December 04, 2011 (Ostersund, SWE) – Canada’s Zina Kocher, 29, scored a breakthrough 15th place finish in the women’s 7.5km sprint on Saturday in only her second race of the season missing three shots on her way to the top-20 finish. The legendary Magdalena Neuner (GER) took the win with a time of 22:01.7 in a tight race with Norway’s Tora Berger only 0.2 behind while Finland’s Kaisa Makarainen landed on the podium in third.

“The tracks were better today, but I was nervous when it was so close,” Neuner told Biathlonworld.com. “I thought of the very big fight that I had with Tora here at the 2008 World Championships. Today was déjà vu.”

Kocher went for it despite tough conditions with gusting winds. “My body just wants to go and I feel great on the skis right now,” said Kocher in a Biathlon Canada release. “Shooting was difficult again today with the wind conditions. At times it was calm, but mostly, heavy gusts. I just wanted to go for it today and see what happens. I waited in prone on the wind, and in standing I just went for it. Risky – but it worked out okay.”

The nine-year veteran of the women’s biathlon program is in good form giving her the right perspective as the season unfolds. “Every single race felt like a struggle last year, but I’ve just felt incredibly calm racing this week. I knew after the trials that my shape was much better than last year and that was a big relief,” added Kocher, whose best finish last year was 17th in a sprint. “I’m fighting like hell when I am skiing, but in a way it feels easy and natural. I’m just having a ton of fun. I want to get on the podium and win.”

American Susan Dunklee from Barton, Vermont led Team USA’s women with a 28th place finish at 1:43.40 behind Neuner. “I didn’t want to go out too hard in the first loop this time, but then I saw one of the German girls skiing out the shooting range just as I started,” Dunklee told US Biathlon. “Once again, I didn’t recognize which one she was, but Germans tend to be fast. Skiing behind one the other day seemed to work pretty well, so I hopped a ride.”

With her 28th place finish, Dunklee will race for Team USA in Sunday’s Pursuit. “For the Pursuit, I want to feel relaxed on the starting line. The rest will take care of itself,” added Dunklee.

Neuner’s 25th World Cup victory today was a good start to her season. “It’s great. I have a lot of self-confidence. I think it was the right thing for me to be at home with my home trainer before this. It is a great feeling to be very good at the beginning of the season.”

Canada’s Megan Imrie, 25, was one spot shy of matching her career-best on the World Cup with a 33rd place result. The 25-year-old missed two shots en route to clocking a time of 23:54.3.  Rosanna Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., finished mid-field in 56th with a time of 24:57.7. American Sara Studebaker finished 46th posting a time of 2:31.4 and 0+2 at the range and will also in Sunday’s Pursuit.

Full results HERE.

Post-race Press Conference

Magdalena Neuner Interview