Benita Peiffer of Whistler posted her fifth top-20 solo result of the season Thursday at the IBU Cup biathlon sprint in Obertilliach, Austria.
The 24-year-old Peiffer was perfect in two shooting rounds and finished the 7.5-kilometre course in 23:09, one minute and six seconds behind gold medalist Ilaria Scattolo of Italy.
Scattolo finished 5.2 seconds ahead of silver medalist Gilonne Guignnat of France and was 14.3 seconds in front of Paula Botet of France, who claimed bronze.
Three other Canadians entered the women’s sprint, including Emily Dickson of Burns Lake.
Pascale Paradis of Calgary was 40th (+2:14), Shilo Rousseau of Thessalon, Ont., was 44th (+2:14) and Dickson was 47th (+2:32).
Ninety-two women entered the race.
All four Canadians qualified for Saturday’s women’s 12 km mass start 60.
The men’s 10 km sprint was a medal sweep for Norway. Johannes Dale Skjevdal of Norway set the pace, winning in 23:36.6, followed by Johan-Olav Botn (+6.9) and Sivert Guttorm Bakken (+18.6).
Jasper Fleming of Whistler was the top Canadian, finishing 52nd (+2:53).
In other results, Halden Borglund of Calgary was 93rd (+4:44), Lucas Smith of Winnipeg was 119th (+6:08) and Daniel Gilfillan of Comox Valley was 120th (+6:19).
The race drew 127 entrants.
Fleming qualified for the men’s 15 km mass start race Saturday.
Meanwhile, in the BWM World Cup men’s 10 km sprint at Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, France, Adam Runnalls of Calgary was 66th (24.35) and Logan Pletz of Regina was 68th (+26.02) in a field of 100 entrants.
Uldal Martin captured gold in 23:13.5, reaching the finish just 1.4 seconds ahead of his Norwegian teammate Johannes Thingnes Boe. Sebastien Samuelson of Sweeden won bronze (+10.8).
Emma Lunder of Vernon and Nadia Moser of Whitehorse, Yukon will represent Canada in the women’s sprint on Friday.
Men’s and women’s relays are scheduled for Sunday.
