The German junior women’s relay team secured a silver medal at the Biathlon World Championships in Östersund. The quartet, consisting of Charlotte Gallbronner, Lea Zimmermann, Alma Siegismund, and Lotta de Buhr, faced challenging wind conditions and had to concede victory to the dominant French team. Norway took the bronze medal.
A Tough Start Under Windy Conditions
Charlotte Gallbronner, the first skier for the German team, got off to a strong start, delivering a flawless performance in the prone shooting stage. However, things did not go as smoothly in the standing position, where she missed her shots and had to complete a penalty loop, losing several positions. By the first handover, Germany was already half a minute behind the leading French team, which had entered the race as the clear favorite. Gallbronner passed the baton to Lea Zimmermann in fifth place.
“The wind has been pretty strong all day, with gusts coming in. It definitely made things difficult,” Gallbronner said about the tricky conditions at the shooting range.
Zimmermann struggled to keep up with France’s pace and lost even more time. By the end of her leg, Germany was already a minute behind the leaders. Norway and Finland were also ahead, leaving Zimmermann in a battle for fourth place with Ukraine.
A Tight Race for Silver Behind France
At the second handover, Germany was back in serious contention for a medal. While France remained comfortably ahead, the next four teams were within just ten seconds of each other.
Alma Siegismund put in a strong performance, quickly moving up to third place behind Norway. However, her struggles at the shooting range increased the gap between the teams once again. Ukraine and Finland dropped back significantly, turning the race into a head-to-head battle between Germany and Norway for the silver medal. Siegismund managed to stay close and handed over to the final skier, Lotta de Buhr, nearly neck and neck with the Norwegians.
A Thrilling Finish
“I know I’m very sensitive to wind, and I could feel my legs shaking. But I had amazing skis, and my skiing was really strong,” Siegismund said after her race.
De Buhr started her leg aggressively, quickly pulling ahead and creating a 15-second lead over Norway. However, two missed shots cost her that advantage, only for her to regain it shortly after. In the final, nerve-wracking shooting stage, Germany emerged with a nine-second lead over Norway. With a determined push, the German team held onto their narrow advantage and crossed the finish line in second place.
“It was a tough fight at the end,” de Buhr said after the race. “But I knew I had control over the Norwegian competitor.”
Sports expert Vanessa Voigt also praised de Buhr’s performance, stating in a post-race analysis: “I was really impressed with how Lotta handled the pressure in the final stretch.”
