Hettich-Walz surprised
Benedikt Doll’s last career fight is not rewarded
March 18, 2024, 12:52 a.m
Benedikt Doll missed a positive finish in the last race of his career. The 33-year-old came in 27th place in the mass start in spring temperatures of 16 degrees. After four shooting errors in the third stop, his great chances of a podium at halftime were gone.
The entire German team was waiting for Benedikt Doll at the finish, and the international competitors also said goodbye to the German captain in the rain of confetti: Doll ended his long and successful biathlon career with 27th place in the mass start in Canmore. Although the 33-year-old was unable to do anything at the season finale in Canada in his 323rd and final World Cup race, that was probably just a side note – especially since he had celebrated another great success with bronze in the individual World Cup.
Doll made six mistakes in his final appearance and was the worst German after 15 kilometers on Sunday, 3:41.8 minutes behind the victorious Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bö. “I wanted to fight again and not turn it into a show competition. I could hardly hit anything while standing. In the end I let the guys go, the energy was gone and I enjoyed the last few meters for myself,” said Doll on ZDF. The best German in the mass start was Justus Strelow in 13th, Nawrath was 15th. Philipp Horn (23rd), Johannes Kühn (24th), Rees (25th) and Danilo Riethmüller (26th) crossed the finish line directly ahead of Doll.
And again there’s the big squall show
While Bö celebrated a triple victory in Canmore, Doll was no longer able to make a mark in the last three races of his long and successful career. In the sprint and pursuit we only managed 23rd and 26th place. The protégés of national coach Uros Velepec ended the season with 14 podium places, including four victories – two for Doll and one each for Roman Rees and Philipp Nawrath.
The Norwegian Johannes Dale-Skjevdal came second, while Emilien Jacquelin from France took third place. For Bö it was the 76th World Cup victory and the 85th race victory overall of his career. This means that only his compatriot Ole Einar Björndalen (95), with whom Bö shares the title of record world champion (20), is ahead of him. The dominant Norwegians won all World Cup classifications. In addition to his fifth overall World Cup victory, Bö also won the discipline classifications in the mass start, individual and pursuit. His brother Tarjei Bö was the best in the sprint ranking. The nations ranking and relay ranking also went to the Scandinavians.
Big exclamation mark at the end of the season
Janina Hettich-Walz had previously achieved her first World Cup podium in the last race of the season, thus ensuring a conciliatory end to the season. The 27-year-old, who won silver in the individual at the World Championships, was only beaten by Lou Jeanmonnot in the mass start.
The previously error-free duo came to the final shooting together after both had to go into the penalty loop once. The Frenchwoman entered the final lap 2.5 seconds ahead of the German and was able to maintain her lead. In the end, Hettich-Walz was 11.9 seconds behind the winner and was rewarded for a strong final World Cup weekend. She was already the best of the DSV team in the sprint (7th) and the pursuit (9th). The French Gilonne Guigonnat came third (0/+ 15.8 seconds).
The Italian Lisa Vittozzi secured the overall World Cup for the first time. After she had previously won the sprint and the pursuit, she only came 21st in the last race of the season. But that was enough for her in the long-distance duel with the Norwegian Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (8th). Vanessa Voigt came eleventh, Selina Grotian finished 14th and Sophia Schneider finished the season finale in 17th place.