Franziska Preuss' Thrilling Pursuit for the Overall Biathlon World Cup Title
This winter, the leading biathlete Prussia has already amassed these accolades.
Franziska Preuss, the German biathlete, is just a few steps away from ending Germany's eight-year drought in the overall World Cup. This weekend at Holmenkollen in Oslo, she has a chance to claim her first overall title, and the extra luggage for her trophy cases would be well deserved. With over a quarter of a million euros already earned in prize money this season, a successful final weekend in Oslo could significantly boost her earnings.
Although the 31-year-old from Bavaria isn't motivated by money, the financial rewards are undeniable. She is not only the top earner in German winter sports but has even outperformed most male ski jumpers in terms of prize money. As of now, Andreas Wellinger is the most financially successful German athlete with around 155,000 euros, and Selina Freitag leads among women with just over 80,000 euros. In the Alpine area, only Emma Aicher is a German in the top ten with around 160,000 euros, while Alpine stars earn significantly more.
Preuss's overall victory would bring her 40,000 euros, with second place still earning 32,000 euros. A normal World Cup victory earns the IBU association 15,000 euros. The prize money has been steadily increasing in recent years.
However, Preuss's journey to the brink of victory hasn't been easy. Just a year ago, a success like this seemed unlikely. Two seasons were cut short due to infections and illnesses, and she had to pause multiple times during winters, missing important races at World Championships. However, last spring, an operation on her nasal sinuses provided relief, allowing her to train more consistently and build up resilience.
Preuss leads the overall standings with 1,048 points, but her advantage over her closest competitor, Lou Jeanmonnot, has narrowed to just 20 points. Jeanmonnot, a 26-year-old Frenchwoman, has already won seven times this season, compared to Preuss's two victories. However, the results from the World Championships in Switzerland will not be considered in the final tally.
Preuss could achieve even more, claiming not just the overall title but also two discipline titles. She currently leads in the sprint and mass start disciplines, with seven and 41-point advantages, respectively. The IBU awards 12,000 euros to each discipline winner, with the runner-up getting nothing. But with a 79-point deficit, Preuss likely has no chance of catching Jeanmonnot in the pursuit small crystal globe race.
Regardless of how the final weekend unfolds, Preuss and Jeanmonnot can be proud of their impressive seasons. With only a 20-point difference between the two, the biathlon world is in for an exciting finale.
- Biathlon
- Winter Sports
Enrichment:
Overall Standings:
As of the updates from the Biathlon World Cup in Pokljuka, Franziska Preuss was leading the overall standings with a significant point advantage over her closest competitor, Lou Jeanmonnot. At that point, Preuss had extended her lead to 60 points over Jeanmonnot[1]. However, heading into Oslo-Holmenkollen, her lead had reduced to just 20 points, with Preuss having 1,048 points to Jeanmonnot's 1,028[3].
Recent Update from Oslo-Holmenkollen:
Preuss further solidified her position by winning the Sprint event in Oslo-Holmenkollen, narrowly beating Lou Jeanmonnot. This victory not only secured the Sprint Globe for Preuss but also tightened the competition for the overall World Cup title[5].
- Other sports, such as biathlon, can offer substantial financial rewards, as demonstrated by Franziska Preuss' current lead in the World Cup, which would earn her 40,000 euros if maintained.
- Franziska Preuss' victory in the biathlon Sprint event at Oslo-Holmenkollen has boosted her earnings and narrowed the gap with her closest competitor, Lou Jeanmonnot, in the overall World Cup standings.
- Although biathlon is not primarily motivated by money, Franziska Preuss has already earned over a quarter of a million euros this season, making her the top earner in German winter sports,even surpassing most male ski jumpers.
