was no natural snow at all, but thanks to perfect preparation with artificial and natural snow everything is ready. With wintry temperatures, the World Cup stars expect the best conditions. In the first week of competition, which begins on Wednesday (2.45 p.m./ZDF and Eurosport) with the mixed relay, it should be cold and sunny. Should the temperatures rise and the track melt, there are more than 35,000 cubic meters of artificial snow available in the depots.

How did the 2021 World Cup go for the German team?

With only two medals worse than hoped. Two years ago there was no gold medal in Slovenia. Twice silver was the meager result of a world championship under corona conditions without fans on the tracks. Arnd Peiffer, who has since retired, took silver in the individual, the only precious metal for the men who only finished seventh in the relay. The women won silver in the relay, but Denise Herrmann-Wick and Co. went away empty-handed in the individual races. Many top ten placements brightened the picture, but the few great successes remain in the mind.

Who has medal chances in the German team?

Especially Denise Herrmann-Wick. The individual Olympic champion managed the only victories of the season in the individual races, most recently in the pursuit in Antholz. For women, Vanessa Voigt, fourth at the Olympics, could cause a surprise on her home track. The men’s hopes rest on Benedikt Doll in the fight against the overwhelming Norwegians. The Black Forester had won sprint gold in Hochfilzen in 2017 and sensationally prevailed against dominator Johannes Thingnes Bö. There are chances of medals in the relay races despite strong competition.

Who are the favourites?

The same gust from Norway must also be beaten in Oberhof. The 29-year-old is in a class of his own when it comes to running, if he hits well, he can’t be beat. Then there are his teammates Sturla Holm Laegreid, Vetle Sjastad Christiansen and brother Tarjei Bö – five Norwegians are in the top eight in the overall World Cup. The French around double Olympic champion Quentin Fillon Maillet will also want to have a say. More balanced races are expected for women. Overall World Cup leader Julia Simon from France is believed to be just as capable as the Swedish sisters Elvira and Hanna Öberg, the Italians Dorothea Wierer and Lisa Vittozzi or the Norwegian Marte Olsbu Röiseland.

Who are the most successful ski hunters at a World Cup?

Röiseland was the first biathlete to win seven medals in Antholz in 2020. The Norwegian took five gold and two silver medals – and was more successful than her teammate Tora Berger and Laura Dahlmeier. Both had won six medals each, for Dahlmeier there were five gold and one silver in 2017. Johannes Thingnes Bö won six medals (three gold, three silver) in Italy in 2020. Among others, record world champion Magdalena Neuner and Frenchman Martin Fourcade achieved five medals.

Where can the races be seen on TV?

As usual, the public broadcasters ARD and ZDF share the transmissions and put a lot of effort into the home game, as they did at the 2012 World Cup in Ruhpolding. In the first week of the World Cup, it’s ZDF’s turn, in the second week ARD rises. In addition, Eurosport shows all competitions. Like eleven years ago, the German Ski Association is hoping for a new biathlon boom, when at the peak there were even more than seven million fans in front of the TV sets. Up to 27,000 fans can attend the track every day, and it gets particularly crowded at the weekends.

What does the German team look like?

Men: Benedikt Doll (32 / Breitnau), Roman Rees (29 / Schauinsland), Johannes Kühn (31 / Reit im Winkl), David Zobel (26 / Partenkirchen), Justus Strelow (26 / Schmiedeberg), Philipp Nawrath (29 / Nesselwang ).

Women: Denise Herrmann-Wick (34/Oberwiesenthal), Vanessa Voigt (25/Rotterode), Anna Weidel (26/Kiefersfelden), Sophia Schneider (25/Oberteisendorf), Janina Hettich-Walz (26/Schönwald), Hanna Kebinger (25 /Partenkirchen).

dpa

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