Biathlon at Schalke: Preuß and Co. want to end Germany’s dry spell

After the short Christmas break, the biathletes continue with the World Team Challenge in Schalke. The German starters want to seamlessly build on the great start to the season.

Franziska Preuß goes into raptures when she thinks about the atmospheric party in the football stadium. “This is a real experience not only for the spectators, but also for us athletes,” said the previous high-flyer of the World Cup winter before the traditional World Team Challenge in the Schalke Arena.

On Saturday, Preuß and Co. want to give the around 50,000 fans a big show, seamlessly continuing the famous start of the season – and further fueling the biathlon euphoria in their own country before the two German home games in Oberhof and Ruhpolding.

Looking forward to an atmospheric atmosphere

In Gelsenkirchen, where the event took place for the 21st time, the eyes will primarily be on Preuß. With two individual victories, several podium finishes and the yellow jersey of the overall World Cup leaders in his luggage, the 30-year-old is traveling to the Ruhr area with a lot of tailwind. For the spectacle, the biathlete, who has often been set back by health problems in the past, also decided not to take a longer Christmas break after the exhausting first third of the season.

“It’s always a certain risk,” said the German number one, “but I really want to be there again and fight for the podium together with Philipp.” Together with Philipp Nawrath, Preuß forms one of the two German duos at Schalke competes against the international competition in the single mixed formats, consisting of a mass start and subsequent pursuit.

Anna Weidel steps in for Vanessa Voigt

There is a last-minute change in the second duo: Vanessa Voigt has to sit out due to illness. As the German Ski Association (DSV) announced, Anna Weidel will instead compete together with Justus Strelow as Team Germany II. Voigt had recently had to miss the mass start at the World Cup in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand due to health problems, and she has already reached the podium twice this winter.

Both teams could “play a good role in terms of sport,” says sports director Felix Bitterling, who particularly relies on Franziska Preuß and Philipp Nawrath. “The performances that both of them showed in the first weeks of the World Cup and the jersey of the overall World Cup leaders speak for themselves.”

Last German victory 8 years ago

The route for the DSV team is clear: after the success of Simon Schempp and Vanessa Hinz in 2016, a German victory should finally be achieved again. “Eight years have now passed since a German duo won at Schalke. It’s high time to change that,” says Philipp Nawrath confidently: “I’m really looking forward to being able to walk into this great stadium after every round.” – atmosphere.”

Team colleague Franziska Preuß is also looking forward to a “cool event” after quiet days at home, even if she is aware that the competition at Schalke is “not the typical biathlon competition”. Thanks to the closed stadium roof, there are almost working conditions, especially when shooting. “There is always a mega atmosphere in the stadium that you have not experienced very often. This atmosphere is also the reason why I really wanted to take part again.”

Oberhof and Ruhpolding are the next stops

At Schalke, the biathletes first compete in a mass start (6.10 p.m.) before starting the pursuit shortly afterwards (7.27 p.m./both ZDF). Both competitions are not part of the World Cup.

After the World Team Challenge in Schalke, the German biathletes will continue with the World Cup in Oberhof (January 9th to 12th). A week later, Ruhpolding (January 15th to 19th) completes the German double pack. At both stations, the DSV team will build on its previous successful season and gain further self-confidence for the World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland (February 12th to 23rd).

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