Not caught up

The Russian women's team took second place in the biathlon relay race yesterday the fifth stage of the World Cup opened one of the most intriguing races - a female relay race. The Russians, leading a continuous series of three victories, were concentrated this time by the loss of the world leaders of Svetlana Sleptsova and Ekaterina Yuryeva, but until the last moment they fought for victory. Nevertheless, they lost to the German national team, which exhibited the strongest composition.

Having shown 460 km to the southeast through the territory of Germany, biathlonists arrived in Rupolding - to the penal place before the World Cup Championship of the World Cup. A small German town, growing several times before the main event of the year, only at the stadium prepared places for 85 thousand spectators.

However, whether to be a holiday with fans with German flags is a big question. The female relay race, in which the Russian team dominated the whole season, did not foresee our constant rivals of easy victory.

“Of course, we want to win in Rupolding, in the last relay in front of the World Cup, and come to Korea in the rank of undefeated,” said Ekaterina Yuryeva.

Last year, the world champion in an individual race took part in all the victorious races of our quartet. As, however, Svetlana Sleptsova, at the moment, has a yellow T -shirt of the leader of the general offset. Fatigue, which fell after repeated catwalks, and a little injury forced Sleptsov to abandon the start in the relay. According to the biathlete, she thought which of the starts to skip, and decided to do it with minimal losses in the personal standings. In a similar situation, Ekaterina Yuryeva, who asked for a break.

The coaching staff decided to replace them with Anna Bulygin and Albina Akhatov. Both biathletes have already started in the relay quarters of the season. The company was compiled by Olga Zaitseva and Olga Medvedtseva. Zaitseva has already entered into good shape after the birth of a child and looked promising. She was already fled at the second stage of the relay of Oberehof and contributed to the previous victory.

The presence of Olga Medvedtseva is unlikely to raise questions: her second place in the mass start and the victorious finish in the Oberehof relay-proof of this.

The German team also could not do without change. Uwe, Mussigan had a difficult task, and he opted for the strongest composition: Andrea Henkel, Katya Wilhelm, Katrin Hitzer and Magdalena Neuner. “We must use the home advantage as far as possible,” Vilhelm admitted. “I went up several times to a new rise in the stadium,” said the athlete, referring to a steep, almost 45 degrees, the rise in the stadium, called the “wall”.

This very wall of the Russians stormed more than once in the pursuit of the German team who knocked into the leaders at the second stage (the first won for the fines of Kais Makarainen, but since she had absolutely no support, a few minutes later the Suomi team fell into its usual positions).

Katya Wilhelm, after unsuccessful shooting, Andrea Henkel took the initiative into her own hands and brought the German team to the first position. The opposing her Anna Bulygina slightly reduced the gap allowed by Olga Medvedtseva. An attempt to get closer to Catherine Khitzer was made by Olga Zaitseva, who magically turned 39 seconds in 19.

It would seem, here it is, a turning point. But, no matter how our wonderful Albina Akhatova tried, he could not keep up with Magdalen Neuner. The German was noticeably nervous and used two spare cartridges at the last fire line, while Albina shot for seconds for 13 - and all for sure.

But the 12 extra seconds with which Neiner left the last line was enough for her to keep the first place for her team. When she crossed the finish line, the stands sighed in relief, not believing their happiness.

Biathlon. The stage of the World Cup. Rupolding

Women. Relay 4x6 km

1. Germany (A. Henkel, K. Wilhelm, K. Hitzer, M. Neiner) - 1: 16.41.26 (0 penalty circles)

2. Russia (O. Medvedtseva, A. Bulygin, O. Zaitsev, A. Akhatov) - lag 37.5 (0)

3. Sweden (S. Domue, H. Yunsson, A.-K. Olofson-Zidek, A.-M. Nilsson)-56.4 (0)

4. China - 2.21.1 (0)

5. Ukraine - 2.57.6 (1)

6. Norway - 3.24.5 (5)

01/14/2009 / Tatyana Milevskaya material published in the newspaper No. 4 of 01/15/2009.