Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roeiseland’s last competition before the Olympic Winter Games was simply perfect, shooting clean to win the Ruhpolding women’s 10 km pursuit in 30:55. Sprint winner Elvira Oeberg of Sweden with two penalties, finished second, 20.8 seconds back. Her sister Hanna finished third, with one penalty, 32.4 seconds back.

France’s Anais Bescond, with one penalty finished fourth, 47.9 seconds back. The Oeberg sisters teammate Linn Persson, with two penalties finished in a season-best fifth place, 50.7 seconds back. Dzinara Alimbekava of Belarus, with three penalties finished sixth, 53.2 seconds back.

Bright, sunny day; Elvira and Olsbu Roeiseland lead

The last competition day in Ruhpolding proved just as bright, nice and sunny as the previous four, with again great shooting conditions and the temperature at a balmy +4C. Elvira led the closely bunched pack into the first prone stage. She missed her last shot, but was gone before anyone else fired a shot, allowing her to do her penalty loop and get away two seconds ahead of the clean-shooting Olsbu Roeiseland, with Hanna, also shooting clean following in third, but 25 seconds back, with Persson, Bescond and Brorsson just seconds back.

Yellow Bib Moves to the Front

The two leaders skied together in lockstep over the next 2 km loop, heading into the second prone stage. By the time they reached the shooting range, the chase group had bulged to seven including Alimbekava and Wierer. Elvira again missed a shot, while the Yellow Bib cleaned, taking the lead and the 10-for-10 Hanna and Persson in second and third, while Elvira fell to fourth, 14, 19, and 21 seconds back, respectively. Alimbekava and Bescond trailed just a few steps farther back.

Top Three Clean in First Standing

At the 5.4 km split, just before the downhill into the range before the first standing stage, the whole chase group of six women was tightly packed 17 seconds off the lead. Olsbu Roeiseland shot fast and clean as did Hanna and Elvira, but the Norwegian had picked up a few seconds with Swedish sisters now 20 and 23 seconds back, Bescond held fourth, going 15-for-15 at 31 seconds off the leader’s pace.

Five perfect shots; pursuit win number four

Olsbu Roeiseland held the Oebergs at bay, even adding a couple of seconds coming into the last standing stage. Five perfect shots and the only battle was for the remaining podium spots; the Yellow Bib would pick up her fourth pursuit win of the season. Elvira shot carefully, leaving safely in second, while Hanna and Bescond went for a single penalty loops, but remained third and fourth, 50.5 and 58 seconds back.

Olsbu Roeiseland cruised the last loop, grabbed a Norwegian flag, waving it as she crossed the finish line, with Elvira and Hanna finishing second and third.

Elvira “no pressure”

The sprint winner felt no pressure leading today’s pursuit and was pleased with the result, after coming into the day a bit fatigued. “I really did not feel that much pressure beforehand. I was kind of like really wanted to learn a lot today. I did not feel like I had anything to lose. Regardless of how it goes, I will learn a lot and get a lot of experiences for the future. I am quite satisfied with my race today. Of course, two mistakes in prone is not perfect but I still managed to keep my cool on the standing shooting. The skiing isn’t perfect today. We did quite hard intervals the day before yesterday to get some training before the Olympics. We knew the body would not feel prefect today, but that was according to plan. With that in mind, I am quite happy with my race today.”

Focused Hanna

Hanna was equally pleased with her day, especially her good focus. “I Ma very happy with this race. I went into this race trying to have focus completely on my own and what I am doing all the way through the race. Also, to make a good one, the last one before the Olympics. I was just trying to go out there and go hard…I am also very happy about the shooting, of course. Especially the prone was prefect today. It was nice to have a good feeling there’ something I will take with me in the upcoming weeks.”

Photos: IBU/Walter