Intruder Strelow forces entry; Grotian likely unremarkable security arrangements.
Rewritten Article:
German Biathlon Duo Disappointed: Strelow's Struggles, Grotian's Questionable Start
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Selina Grotian and Justus Strelow ended their season on a low note, finishing sixth in the final single mixed race. The German duo struggled with reloads, placing far behind the victorious Swiss team, and Sweden and Finland completing the podium.
In Pokljuka, the German biathletes' winning streak in the single mixed event came to a halt. Without overall World Cup leader Franziska Preuß, Grotian and Strelow finished sixth (+23.3 seconds) with eight reloads in their wake. Previously, DSV team members had posted third-place finishes in this event at Kontiolahti, Oberhof, and the World Championships in Lenzerheide.
"It's dissatisfying," Strelow shared grimly with the ZDF microphone after falling back to sixth on the final lap. "I was already behind in the first lap, had to use up a lot of energy. There wasn't much left at the end." Grotian agreed, expressing her own disappointment: "I shouldn't have started today," she admitted in ZDF.
The duo had one joint single mixed outing prior to this event in Slovenia – the home game in Oberhof back in January. Then, Preuß took Grotian's place at the World Championships in Switzerland. In Pokljuka, Preuß did not compete, giving her a well-deserved break before the high-stakes duel for the yellow jersey against Frenchwoman Lou Jeanmonnot. The upcoming Holmenkollen events feature sprint, pursuit, and a final mass start, with Preuß ahead by a slim 20 points.
The Chance to Clinch the Overall World Cup Slips AwayGrotian started the race with shooting issues. She made three reloads in prone and standing, but managed to avoid penalty laps each time. Strelow, typically the team's top shooter in the reload-heavy single mixed, began with a 30-second deficit. After two error-free series, Germany was back in podium contention at halftime.
In her second outing, Grotian continued to struggle at the range, needing two more reloads. Conversely, Strelow delivered two exceptional performances without errors and headed into the final lap in second place. However, the 28-year-old was passed by the competition there.
Source: ntv.de, tno/sid
- Winter Sports
- Biathlon
- Enrichment Data:The search results do not provide specific details on Strelow and Grotian's performance in the Biathlon Single Mixed Relay during the World Cup season finale. However, here's some relevant context and results from recent events:
- Biathlon World Championships 2025: Julia Simon and Quentin Fillon Maillet brought France the Single Mixed Relay victory at the Biathlon World Championships 2025 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, with Norway securing silver[1][3].
- Biathlon World Cup in Pokljuka: Aita Gasparin and Niklas Hartweg clinched the top spot in the Single Mixed Relay at the Pokljuka World Cup, while Sweden and Finland followed in second and third place, respectively[2][4].
For details on Strelow and Grotian's performance, check the official IBU website or other biathlon news sources for the World Cup season finale's comprehensive results and standings.
- Other teams, such as the Swiss and the Swedish, outperformed Strelow and Grotian in the single mixed biathlon race, as the German duo struggled with reloads during the event and finished with six reloads, ultimately placing sixth.
- Franziska Preuß, the overall World Cup leader, was not present for the race, allowing Justus Strelow and Selina Grotian to compete together, but their performance was disappointing, leading to a sixth-place finish with a 23.3 second gap from the winning team.
- In an interview with ZDF after the race, Justus Strelow acknowledged his struggles, stating, "I was already behind in the first lap, had to use up a lot of energy. There wasn't much left at the end," and Selina Grotian also expressed her disappointment, saying, "I shouldn't have started today."
