Justine Braisaz-Bouchet keeps pressure on for overall crystal globe with win at Soldier Hollow

BySportsbeat

Updated 09/03/2024 at 13:41 GMT

French star Justine Braisaz-Bouchet takes sprint victory in Soldier Hollow as Norwegians win men's relay. In conditions she described as "hell" Braisaz-Bouchet was too strong for Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold at Soldier Hollow. Tandrevold still holds the advantage in the World Cup standings. Norway secured victory in the men's relay from Germany and Italy.

Justine Braisaz-Bouchet celebrates her first place in the women's 7.5-km sprint of the IBU Biathlon World Cup at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah, on March 8, 2024

Image credit: Getty Images

Justine Braisaz-Bouchet kept her hopes of claiming the overall crystal globe alive with an impressive sprint victory as the IBU World Cup headed to Soldier Hollow in the USA.

The Frenchwoman used her superior ski speed to get the better of Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, although the Norwegian retains a sizable lead in the World Cup standings.

Despite a miss on the first prone shoot, Braisaz-Bouchet was comfortably the fastest on the skis of the main contenders, and used that to take the win by 13.4 seconds from Tandrevold, with a second Frenchwoman, Lou Jeanmonnot, completing the podium.

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"I am satisfied of course," Braisaz-Bouchet said. "It was like hell out there today, truly; spring snow, high altitude. All the strong girls are here in the top seven or eight.

"It was wonderful to get that victory. The snow suited the ones in front so we are really happy; sharing the podium with Lou is also great.”

Julia Simon had been in a strong position for the win, but a disastrous standing shoot, where she missed three targets, dropped her back to seventh.

Tandrevold leads the overall World Cup standings on 934 points, 89 clear of Braisaz-Bouchet, while Lisa Vittozzi and Simon are a further 29 and 47 points back respectively.

Meanwhile, with one sprint event to go, the battle for the small globe in the discipline will be between Tandrevold and Braisaz-Bouchet, the Norwegian currently 18 points clear.

Earlier in the day, Norway made it five wins from five in the men's relay, overcoming three penalty loops from Sturla Holm Laegreid to cruise to victory.

Tarjei and Johannes Thingnes Boe recovered the situation after Laegreid's early struggles, with Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen able to ease home ahead of Germany and Italy.

That win clinched the relay globe ahead of the Germans.

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