December 16, 2012 (Pokljuka, SLO) – Norway’s Tora Berger claimed her 3rd world cup victory of the 2012-13 season today in foggy Pokljuka winning the 12.5km women’s Mass Start race with a time of 35:53.8 suffering two penalties. In second was Germany’s Miriam Gossner with four penalties at 35.5s back while Gabriela Soukalova of the Czech Republic claimed third at 1:02.1 and two penalties.

It was a tough day at the office for Berger. “I was tired before the start and did not expect so much today. I tried to focus on the shooting and not the others around me,” she told  biathlonworld.com. “On the second shooting, I could not see the targets so good. But somehow it was okay.”

Second place Gossner, was happy with the way she raced this weekend, and like most others, struggled today with the fog. “I could not see anything on the second prone,” Gossner told biathlonworld.com.  “That is biathlon; the way it is.”

Building off a career best 12th place finish at Friday’s Sprint competition, Canada’s Rosanna Crawford, the lone North American in today’s field, finished 22nd at 2:51.2 behind with a tough day on the range suffering five penalties.

Crawford and her Canadian teammates travelled from Pokljuka to Munich, Germany immediately after the event so they could promptly return to Canada for the Christmas break. After the Christmas break, the E.ON IBU World Cup resumes with round four in Oberhof, Germany on Jan. 2, 2013.

Full results here.