Annecy, France – The Öberg sisters, Elvira and Hanna, experienced a challenging sprint event at the Biathlon World Cup in Annecy on . Both Swedish athletes struggled with their shooting accuracy, impacting their overall performance in a competition that saw Franziska Preuss of Germany take the victory.
Elvira Öberg, a standout performer who previously won a mass start at the World Championships and secured silver in the pursuit in Lenzerheide, found herself just off the podium. According to reports, she faced two penalties in the final shooting round, ultimately costing her a potential medal. She finished eleventh in the sprint, +50.6 seconds behind the leader.
Hanna Öberg also encountered difficulties on the shooting range, incurring two penalties of her own. Despite the shooting struggles, she managed to achieve the best result for the Swedish team, finishing in eighth place. She expressed her frustration, describing the competition as a “skittävling” – a very poor competition – according to Swedish broadcaster SVT.
The race was tightly contested, with Franziska Preuss narrowly edging out France’s Lou Jeanmonnot by just two tenths of a second. The close finish sets the stage for a compelling battle between the two athletes for the overall World Cup victory during the upcoming finals in Norway.
Despite the disappointing results in Annecy, Elvira Öberg remains optimistic about her form. She recently made a comeback to competition after a period of illness following the World Championships. “I’m very pleased with how my body feels anyway,” Öberg told SVT. “I can ski controlled and still notice that I’m skiing fast. When I get the lactic acid on the final lap, I feel that I’m not quite able to push through it, but that’s not so surprising. The last time I skied like that was in Lenzerheide.” She acknowledged that two misses in sprints this year is a concern.
The Swedish team’s struggles weren’t limited to the Öberg sisters. Anna-Karin Heijdenberg (two misses) finished 33rd, and Johanna Skottheim (two misses) placed 54th. The team’s performance underscores the importance of consistent shooting in biathlon, where even minor errors can significantly impact the final standings.
Looking ahead, a pursuit race is scheduled for Saturday, where Hanna Öberg will start approximately 46 seconds behind Preuss and Jeanmonnot. The World Cup season will conclude on Sunday with a mass start. However, Ella Halvarsson, who achieved a surprising silver medal in the distance race at the World Championships, will not be participating in the final event.
National team coach Johannes Lukas explained the decision to rest Halvarsson, stating it was a consideration of the “overall picture.” He noted that she has been struggling to regain top form after recovering from an illness. “She’s healthy and is here to watch the competition, but won’t be racing,” Lukas said to SVT.
The challenges faced by the Swedish team in Annecy highlight the demanding nature of biathlon, where athletes must balance speed on the skis with precision on the shooting range. The Öberg sisters, despite their recent difficulties, remain key figures for Sweden, and their ability to overcome these challenges will be crucial as the season progresses. The competition in Holmenkollen earlier in the season, on , also saw similar shooting difficulties for the sisters, with Hanna achieving eighth place despite two penalties and Elvira missing the podium due to two penalties as well.
The Swedish team’s performance also sparked discussion about body types in biathlon. Dagens Nyheter reported on a conversation regarding the idea that “there isn’t just one body type that works in biathlon,” suggesting a broader consideration of athlete builds and training approaches within the sport.
The upcoming pursuit race and mass start will provide further opportunities for the Swedish team to demonstrate their resilience and compete for valuable World Cup points. The focus will be on minimizing shooting errors and maximizing skiing speed to achieve stronger results and build momentum towards the World Cup finals.
