February 11, 2011 (Fort Kent, Maine) – Andrea Henkel led two German teammates across the finish line today, as she won the women’s 7.5km sprint in Fort Kent, followed by Miriam Gössner and Magdalena Neuner. Henkel, finishing in 23:20 shot clean while her teammates each had two penalties and were 10.9 and 15 seconds back respectively. This was the first podium sweep by any country this season in E.ON. IBU World Cup Biathlon competitions.

Henkel emphasized that winning today was so much better than her 27th place here in 2004, despite the fact that the courses are much tougher now. “I would not have been prepared in 2004 for these tracks. I am happy they changed this year and not then. That was my worst year ever and I was really out of shape. I am glad I am not in that shape anymore and better now.”

After a bright sunny day on Thursday, today dawned clear again, but quickly it turned cloudy, windy and much colder by the time the women started. The wind swept across the shooting range in gusts which affected especially the prone shooting. In standing, most of the women shot on lane 29 or 30 which are protected by a large fence.

Although the wind was a factor for many of the competitors today, Henkel was not one of them. “I like it when there is a little bit of wind and you can work with it; not when you are being blown from side-to-side.”

The ever-smiling Gössner was on the podium for the first time since her two second place finishes in Östersund. She seemed just as thrilled to be in the top three as then. “I am really happy with my race today. I felt very good on the tracks and on the shooting range, just two mistakes for me is really good.” Last season’s overall World Cup winner Neuner was on the podium for only the fourth time this season. She said, “It is okay. It is not my best season and not my worst.”

Henkel, beaming after the competition, commented on winning for the first time this season far from home, after being second four times and third once. “It is nice that it happened now. It does not matter how far I have to travel to win.” Henkel trains with the US Team when she is here several times a year. “I am happy to win here. The US team gives me a lot of support when I train over here and I am glad I could do this for them too.”

Matching the winner on the shooting range was the on-fire Sara Studebaker, who finished 17th today, several days after her personal best 14th place in Presque Isle. She finished just 1:24.6 behind Henkel. That result moved Studebaker to 40th place in the overall World Cup. “It’s been some great days here in Maine for sure, it’s home somehow,” said Studebaker. “You can feel it on the tracks with friends and family cheering for you. I actually had my first big race here in Fort Kent so it feels good to have a result like that also happening here.”

Her teammate Laura Spector fell back to 44th place, after a 47th place non-World Cup scoring result today. Spector had five penalties. Haley Johnson finished 43rd, with two penalties, 2:51.2 back. “You had to have some luck at the range today. It was really windy and hard to shoot clean”, explained Johnson.

The three Canadian women, Claude Godbout, Zina Kocher and Rosanna Crawford finished 48th, 51st, and 56th, respectively. Godbout’s clean shooting was the sole bright spot for the team, although all will get another chance in tomorrow’s 10K pursuit competition.

Fourth place today went to Berger of Norway with one penalty, 18.8 seconds back, with Teja Gregorin of Slovenia, also with one penalty, 25 seconds back in fifth. Darya Domracheva of Belarus had three penalties in sixth place, 55 seconds back.

France’s Marie Dorin had a single penalty in seventh, 57.3 seconds back, with Kaisa Mäkäräinen of Finland rounding out the top eight, with three penalties, 1:03.2 back.

Mäkäräinen reclaimed the Yellow and Red Bibs with her eighth place today from Helena Ekholm of Sweden who finished 22nd. The Finnish star now has 664 points to 656 for Ekholm. Henkel is closing in on the two other women as she now has 639 points.

Full results HERE.