Biathlon: Ella Halvarsson drops from podium contention after misses in Le Grand-Bornand mass start

Ella Halvarsson opened the women’s World Cup mass start in Le Grand-Bornand strongly, cleaning the first two shooting stages while many of the Swedes struggled early. She left the range with a clear lead after the second shooting.

Her race turned in the third shooting, where two penalties erased her podium chances. Halvarsson later said she may have overthought the moment, losing a bit of focus as she stood on lane one. She still cleaned the final shooting and, after a strong last lap, finished ninth with two total misses.

Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide claimed her first individual World Cup victory with one miss, winning a dramatic sprint to the line ahead of home favorites Lou Jeanmonnot and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. Despite missing the podium, Halvarsson called it the most enjoyable mass start she has ever raced.

Swedish results: 9) Ella Halvarsson (+20.2; 2 penalties), 14) Hanna Öberg (+41.9; 4 penalties), 19) Elvira Öberg (+1:23.0; 5 penalties), 20) Anna Magnusson (+1:23.2; 4 penalties).