RUHPOLDING, Germany (AP) — Simon Schempp of Germany beat Quentin Fillon Maillet and Michal Slesingr in a photofinish to win a 15-kilometer mass start for his first biathlon World Cup win of the season on Sunday.
Schempp just got the tip of his ski ahead of Fillon Maillet of France and Slesingr of the Czech Republic as all three finished in 35 minutes, 42.8 seconds. All three shot cleanly and avoided any penalty loops.
Norway’s Emil Hegle Svendsen and Ole Einar Bjorndalen were fourth and fifth, respectively, with one missed target each, followed by Russia’s Anton Shipulin, who missed two.
Overall leader Martin Fourcade could only finish 1:19.8 back in 21st after missing four targets.
Earlier, Darya Domracheva of Belarus won the women’s 12.5-kilometer mass start for her fourth World Cup win of the season.
The Olympic champion overcame three missed targets and finished in 35 minutes, 17.5 seconds, beating Germany’s Franziska Preuss by 16.5 seconds.
The 20-year-old Preuss, who crossed the line to a great reception from celebrating home fans, had two missed targets. She was followed by Czech biathlete Veronika Vítikova, 22.9 seconds back with three missed targets.
Valj Semerenko of Ukraine and Anais Bescond of France were fourth and fifth, respectively, each with two missed targets.
Kaisa Makarainen of Finland could only finish seventh after missing four targets but she still led the standings after 12 of 25 events with 558 points.
Domracheva was second, with 500, followed by Semerenko on 452.
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