Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser, after shooting clean, held her form, sprinting down the last 100 meters to win the Kontiolahti Women’s 7.5 km sprint this afternoon in 20:39.5. Hauser’s win was the fourth of her career, her second in a sprint. Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi continued her return to form in second place with one penalty, 17.3 seconds back. Sweden’s Linn Persson shot clean for her second career podium in third place, 24.2 seconds back.

Emotional Hauser

Hauser after a summer filled with various problems was filled with emotion after her victory. “I am really happy now, really emotional, because I never expected such a good start to the season. I had some trouble in the summer so I told myself I had to go race-by-race and now I am here with another victory in a sprint. So, it is really cool.”

“I gave it all I had today”

Coming into the last loop, Hauser was not sure of the victory. “I knew there were some fast girls behind me. I came into the finish and said ‘I gave it all I had today so I have to be satisfied.’ Then another girl and another girl came to the finish and now I am standing here and it’s true. It is really great!”

Déjà vu

Today was a bit of déjà vu for Hauser. “It is a bit of a flashback. I had the same bib number as last year (when she won the Oestersund sprint); I had zero, zero and my old coach told me it was her lucky number. It was a good night but I was especially nervous before the race.”

Lunder’s Career Best

Germany’s Anna Weidel also shot clean, likewise finishing in a career-best fifth place, 26.6 seconds back. Her teammate Denise Herrmann-Wick and Norway’s Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, both with one penalty tied for sixth place, 31.6 seconds back.

Conditions remained the same as the men had earlier for the first women’s sprint of the season, with the wind flags barely fluttering, it would most likely take clean, or one penalty shooting to win and secure the advantage in tomorrow’s pursuit. Bib 9 Wierer set the tone with a steady clean prone stage, but 4 minutes later, Hermann-Wick one-upped her by 1.1 seconds. Hauser threw her name in the hat by cleaning a mere .1 seconds slower than the German. Tandrevold, starting midway through the field was the only woman to top Herrmann-Wick, but only by 1.8 seconds.

Vittozzi’s Standing Comeback

Emma Lunder, almost fifteen seconds slower in her clean prone stage was the first women to go10-for-10 with a perfect standing stage, taking lead momentarily. After a prone penalty, Vittozzi shot very fast and clean in standing, giving her a chance second podium of the week.

Hauser was the second women to clean standing, taking 16.4 second lead into the final loop, while prone leader Tandrevold had a penalty dropping her from contention. Persson added her name to the 10-for-10 group, leaving standing in fifth position, up from 18th after prone.

Hauser’s Last Loop Power

Vittozzi capitalized on her ski speed in the last loop to finish strong, taking the early lead. Hauser, showing the power of two years ago scrambled up the Wall with ease, sprinted into the stadium, taking the win with a huge smile across her face.

Persson continuing to gain ground was up to fourth with 600 meters to go and then gathered all of her speed on the flat run into the finish to grab third place away from Lunder who led out of the standing stage.

Persson, “Proud of myself”

Three years after her only other World Cup individual podium, Persson was, “super happy and proud of myself for what I did today…the standing shooting was hard. I took some extra seconds there and had to fight for them. To finally get five hits there and did not have to go to the penalty loop makes everything so much easier.”

“Extra speed over the top”

As for her burst of speed from the top of the Wall to the finish line, she added, “(Coach) Johannes (Lukas) was quite clear about that it was important from the top to the finish line. So, I guess I did not have much of a choice there. He said before the race that it was important to have some extra speed over the top and do a good finish.”

Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni, Hendrik Osula