After third place in the sprint on Saturday, biathlete Roman Rees finished fifth in the pursuit.

At the conclusion of the World Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland, Rees didn't miss his chance for another podium finish until the last standing stage, when he missed the last of his 20 shots.

Overall, he had two penalties.

So on Sunday it was not enough for the German men to finish fourth on the podium in the fourth race, despite having the best start to the season in seven years.

“For me it was about keeping my nerve, because I didn't get up to temperature on the track, I felt a bit empty.

The last shot missed, but that wouldn't have done that much the other way either.

But it was good again today," Rees said on ARD. 

Johannes Thingnes Bö secured his second win of the season and his 54th World Cup win overall.

After 12.5 kilometers, the Norwegian had three penalties and was 19.2 seconds ahead of his teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid (2 penalties), whom he had already relegated to second place in the sprint.

Third place went to Frenchman Emilien Jacquelin (2/+47.3 seconds). 

David Zobel was eighth, Benedikt Doll twelfth and Justus Strelow 13th. Philipp Nawrath finished 22nd, Johannes Kühn had to settle for 29th place after seven penalties. 

In Saturday's sprint, Rees' clean shooting was beaten only by the two Norwegians.

“I felt super good and the skis were world class.

Somehow surprising, but somehow it also fits because I feel comfortable on the track and at the shooting range, ”said Rees on ARD.

David Zobel as third in the first individual and the relay in second place had already brought the team of national coach Mark Kirchner the first successes of the new winter.

The four-time Beijing Olympic champion Bö relegated his 53rd World Cup victory despite a penalty loop to second place by a margin of 10.5 seconds.

Rees was 28.8 seconds behind Gust on his second career World Cup podium.

The good team result was rounded off by Zobel (1 error/+ 1:05.0 minutes) in ninth place, former world champion Benedikt Doll (2/+ 1:10.2 minutes) in eleventh place, Johannes Kühn (2/+ 1:13, 4 minutes) in 12th place and Justus Strelow (0/+ 1:24.3 minutes) in 17th place.

Only Philipp Nawrath (2/+ 1:46.6 minutes) did not make it into the top 20 in 29th place.

Weidel strong fifth

In the women's sprint in Kontiolahti, Finland, biathlete Anna Weidel finished fifth as the best German and missed her first World Cup podium of her career by just 2.4 seconds.

The 26-year-old laid the foundation for the best World Cup finish of her career on Saturday with fast, flawless shooting, with which she broke the internal World Championship norm.

After 7.5 kilometers, Weidel was 26.6 seconds behind the victorious Lisa Theresa Hauser.

The Austrian also shot clean and won 17.3 seconds ahead of Lisa Vittozzi (1 penalty) from Italy.

Sweden's Linn Persson secured third place (0 errors/+ 24.2 seconds).

"I'm totally surprised myself.

I've never had any major problems with shooting, I still have to do something when I'm running," said Weidel on ARD.

She only needed 18 and 24 seconds for her shooting bouts.

In terms of running time, however, she was only ranked 34th.  

Individual Olympic champion Denise Herrmann-Wick had to run a penalty loop and was sixth after the 150 extra meters, 31.6 seconds behind.

The strong German team result was completed by Sophia Schneider (1 error/+ 34.2 seconds) in eighth place.

After Herrmann-Wick, the sprint eleventh Vanessa Voigt (1/+ 39.6 seconds) and Weidel also got the World Cup standard.

Thus, the German women have a good starting position for the pursuit race (2.15 p.m. / ARD and Eurosport) on Sunday.

Only Juliane Frühwirt finished 57th (3/2:00.2 minutes).