Canadian biathletes Benita Peiffer of Whistler and Emily Dickson of Burns Lake have each qualified for Saturday’s IBU Cup biathlon pursuit in Geilo, Norway.
Peiffer, who finished 10th in the individual race earlier this week, placed 30th in Friday’s women’s 7.5-kilometre sprint, while Dickson ended up 34th out of a field of 108 competitors.
Peiffer shot 7-for-10 and was 2:40.1 behind race winner Paula Botet of France, who stopped the clock in 22:14.9. Dickson also had three misses in her two shooting bouts and ended up 2:59.6 off the gold-medal pace.
They both qualify to the top-60 who will move on to the pursuit.
Marlene Fitchner of Germany (+31.4) and Johanna Skottheim of Sweden (+36.9) took silver and bronze in the sprint.
In the men’s 10 km sprint, Jasper Flemming of Calgary was 76th and Daniel Gilfillan of Comox Valley finished 88th.
Martin Uldal of Norway won it in 25:21.8, followed by Johan Olav Botn of Norway (+13.9) and Sverre Dahlen Aspenes of Norway (+14.8).
Flemming finished 4:02.8 behind Uldal, while Gilfillan was 4:47.7 behind. They did not qualify for the pursuit.
Meanwhile, at the BMW World Cup biathlon in Kontiolahti, Finland, Emelien Jacquelin of France won his first career World Cup sprint race on Friday. Logan Pletz placed 70th (+2:47.9) and Adam Runnalls of Calgary was 86th (+3:17.1) in a field of 106.
Mass start races are scheduled for Saturday.
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