Dahlmeier wins biathlon World Cup overall title

Associated Press

KONTIOLAHTI, Finland (AP) — Germany's Laura Dahlmeier won the women's biathlon World Cup overall title on Saturday after victory in a pursuit race.

Dahlmeier has won 10 races this season, double the number for closest rival Gabriela Koukalova, including six of the last seven events for an insurmountable lead.

Dahlmeier took the lead at the third shooting stage of Saturday's race as her key rivals missed shots. She won by 16.5 seconds from French athlete Marie Dorin Habert, with Lisa Vitozzi of Italy taking her first career World Cup podium in third, 3.4 seconds further back.

After taking the win, Dahlmeier gave a double thumbs-up and a shout of delight.

Friday's sprint winner Tiril Eckhoff of Norway started well, but missed six shots and finished 15th.

Earlier, Arnd Peiffer won the men's pursuit, his first World Cup victory in over two years.

The German shot perfectly at each of the four shooting stages and beat Austria's Simon Eder on the final stretch to win by 0.3 seconds.

Norwegian Emil Hegle Svendsen was two seconds further back for third, the same place he finished in Friday's sprint.

Despite having won the sprint, World Cup overall champion Martin Fourcade of France could only manage fifth Saturday after four missed shots and a collision with Svendsen.