First knocked off, then in front
The DSV season carries the race to catch up in second place
01/14/2023 3:59 p.m
In hindsight, Anna Weidel would have preferred not to run, because she burdens her three relay colleagues with a difficult task. Despite a weak start at the home World Cup, the German biathletes are still on the podium. That gives courage for the World Cup in three weeks.
Denise Herrmann-Wick thoroughly enjoyed crossing the finish line. 17,000 fans euphorically cheered the Olympic champion in the Chiemgau Arena over the last meters. Despite a great race to catch up at the World Cup in Ruhpolding, it wasn’t quite enough for victory – but the second place in the German women’s relay served as a further encouragement a good three weeks before the home World Championships in Oberhof.
“It was cool. It was fun. Everything biathlon has to offer was offered,” said Herrmann-Wick beaming on ARD. One saw, Vanessa Voigt added combatively with a view to the highlight of the season, “that we can be counted on. We can keep up on the cross-country ski run. There is definitely something in it.” ARD expert Arnd Peiffer spoke of a “super test in front of this audience, because the atmosphere in Oberhof will be even more euphoric”.
Herrmann-Wick, Voigt, Anna Weidel and Sophia Schneider, who were in twelfth place after the first change, were 15.3 seconds behind the strong Norwegians (0+6) after ten spare rounds. Third was Italy (+33.5 seconds/0+4). At the start of the season in Kontiolahti, the DSV quartet had already finished second, but narrowly missed out on the podium in fourth place in Hochfilzen.
“The Vanessa I Imagine”
This time the start went completely wrong. Weidel, who started the race ailing, handed over after four spare rounds in twelfth place, more than a minute behind. “It was much harder for me than I thought. If I had known how I was doing, I would have let Janina (Hettich-Walz, ed.) go. I’m extremely sorry for the team,” said Weidel self-critically.
But Voigt, in second place, made up eight places after shooting flawlessly. “She couldn’t have done better,” praised Peiffer. Voigt himself was “super happy. That was the Vanessa I imagine. It makes you want to run in front of these spectators. You’re almost carried.” The deficit was “extra motivation”.
Schneider even ran ahead of the German women in third place in their second season. “It went really well from the start. The spectators drove you on. It was very important for me,” said Schneider. Herrmann-Wick, who was only 15th in the individual on Thursday, finally took second place. She didn’t give Dorothea Wierer a chance. Already on Friday, the German men in the relay, also second behind Norway, had provided a glimmer of hope for Germany towards Oberhof.