Three French winners in one race

IBU Cup

14 Mar 2025

Three French winners in one race

With winter returning to Otepaa overnight, Johan Olav Botn of Norway and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin of France won in the Sprints, the last individual IBU Cup competitions of the 2024/2025 season. Camille Bened of France secured a Total Score title. Paula Botet, also from France, won the Sprint Cup Score.

Galmace-Paulin win the battle of French

Galmace Paulin took the victory with a time of 21:58.8 despite one missed shot. Her teammate, Camille Bened, finished just 4.0 seconds behind in second place, also with one penalty. Paula Botet secured an all-French podium by finishing third, trailing by 22.9 seconds after two missed shots.

THE WINNER’S WORDS - CAMILLE BENED

I am very happy with today’s performance as it secured my win in the Total Score. I fell quite nastily in the warm up on Wednesday and this morning my back felt bad, I could hardly move. A good warm up and adrenaline carried me through the day. I hope I get selected for the World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen.

Norway’s Juni Arnekleiv came close to the podium, finishing fourth, just 0.9 seconds behind Botet, with one penalty. Another French athlete, Gillone. Guigonnat, finished fifth, 25.3 seconds behind the winner, also with a single missed shot. Norway’s Gro Randby completed the top six, finishing 25.9 seconds back with one penalty.

Bened won the IBU Cup Total Score and Botet won the Sprint Cup Score.

IBU Cup 8 Otepaa - Sprints

Botn wins the last Sprint of the season

Earlier in the day, Botn, the fastest in the tracks, secured victory with a time of 25:46.9 despite one shooting penalty. His teammate, Sverre Dahlen Aspenes, finished in second place, just 13.2 seconds behind, also with one missed shot. Germany’s Roman. Rees claimed third place with a clean shooting performance, trailing the winner by 21.5 seconds. Botn won for the third time in the 2024/2025 season.

THE WINNER’S WORDS - JOHAN OLAV BOTN

I am happy with today's win since there have not been many this season. The wind made shooting tricky, but I managed it quite well. I also broke my pole and skied the penalty loop without one, losing some time. It made me angry, and I worked hard on the final lap. I have no plans for the summer - this season was way below my expectations, and I need to work hard to prepare for the 20252/206.

Another Norwegian, the 20-years old Sivert Gerhardsen, finished fourth, 28.8 seconds behind, maintaining a perfect shooting record. Sivert Guttorm Bakken, who recently won the Short Individual race, ended in fifth place with two penalties and a gap of 31.9 seconds. Italy’s Christoph Pircher secured sixth place, shooting clean but finishing 42.9 seconds behind the winner. Gerhardsen and Pircher both achieved their first-ever IBU Cup flower podium.

Isak Frey, who made his debut at the BMW IBU World Cup in the Short Individual in Pokljuka yesterday, won the Sprint Cup Score (presented to his coach Anders Oeverby), adding to his stunning collection of the IBU Cup Total Score, Individual Cup Score and Pursuit Cup Score wins.

Photo: Hendrik Osula

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