Germany's Laura Dahlmeier, who missed several World Cups earlier in the season due to an injury, scored her first World Cup victory today taking the women's 7.5K sprint in 21:33.4. Second place went to her teammate Franziska Hildebrand, one second back. Both women shot clean. Veronika Vitkova of Czech Republic finished third, with one penalty, 13.9 seconds back. Darya Domracheva of Belarus finished fourth, with two penalties, 23 seconds back while France's Marie Dorin Habert finished fifth, 26.9 seconds back ,a also with two penalties. Valja Semerenko of Ukraine finished sixth, with one penalty, 28.8 seconds back. Finland's Kaisa Mäkäräinen wearing the Yellow Bib finished seventh, with three penalties, 30.5 seconds back.

The Norwegian Team of Fanny Welle-Strand Horn, Tiril Eckhoff, Johannes Thingnes Boe and Tarjei Boe won a dramatic mixed relay this evening in 1:12:49.2 with six spare rounds. They finished just 4.1 seconds ahead of the home team Czech Republic, with five spare rounds. Third went to Ukraine, 1:21.3 back, with a penalty and seven spares. Russia finished fourth, France fifth and Germany in sixth.

At the world premiere of the Single Mixed Relay the Czech couple Eva Puskarčíková and Michal Krčmář finished at 13th place. Since the very beginning was in the lead German duo Luisse Kummer and Erik Lesser. But the Olympic silver medalist from Individual Race failed during the final shooting and three penalty loops sent the Germans to the fourth place. The Russians won (Jana Romanova and Alexei Volkov), second were Norwegians (Marte Olsbu and Henrik L'Abee Lund) and third Ukrainians (Juliya Dzhyma and Artem Tyščenko).

Favorable weather conditions allowed further expansion of parking areas at the Biathlon World Cup. Newly will be used also a large parking meadow above the hospital in Nové Město. It has a capacity of about 3,000 cars and will be open since Friday.

Shortly after Wednesday noon the president of the Czech Biathlon Union Mr. Jiří Hamza announced that the tickets for the grandstands in Vysočina Arena for all three program blocks are sold out. Auditorium with fixed and mobile grandstands in the stadium has a capacity of about 17,000 spectators. In the premises around the race-track organizers expect another 15 thousand fans.

Organizers of the Biathlon World Cup in Nové Město na Moravě, which takes place from upcoming Friday till Sunday, expect even better atmosphere than at the World Championship two years ago. Last weeek they extended the capacity of mobile grandstands and now the Arena can hold up to 16-17 thousand spectators.