Biathlon in Hochfilzen: Preuß and Grotian ruled out

Germany’s hopes of having Franziska Preuß and Selina Grotian race at the upcoming Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen have ended. Both athletes appeared in Tuesday’s provisional roster, but on Wednesday the DSV confirmed neither will start. Preuß, last season’s overall World Cup winner, has not recovered in time from a COVID-19 infection; later in the day Grotian also announced that her illness is COVID-19.

DSV sport director Felix Bitterling said the team will now place “full focus” on the next World Cup in Le Grand-Bornand (19–21 December) to re-enter competition and rebuild confidence before the holiday break.

Because Preuß’s start right came as a special additional quota for the defending overall champion, Germany cannot replace her in Hochfilzen and thus loses that extra start slot. Grotian will be replaced by Marlene Fichtner, who raced in Östersund and would otherwise have given up her place. Julia Kink moves up from the IBU Cup to the World Cup, and David Zobel joins the men’s team, displacing Lucas Fratzscher after his missed pursuit in Östersund.

Germany names six men and six women for Hochfilzen. Men: Justus Strelow, Philipp Nawrath, Philipp Horn, Danilo Riethmüller, Simon Kaiser, David Zobel. Women: Vanessa Voigt, Janina Hettich-Walz, Julia Tannheimer, Anna Weidel, Marlene Fichtner, Julia Kink.

At the Östersund opener, Germany missed the podium, with the best individual results being eighth place finishes by Julia Tannheimer (women’s sprint) and Philipp Horn (men’s individual). Preuß, already ill, finished 29th in the individual and skipped the sprint and pursuit; Grotian, 30th in the sprint, also sat out the pursuit due to illness.