Hannah Auchentaller had reason to celebrate in Martell.

Auchentaller and Pircher shine in Martell

Hannah Auchentaller and Christoph Pircher showed their very best side at the Italian biathletes' test races in Martell and presented themselves in top form about two weeks before the start of the season.

16 November 2024

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Auchentaller delivered a flawless performance in the 7,5-kilometer sprint and made no mistakes at the shooting range.

The 23-year-old, who last week was nominated for the World Cup opener in Kontiolahti, Finland, took the victory eleven seconds ahead of her teammate Martina Trabucchi.

Rebecca Passler, who will also be competing in Finland in two weeks (November 30 to December 8), completed the podium. The 23-year-old from Pustertal made a mistake at the shooting range and crossed the finish line 43 seconds after Auchentaller and Trabucchi. Linda Zingerle fought her way to ninth place with a total of four mistakes and a gap of 1:50 minutes.

Overall World Cup winner Lisa Vittozzi did not take part in the sprint. The two-time world champion has been preparing in Martell over the past few days, but is taking a different approach in her preparation for the first showdown of the season.

Pircher celebrates in front of Zingerle

In the men's race, a South Tyrolean also finished at the top. Pircher made only one mistake in the sprint, but the 21-year-old was not going to let the victory slip away.

At the finish, he was a full 42 seconds ahead of David Zingerle. The latter made three mistakes at the shooting range. Third place went to Jacopo Leonesio.

On Sunday, the men and women will once again be challenged in a sprint. The results – provided the athletes are not already part of the World Cup squad for Kontiolahti – will be decisive for the nominations for the IBU Cup in Idre Fjäll, Sweden (November 28 to December 1).

Dorothea Wierer and the men's World Cup team are currently in Norway, where they will take part in the opening races in Sjusjonen, which also take place on Saturday.