Two German athletes, Selina Grotian and Franziska Preuß, took the top spots in the mass start biathlon event in Annecy, with Grotian celebrating her first-ever victory. Despite a shooting error, Grotian finished 12.7 seconds ahead of Preuß, who faced challenges but performed admirably. Vanessa Voigt withdrew due to health issues. Grotian’s win marked a significant milestone in her career, while Preuß reflected on her difficult race, highlighting her flawless shooting performance.
In an exciting display of skill and determination, two German athletes dominated the mass start event in Annecy this past Sunday, securing the top two spots just in time for the fourth Advent. Selina Grotian triumphed, finishing first, with Franziska Preuß closely behind in second place. Unfortunately, Vanessa Voigt, who had performed excellently in the previous day’s pursuit, had to withdraw from the race due to health concerns.
This marked a historic moment for Grotian as she celebrated her first-ever victory in the biathlon mass start at Annecy-Le Grand Bornand. Despite encountering a shooting error, the 20-year-old managed to maintain a 12.7-second lead over Preuß after completing the 12.5 kilometers. The Slovakian athlete Paulina Batovska Fialkova claimed third place in a nail-biting photo finish against French competitor Jeanne Richard.
Grotian: ‘Without expectations. That was perfect’
‘I have no words right now, this is incredible’, Grotian expressed her joy in an interview following the race. After experiencing a frustrating binding break and losing a ski during Saturday’s pursuit, she entered the mass start with a fresh mindset. ‘I had bad luck repeatedly lately. It wasn’t going well. Today I went into the race without expectations. That was perfect.’ While Grotian maintained a humble demeanor, coach Kristian Mehringer enthusiastically celebrated their impressive one-two finish: ‘I believe they made themselves a Christmas gift. That was really strong. The conditions were not favorable. Rain followed by snow made it tough, yet they displayed remarkable mental strength.’
Grotian Achieves Milestone in World Cup Journey
As the World Cup event in Annecy concluded, the mass start showcased the thrilling competition among female biathletes. For Grotian, this victory was monumental, marking not only her first win but also her inaugural podium finish in an individual race. Last week, she had already celebrated a relay victory in Holchfilzen. In her 32nd World Cup appearance, despite a shooting error, Grotian impressively outpaced the World Cup leader Preuß by 28.9 seconds on the track.
Amidst swirling snowflakes in the French Alps, Grotian rejoiced in her win. Her previous best individual result had been a fourth-place finish at the World Championships in Nove Mesto.
Preuß Shines Despite Challenges
Preuß faced a rocky start, struggling with the snowy conditions in Le Grand Bornand and losing precious seconds in the early rounds. Nevertheless, the yellow bib wearer, who was slightly unwell, remained competitive throughout the race. Her shooting performance was commendable; she steadily improved her position with each round. Preuß entered the first shooting in 15th place and emerged in fourth, then climbed to third after the second round. By the third shooting, she led, but had to contend with the French competitor Jeanne Richard during the final standing shot.
Post-race, Preuß reflected on her experience: ‘That was the most dreadful race I’ve ever done. I could hardly make the turns on the descents. After the third shooting, I thought for sure they would cancel it. The lights were already going out, you couldn’t see anything, it was really bad.’ Despite the difficulties, she celebrated her flawless shooting: ‘Cool, four times zero. It’s always something special when you achieve that. Now I’m looking forward to going home and then having a break.’
Grotian’s Last-Lap Surge
Grotian maintained a strong presence throughout the race, entering the final lap in a solid position. After two flawless shootings, she arrived second at the first standing shooting but faced a penalty after her first error. However, as her competitors stumbled, Grotian regained her footing and re-entered the race in fifth place. During the final shooting, she trailed Preuß by about eleven seconds but managed to keep her shooting error-free, quickly overtaking her older teammate on the last lap to clinch the victory.
Voigt and Tannheimer Miss the Competition
Another prominent German athlete, Vanessa Voigt, was unable to compete in the mass start following her impressive third-place finish in the pursuit. Team doctor Katharina Blume explained that Voigt had been feeling fatigued and unwell, necessitating the decision to prioritize her health by not participating. ‘Vanessa had already felt tired and exhausted before traveling. It was essential to reassess her participation daily. Ultimately, we collectively decided against the mass start to minimize health risks.’
Julia Tannheimer also had to withdraw from the final race of 2024 due to symptoms of infection after a tough sprint.
As the last biathlon events before Christmas unfold in Annecy, sports enthusiasts can look forward to the upcoming competitions in the new year, including the World Cup calendar featuring key dates from Kontiolahti to the season finale in Oslo.