Biathlon juniors

Two Salzburgers snatch the big crystal globe

Overall winners of the IBU Junior Cup: Lukas Haslinger (left) and Anna Andexer.(Bild: Reiko Kolatsk)

Well-deserved reward after a great season: biathletes Lukas Haslinger and Anna Andexer received the big crystal globes as overall winners of the IBU Junior Cup on Thursday. In the final individual decision of the Junior World Championships in Otepää (Estonia), however, the red-white-red cross-country skiers came away empty-handed.

Two Pinzgauers are going for it - in the most positive sense!

Lukas Haslinger and Anna Andexer won the overall ranking in the IBU Junior Cup. The duo from Saalfelden - Haslinger competes for the HSV, Andexer for the ski club - were presented with the big crystal globes at the Youth and Junior World Championships in Otepää.

Andexer impressively won the classification and in the end had a lead of more than 300 points over second-placed Wilma Anhaus (USC Neukirchen). Haslinger came out on top in a much closer race with 452 points ahead of his club colleague and friend Fabian Müllauer (405), who - like Andexer - won the sprint classification.

Small ball as a bonus
On the other hand, the ÖSV cross-country skiers came away empty-handed in the final individual decisions in the Baltic States.

Norway's Givert Gerhardsen (0 faults) won the men's mass start 60 competition ahead of his compatriots Isak Frey (2/+27.1) and Tobias Alm (1/+33.1). The best Austrian was Fabian Müllauer, who finished ninth 1:17.3 minutes behind Gerhardsen with four misses and the best time. Oliver Lienbacher (2 misses) finished 24th, Lukas Haslinger (5) was 32nd and David Neumayr (all HSV Saalfelden/5) 52nd.

In the women's event, Andexer fought for the medals until the last shooting. However, she had to accept her third and final penalty in this round, which meant that she was too far behind the top places in the end.

Relays conclude the JWC in Otepää
Andexer finished seventh, 33.3 seconds behind Germany's Julia Kink (2 faults). Silver went to Slovakia's Ema Kapustova (2/+0.8), bronze went to France's Fany Bertrand (1/+6.6).

The youth relays will follow on Friday (boys 9.30, girls 12.30), on Saturday the JWM will be concluded with the junior relays (men 8.45, women 11.40). All races can be followed live on eurovisionsport.com.