The Tricolores won the world championship relay on Saturday February 18 in Oberhof, Germany. The Norwegians of Johannes Boe, big favorites, are second and the Southède completes the podium.
by MO12345lemonde
They defeated the wind and Norway. French biathletes Antonin Guigonnat, Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet won the 4×7.5 kilometers relay from Oberhof Worlds, Germany, Saturday, February 18. The tricolors have ahead of Norway, an ultra-favored 38-second test and Sweden from 1’39 ”.
First relay, Antonin Guigonnat ideally launched the Blues. At the top of the race after 7.5 kilometers, the 31-year-old Haut-Savoyard made a flawless in lying and rather mastered the “standing” (2 faults compensated by two “picks”, the catch-up fire authorized during Relay tests) under complicated winding conditions. At the same time, the Norwegian Vetle Christiansen weighed Norway by procrastinating in front of the targets (5 faults). At this stage of the race, the Scandinavians were already a minute behind the French. “I was spared by the wind, explained Guigonnat at the microphone of the L’Equipe chain. But, in cross -country skiing, it was very hard, it feels like you are stopped.”
Fabien Claude, 28, second French relay, continued the right job started by Guigonnat. At the standing shot, the Vosgien did much better than limiting the breakage (2 faults) at a time of the race where powerful gusts swept the shooting stadium. Norway, led by Tarjei Boe, was, she, victim of Eole and then pointed to nearly 1’30 ” of the Tricolores and Czechs.
Fillon Maillet under pressure
For the Blues, then came Emilien Jacquelin, 27, biathlete as talented as it is irregular this season. During lying down, the Isérois displayed his best face: 5 whitewashed targets without trembling. On the cross -country ski trail, Jacquelin dug the gap with powerful thrusts. In the wind, his standing shot was more laborious (3 faults and a penalty lap), but just as much as that of the Norwegian Sturla Laegreid, which allowed the Blues to keep a minute ahead of the reigning Olympic champions. The Czech Republic, more skillful than all the other nations, then led the race.
Quentin Fillon Maillet, 30, then had the heavy responsibility for maintaining a respectable distance Johannes Boe, the Ogre of World Biathlon, five gold medals in as many events during these Oberhof Worlds. In cross -country skiing, the Jurassic could not hope for the Norwegian level as much is higher than that of all of his opponents. Rifle in hand, on the other hand, Boe is as human as the others. When he was lying down, Fillon Maillet was just a fault, against three for Boe. During the decisive standing shot, the French, double Olympic champion in Beijing in 2022, had the fate of the Blues at the end of the index. Under pressure Fillon Maillet made an impeccable five out of five in 18 seconds, an essential feat to keep the lead, especially since Johannes Boe, transformed into Lucky Luke, also made a flawless one a little more than 15 seconds.
only remained to reach the arrival without giving hope of returning to Norway, which Fillon Maillet accomplished with seriousness.