This Saturday, December 28 in Gelsenkirchen (Germany), Julia Simon and Fabien Claude competed in the World Team Challenge. Double title holders, the French finished sixth and did not manage to triple the stake. The Norwegians Karoline Knotten and Sturla Laegreid won ahead of the two German duos: Kira Weidel and Justus Strelow finished second ahead of Franziska Preuss and Philipp Nawrath.
After winning the last two editions of the World Team Challenge in Gelsenkirchen, a biathlon exhibition, Julia Simon and Fabien Claude did not manage to triple the stakes this Saturday, December 28. The victory went to the Norwegians Karoline Knotten and Sturla Lagreid.
In the Veltins Arena, home of Schalke 04, a German football club playing in Bundesliga2, the French were handicapped by their shooting and in particular Julia Simon's three fouls on the first prone of the pursuit, the second part of the competition.
Second behind the Norwegian duo after the first event, a mass start in mixed relay, the Tricolores never managed to worry the future winners in the second especially as the Norwegians achieved a nice 39/40 behind the rifle in the pursuit .
And with the numerous faults on the shooting range and Fabien Claude forced to take a penalty lap on a ski after breaking a binding, the Blues were not even able to get on the podium and finished sixth in this competition which usually suits them.
Behind the teammates of Johannes Boe, leader of the Biathlon World Cup, it was the local duos who stood out with second place for Kira Weidel and Justus Strelow and third for Franziska Preuss and Philipp Nawrath.
