Boe claims final day spoils for second season running

Johannes Thingnes Boe made it three successive overall crystal globes in the biathlon World Cup in dramatic fashion in Ostersund.

The race for the title came down to the final shoot of the final race of the season, with Boe taking third in the mass start.

Boe led rival Sturla Holm Laegreid by 15 seconds going into the final standing shoot, but missed his final shot to open up the opportunity for his young compatriot.

But for the first time this season, Laegreid blinked. The youngster had to beat Boe to take the title, but two misses on the final shoot ended his hopes as he could only finish eighth.

From there, Boe had the overall title in the bag, although it was his brother Tarjei Boe who won the mass start crystal globe by coming home sixth.

Eduard Latypov led out of the final shooting range, but ran out of energy on the skis with Simon Desthieux adding a second World Cup win to his collection after sprint victory in Nove Mesto. The Russian came home 8.9 seconds behind Desthieux.

Johannes Thingnes Boe meanwhile, was able to cruise home in third to secure the overall title on the final day for the second season running, eventually finishing 13 points clear of Laegreid in the overall standings.

Boe said: "This is the best way possible to end the season for the sport. To be the one finishing on top and to bring this home, I have no words to describe how relieved I am and how happy I am."

Earlier in the day Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold claimed victory in the women's mass start, taking the crystal globe in the discipline in the process.

The Norwegian got the better of Dzinara Alimbekava in a race which was affected by the strong wind with many of the pre-race favourites struggling on the range.

Franziska Preuss took third place, but it was Tandrevold, who had started the day ninth in the mass start standings, who claimed the crystal globe ahead of Preuss on countback.

Tiril Eckhoff had already wrapped up the overall crystal globe and finished seventh on the day.

Sportsbeat 2021