Germany's Doll wins on home snow in Oberhof biathlon sprint
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Germany's Benedikt Doll gave the home fans reason to cheer on Friday after winning the men's World Cup biathlon sprint in Oberhof, with Justine Braisaz-Bouchet prevailing in the women's race
Doll missed just once on the range amid light mist and finished the 10 kilometre course in 24 minutes 12.2 seconds for his fifth individual World Cup victory. It was his second sprint win in a row after triumphing in Lenzerheide, Switzerland last month.
"I must be honest that I was a bit surprised to be in the lead after the second shooting," he told ARD. "It gave me extra confidence."
Norway's Sturla Holm Lægreid was second, just 1.8 seconds behind as he ran out of puff on the skis heading to the finish line. He also had one shooting failure.
Compatriot Endre Strømsheim was third.
Defending champion Johannes Thingnes Bø of Norway was fourth after the four-times World Cup overall champion, 30, faced two penalty ski loops.
He still leads the overall standings after nine of 21 events this season.
In the women's 7.5 km sprint in the state of Thuringia, home hope Franziska Preuß looked set for victory after shooting perfectly.
But a stunning last ski section from overall World Cup leader Braisaz-Bouchet overhauled the German by 4.4 seconds.
The Frenchwoman, who returned to the sport this season after the birth of her child, missed twice in prone shooting but found remarkable energy to surge over the line, collapsing into the snow with exhaustion after recording 22:43.0.
It was the 27-year-old's eighth individual World Cup win and follows sprint, pursuit and mass start glory in Switzerland last time out. Fellow French biathlete Sophie Chauveau placed third.
The pursuits take place in the central German winter resort on Saturday.
