Finland's Kaisa Mäkäräinen capitalized on her past success in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, and won the final sprint of the season on Thursday after winning the sprint there last year. Susan Dunklee placed 25th to lead the North Americans and ranks an unprecedented 13th overall in the IBU World Cup.
At home in Oslo, two Norwegians reached the podium in the final race of 2016 Biathlon World Championships, as Johannes Thingnes Bø won the men's mass start and Ole Einar Bjørndalen placed third, fewer than 7 seconds back. Americans Lowell Bailey and Tim Burke placed 10th and 12th, respectively.
Photos from the final women's race at IBU World Championships in Oslo, Norway, the 12.5 k mass start, where Susan Dunklee placed 11th, Rosanna Crawford took 15th and Hannah Dreissigacker capped off her career in 27th.
Martin Fourcade was on a quest to sweep the individual medals of World Championships. But one man stood in his way: Norway's Johanne Thingnes Bø. “Today I was a little bit stronger than him in the track," said Bø. "I think my motivation for winning one gold was bigger than his for a fifth gold.”
Vermonter Hannah Dreissigacker finished 27th in the final race of her international biathlon career, the 12.5 k mass start at World Championships. “I love biathlon,” Dreissigacker mused. “I have to say, it’s a really really amazing sport."
Both Susan Dunklee of the U.S. and Rosanna Crawford of Canada turned in their best ever results in a Championship mass start, but were looking for more. “I was certainly dreaming of medals here, and I feel like my level is high enough that I’m capable of being on the podium at an event like this," Dunklee said.
OSLO, Norway—With one of their best shooting days, the U.S. men’s biathlon team finished eighth in the World Championships relay, 1:27.3 behind host country Norway. The squad of Lowell Bailey, Leif Nordgren, Tim Burke, and Sean Doherty used just five spare rounds, tying them for the best shooting in the field with second-place Germany and third-place Canada. (
“I’m really sad to be saying goodbye to Annelies and Hannah as teammates,” Clare Egan said. “Really, really sad." Despite the high emotions, the American women's relay kept things professional and turned in a good day on the range to finish 13th as a team.
Feeling better than she had all week, Rosanna Crawford led Canada to the front of the World Championships women's relay during the second leg, and Sarah Beaudry got a whole lap leading the field. The team eventually finished 15th as the Norwegian women got a hard-earned and unexpected team gold.
Eduard Latypov, a Russian biathlete just one season out of the junior ranks, tested positive for meldonium last month. That leaves juniors who competed against him as recently as last year wondering. “I was such a baby when I was 15, competing internationally!” said Sean Doherty. “I had no idea that people would break the rules."
Americans Lowell Bailey, Tim Burke and Leif Nordgren all qualified for Sunday's World Championships mass start, while Canada's Scott Gow tallied a career-best while placing 18th in the 20 k individual on Thursday.
Martin Fourcade proved unstoppable despite a penalty in the 20 k individual, picking up his fourth gold medal in as many races at World Championships. Behind him, a pair of Austrians shone: Dominik Landertinger and Simon Eder, who both shot a perfect 20-for-20.
The top Canadians solved some shooting frustrations, while Susan Dunklee turned in a course time just 6.8 seconds off the fastest of the day to make up for three penalties. Marie Dorin Habert and Anais Bescond gave France both gold and silver in the 15 kilometer individual in Oslo.
Susan Dunklee was skiing in the top five of the biathlon World Championships pursuit until the third shooting stage, where she missed three targets and dropped to 20th. But with the second-fastest ski time of the day, she could salvage her second top ten of the weekend by the finish.
Martin Fourcade easily won the 12.5 k World Championships pursuit, despite three penalties. More surprised was Ole Einar Bjørndalen, who repeated his silver medal performance from the sprint. Nathan Smith of Canada placed 15th and Tim Burke of the United States 17th.
Tim Burke, Hannah Dreissigacker, and Leif Nordgren joined Susan Dunklee in the top 20 in the World Championships sprints, while the entire U.S. and Canadian men's teams made the cuts for Sunday's pursuits.
Susan Dunklee was eighth in the first individual race of World Championships, despite a missed shot in standing - and the American wants more. "That Presque Isle podium really got me excited again- motivated, and confident, and very hungry," she said.
Martin Fourcade surged to the biggest World Championships sprint victory margin in over a decade, besting a field including 42-year-old Ole Einar Bjørndalen of Norway. After taking silver, Bjørndalen - whose record 94 World Cup wins may never be matched - said he thought Fourcade was a better biathlete.
The 22-year-old biathlete, a former World Junior Championships medalist, had teamed up with Anastasiya Merkushyna to win the single mixed relay at the IBU Cup in Arber, Germany, the day of his positive test for the metabolism-boosting hormone.
As Ukrainian biathlete Olga Abramova waived her "B" sample and proceeds to a doping hearing panel, the IBU has found another positive test for the same hormone, mildronate. Plus, IBU VP Jim Carrabre wants to re-analyze testing results from the Sochi Olympics. IBU President Anders Besseberg thinks it's unnecessary, while Russia asserts that the IBU has no jurisdiction.