Lisa Vittozzi, zero errors but no medal. Dorothea Wierer back

Zero errors at the range and fifth place finish for Lisa Vittozzi in the Olympic sprint in Antholz. The Sappada native was flawless in her shooting on Saturday at the Südtirol Arena, but finished the race at the foot of the podium with a 40″6 gap from the winner, 22-year-old Norwegian Maren Kirkeeide, who was also perfect at the polygon and first across the finish line in 20’40″8. Behind her came the French: Oceane Michelon, second at 3″8 with no errors, and Lou Jeanmonnot, third at 23″7 with one error (0-1), completing the podium. Fourth was Bulgaria’s Milena Todorova (1-0) at 40″0, while Vittozzi was fifth, just 17″ from the medal zone.

A gap that will weigh on the starting order of tomorrow’s pursuit, but still represents a good base for the Friulian from the Centro Sportivo Carabinieri. On the Olympic scene, at the individual level, Vittozzi already boasts a fourth place in the mass start and a sixth in the sprint at PyeongChang 2018. Behind her, Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen (0-0) finished sixth at 49″6, followed by Germany’s Franziska Preuss (0-1) seventh at 1’00 and Poland’s Kamila Żuk (1-0) eighth at 1’09.

More complicated day for the other Azzurri: Michela Carrara, despite an excellent eighth time on skis, pays for two mistakes on her feet and finishes 23rd at 1’33″5. Beyond the 40th position the hosts Hanna Auchentaller (1-1, +2’11″6) and Dorothea Wierer (2-1), penalized by two errors already in the first series that compromise her race from the start. Tomorrow, space will be given to the pursuits: at 11:15 a.m. the men’s race will start, while at 2:45 p.m. it will be the turn of the women’s event.