The first sunny day of this past weekend’s three-day race series in Hochfilzen, Austria, came at the very end – the women’s and men’s 10 and 12.5 k pursuits. It was an exciting day of racing, but spectators were also simply thrilled to be out in the warm sun with great views of the Tirolian Alps. Here are some snaps from the day.
Selina Gasparin (SUI), Veronika Vitkova (CZE), and Irina Starykh (RUS) shooting in the second stage.
Martin Fourcade (FRA) takes a bow.
Gabriela Soukalova (CZE).
Andrejs Rastorgujevs (LAT).
Tim Burke (USA) and Andrejs Rastorgujevs (LAT).
Zina Kocher (CAN).
Lars Berger (NOR) hits the first climb still in the lead.
Anton Shipulin (RUS) leads a pack.
Simon Schempp (GER).
Lars Berger (NOR).
Irina Starykh racing in Hochfilzen, Austria, last December, is one of three Russian biathletes caught using EPO since December 2013.
The top four finishers from the women’s sprint attack one of the first hills on the course.
spectators watch as Selina Gasparin (SUI) and Veronika Vitkova (CZE) approach.
Men snake their way uphill.
spectators at the top of the course.
A group of men chase early-race leader Lars Berger of Norway.
Megan Imrie (CAN).
Vita and Valj Semerenko (UKR) with Olga Zaitseva (RUS).
Checking out the views.
Team staff wait for racers to arrive on the range.
Martin Fourcade (FRA) racing earlier this season in Hochfilzen, Austria. Today he turned in a strong anchor performance to help the French men to a World Cup relay win.
Simon Hallenbarter (SUI) and Bjorn Ferry (SWE).
Veronika Vitkova (CZE) and Krystyna Palka (POL).
Selina Gasparin (SUI) and Veronika Vitkova (CZE).
Elise Ringen (NOR).
Lars Berger (NOR) leads teammate Emil Hegle Svendsen.
Megan Imrie (CAN).
Christoph Sumann (AUT).
Synnove Solemdal (NOR) and Juliya Dzhyma (UKR), eventual 1-2 finishers.
Teja Gregorin (SLO), Franziska Preuss (GER), and Jana Gerekova (SVK).
Daniel Mesotitsch (AUT), Fredrik Lindstrom (SWE), and Jakov Fak (SLO).
Martin Fourcade (FRA) enters the range the final time, nonchalant.
Selina Gasparin (SUI) and Veronika Vitkova (CZE) on their first loop, still in the lead.
Juliya Dzhyma (UKR).
The men’s field heads towards the big climb.
The women’s field hits a downhill.
Brendan Green (CAN, middle) on lap one.
Coaches at the top of the course’s biggest climb.
Tora Berger (NOR).
Martin Fourcade (FRA).
Dominik Landertinger (AUT), Ondrej Moravec (CZE), and Brendan Green (CAN).
Gabriela Soukalova (CZE) and Marie Laure Brunet (FRA).
JP Le Guellec (CAN) leads Dominik Windisch (ITA) out of the range.
Chelsea Little is FasterSkier's Editor-At-Large. A former racer at Ford Sayre, Dartmouth College and the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, she is a PhD candidate in aquatic ecology in the @Altermatt_lab at Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. You can follow her on twitter @ChelskiLittle.