PRESQUE ISLE — With flawless shooting, Germany’s Arnd Peiffer and Sweden’s Helena Ekholm won their sprints in the World Cup biathlon.

Peiffer finished 15.9 seconds ahead of France’s Martin Fourcade today in the 10-kilometer sprint. Fourcade had to settle for silver after missing one of his targets while standing, allowing Peiffer to open a lead. Ivan Tcherezov of Russia hit all of his targets but finished 36.6 seconds back.

In the women’s 7.5-kilometer sprint, Ekholm finished 8.8 seconds ahead of Norway’s Tora Berger, who missed one target, and 19.4 seconds aheada of Ukraine’s Val Semerenko.

Biathletes from 22 nations are competing at the Maine Winter Sports Center’s Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle. The following weekend’s competition is in Fort Kent.

Olympic medalists in the field include France’s Vincent Jay and Marie Dorin; Russia’s Evegeny Ustyugov, Anton Shipulin and Svetlana Sleptsova; Germany’s Magdalena Neuner; and Norway’s Tarjei Boe.


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