After a great performance, South Tyrol's local athlete Dorothea Wierer had to settle for 5th place. Second place went to Julia Simon, also from France, third to Mona Brorsson from Sweden.

In the run-up to the first women's event in the Südtirol Arena Braisaz-Bouchet was already considered a definite individual specialist. It is therefore no great surprise that she would end up on the top of the podium. With a strong skiing performance and a superior effort in the shooting range (one miss) the 25-year-old from Albertville, France, won the 15 kilometres in 42.20,6 minutes. For Braisaz-Bouchet, today's triumph is the first podium finish this winter and the third World Cup victory overall, the second in the individual. With her dazzling performance, Braisaz-Bouchet left everyone else standing. Second place went to her teammate Julia Simon. She, too, is 25 years old and from Albertville. At the finish line Simon was 51.1 seconds behind after two misses. Mona Brorsson from Sweden completed the podium. The 31-year-old celebrated her first podium place of the current season.

Wierer narrowly misses our on a podium place

Local athlete Dorothea Wierer also delivered a strong performance. The 31-year-old from Rasun di Sotto finished fifth at her home World Cup with three misses and 1:58.8 minutes behind. It was her ninth placement in the top ten this winter. Clare Egan from the USA achieved a surprise fourth place. The Czech Marketa Davidova came in 6th but could console herself with the World Cup win in the individual event.

For the four other Italians, things did not quite go to plan. Federica Sanfilippo (5 misses) finished 43rd after a good start, Samuela Comola 45th and Michela Carrara 68th. Lisa Vittozzi missed no less than 12 times, which put her in 93rd place. Tomorrow, Saturday, the women’s relay (4x6 km) will start at 15:00. The men’s 15-km mass start begins at 12:50 pm.

Biathlon World Cup Antholz

15 km individual race women
1. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (FRA) 42.20,6 (1)
2. Julia Simon (FRA) +51,1 (2)
3. Mona Brorsson (SWE) +1.37,2 (2)
4. Clare Egan USA) +1.55,9 (2)
5. Dorothea Wierer (ITA) +1.58,8 (3)
6. Marketa Davidova (CZE) +2.34,8 (3)
7. Dzinara Alimbekava (BLR) +2.36,2 (3)
8. Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (NOR) +2.52,7 (3)
9. Lisa Theresa Hauser (AUT) +2.54,4 (3)
10. Uliana Nigmatullina (RUS) + 2.58,9 (2)
11. Tyril Eckhoff (NOR) +3.06,9 (4)
12. Anna Maka (POL) +3.10,5 (1)
13. Mari Eder (FIN) +3.33,9 (3)
14. Alina Stremous (MDA) +3.37,0 (3)
15. Franziska Hildebrand (GER) +3.39,9 (4)

43. Federica Sanfilippo (ITA) +5.34,5 (5)
45. Samuela Comola (ITA) + 5.37,7 (4)
68. Michela Carrara (ITA) +7.34,6 (5)
93. Lisa Vittozzi (ITA) +13.10,8 (12)