December 15, 2012 (Pokljuka, SLO) – Germany’s Miriam Gossner skied herself to victory despite five penalties to claim the women’s 10km Pursuit today in Pokljuka with a time of 31:47.8. Shooting clean and taking second was Gabriela Soukalova of the Czech Republic with a time of 31:48.5, while France’s Marie Dorin Hebert grabbed third with a time of 32:14.3 (0+1+0+0).

Miriam Goessner (GER) © Nordic Focus

Starting in 12th spot based on Friday’s Sprint results, Canada’s Rosanna Crawford battled through the heavy rain to finish in 27th  with a time of 35:05.2 (1+1+1+1). It was the fourth straight top-30 result for Crawford, who has never found her way into the elite group until last weekend.

“It was a tough skiing day out there for me. It was pouring buckets the whole race so I could have used a snorkel and a mask today,” quipped Crawford in a team release. “It’s been a long three weeks here in Europe with three races every week so I am more than ready for a Christmas break.”

Rosanna Crawford IBU sprintsat jeff stokoe.2

The 27th-place finish qualifies Crawford for her first-ever mass start race on Sunday with the top-30. “I’m really excited and also very nervous,” said Crawford. “I’ve gotten some advice from other teammates who say it’ll be the funnest race I’ve ever done so I am pretty pumped.”

American Annelies Cook finished 33rd posting a time of 35:55.0 with three penalties. Cook’s teammates Sara Studebaker and Susan Dunklee finished 35th and 38th respectively.

“Today’s race was really tough.  I was definitely feeling the last couple weeks in my legs, and racing in the pouring rain is always a mental struggle,” commented Studebaker in a team release. “I was happy with the performance, though, and was able to pull it together on skis enough in the last loop to move up one position overall. It was a good race to end the 2012 year on, and I’m looking forward to some rest over the break and then picking up where I left off in January!”

IBU world cup biathlon, pursuit women, Pokljuka (SLO)

Megan Heinicke of Canada was 41st (0+0+1+2) with a time of 36:21.3, while Zina Kocher finished 44th (0+2+2+3) in 36:47.7.  Kocher didn’t have a great day out on the course. It was a tough day for her skiing and shooting, as she didn’t feel strong as usual.

“I started ok in prone, but made a technical error in the 2nd prone with the sights, and slowly the race fell apart, including a crash in my 4th loop” Kocher told SkiTrax.  “An athlete fell in front of me on a downhill before the last shooting, standing, and I veered right to avoid her and went into a banner fence and hit my head on my rifle….and thus lost a lot of time and was not very focused in the final shooting. “

Kocher is looking to regroup during the Christmas break in order to come back stronger. Looking on the bright side of things, she’s happy for her teammates newfound success. “It’s very exciting for Rosanna Crawford. She’s had a bomber start to the year and entering her first mass start tomorrow is pretty killer.” The Pokljuka World Cup wraps up on Sunday with the mass start races.

Full results HERE.