Biathlonist Venla Lehtonen was no less than seventh on Saturday. The career best has improved drastically in the previous two races.
On Friday, the biathlon skier who had by far the best performance of his career Venla Lehtonen continued her impressive streak on Saturday in the women’s pursuit race in Annecy, France. Lehtonen was a wonderful seventh and improved his career best from yesterday by six places.
Lehtonen, who shot excellently, took fifth place twice in the race. First after the third shooting range and in the same way after the last bench.
When Lehtonen started for the last ski run, his difference to the third place was eight seconds. At the end, he lost two places, but still managed a career best.
– A really wonderful success in the second race in a row, Urheilu’s expert Kaisa Mäkäräinen gave recognition in the commentary.
He kept his promise
Lehtonen bowed to Germany, the winner of the race Franziska to Prussia about a minute. French Julia Simon was second, about half a minute behind the winner.
Lehtonen left the German by Vanessa Voight 13 seconds from third place.
The 29-year-old Lehtonen’s jump in results in the previous two races has been huge. Before the Annecy weekend, Lehtonen’s best career finish was modest, 36th from the Pokljuka World Cup race almost six years ago.
Mäkäräinen was nervous before the last shooting spot, whether Lehtonen, who was already tied for the best ranking of his career by far, would be able to keep his nerve on the bench.
However, Lehtonen’s nerves were steel.
– He promised me that he doesn’t think about what kind of places are being competed for on the shooting range. He only focused on what he can do.
Great early season
The performance of the Finnish women in the Biathlon World Cup has been uneventful since the beginning of the season. A year older than Lehto Suvi Minkkinen was a fine third in Kontiolahti. He has reached the top ten three times.
– We now have two women who have reached the top ten. Venla already knew in Kontiolahti that he is physically in relatively the same condition as Minkkinen. The shots must only click in the same way as Minkkinen. It is a pleasure to see that he has been able to do it.
Minkkinen, who reached third place a couple of weeks ago, was now 23rd.
– It was certainly not what Suvi went to get. However, this was not a failed shooting.