“I did all I could”
Tandrevold admitted very balanced and controlled competition today was all she could do. “I am really satisfied because I did my best. I did all I could today and this was the best I had, so regardless of the result, it was a good day for me.”
Waiting is “terrible”
The early start meant she had to wait for a long time to know the final result. That wait may have been harder than the competition. “It’s (the wait) is terrible. I feel like I am always late to start in group one. This week (I thought) in Ruhpolding it is really nice to start late and of course, I was first. It must be something with my name and the start groups. It is never-ending but at least on Sunday I will start in the front.”
Sweden’s Mona Brorsson, two days after getting her first relay start of the season shot clean today just as she did in the relay, finishing in a career-best second place. 18.2 seconds back. Brorsson crossed the line, just .8 seconds ahead of Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi who also shot clean, in third place.
Fourth place Lou Jeanmonnot matched the top three on the range, but finished 24.8 seconds back. Brorsson’s teammate Elvira Oeberg with two penalties finished fifth, 33.9 seconds back. Janina Hettich-Walz shot clean, in sixth place, the second-best result of her career, 35 seconds back.
100 women lined up for today’s sprint on another perfectly sunny, windless afternoon. Tandrevold opened the day with a very controlled but clean prone stage. Yellow Bib Braisaz-Bouchet missed once, later missed a second shot, and dropped from contention. Vittozzi made her bid going 5-for-5, but Franziska Preuss, Julia Simon and Linn Persson shot faster in prone than the Italian and Tandrevold, but missed standing shots doomed their dreams of victory.
The 27-year-old Norwegian shot much faster in standing, cleaning her second stage, and leaving with a lead she never relinquished. Vittozzi was perfect in standing, getting away in second until Brorsson matched, going out nine seconds behind Tandrevold.
Tandrevold’s solid last loop, settled her atop the leader board to watch her rivals try to take it away. Brorsson, despite a career day could not catch the Norwegian, but had enough power to retain second, pushing Vittozzi to the last spot on the podium.
Photos: IBU/Jaroslav Svoboda, Nordic Focus