Biathlon World Cup opener in Östersund: Germans off the pace

Germany’s biathlon team opened the Olympic winter with a disappointing World Cup weekend in Östersund, where German podium finishes were absent. Counting the relays, the tally was two fourth places, three eighth places, and one tenth place—short of awards ceremonies.

DSV sporting director Felix Bitterling urged calm, saying the team has a solid base to build on. He explained that athletes never managed to pair strong shooting with top skiing on the same day. If they synchronize both, he believes they can fight at the front.

Among the men, Philipp Nawrath admitted the pace is “brutal.” Despite just one miss in the pursuit, he slipped to 13th after losing significant time on the skis over 12.5 km. Philipp Horn showed the best early-season shape: eighth in the 20 km individual and 12th-best ski time in the pursuit, but four shooting errors blocked a top result.

The German women also left Sweden with mixed impressions. Overall World Cup winner Franziska Preuß finished only 29th in the individual, then missed the sprint due to illness and therefore had only one start. Julia Tannheimer flashed her potential with eighth in the sprint and the fifth-fastest ski time in the pursuit, but five penalties ruined a second strong result. Vanessa Voigt combined good skiing and shooting in the pursuit, gaining 22 positions to 10th after starting 32nd, yet still missed the podium.

Bitterling reiterated that flower ceremony and podium finishes are the team’s goals, and the focus remains on building toward the 2026 Olympic Games in Antholz. The next stop is Hochfilzen, where the squad aims to convert improvements into results.