Miriam Gössner
Encyclopedia
Miriam Gössner is a German
-Norwegian
biathlete
and cross-country skier
. Noted for her fast skiing performances, she won two junior world championship titles in biathlon in 2008 and 2009. Gössner was called-up for the Nordic World Ski Championships 2009, where she was part of Germany's cross-country team claiming silver in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, Gössner won a silver medal in cross-country skiing in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay
. She returned to biathlon for the 2010–11 season, achieving three podium finishes in her first complete winter on the Biathlon World Cup
tour. At the Biathlon World Championships 2011
, Gössner won the gold medal in the women's relay
.
, Bavaria
. Her father is German and her mother Norwegian
, born in Molde
, Norway. Gössner grew up bilingually and is fluent in Norwegian
. She originally hoped for a career in alpine skiing
, but following an accident during slalom
training, in which she lost several teeth and suffered a broken cheekbone, she instead started biathlon at the age of 14. Since 2008, Gössner has been living in a relationship with German biathlete Simon Schempp
.
, with whom she trains in Mittenwald
, one of Germany's biathlon bases.
Gössner qualified for the 2008 Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships in Ruhpolding
, Germany
, where she won gold as part of the German relay team. One year later at the 2009 Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships in Canmore, Alberta
, Canada
, Gössner won the pursuit title. She also won silver in the sprint, bronze in the relay, and came in fourth place in the individual. Early on, Gössner was noted for her fast skiing performances. She won the junior pursuit gold in spite of eight shooting errors and came in fourth in the individual with a total time penalty of six minutes.
Because of her fast skiing times, Germany's cross-country coach, Jochen Behle
, called her up as a late replacement for the freestyle sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec
, Czech Republic
. She came in 17th place during qualification, but did not advance beyond the quarter-final in the main competition, eventually finishing in 19th position. After Stefanie Böhler
had to withdraw, Gössner was picked for the 4 × 5 kilometre relay. She set the fastest time of all racers on her lap and reduced Germany's gap to the lead by 55.1 seconds, playing an important part in Germany's silver medal win. Gössner could not compete in biathlon for the remainder of the season due to a thumb injury, therefore she debuted in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup
in Lahti
, Finland
in March 2009, winning her first World Cup points with two top-30 finishes.
in Östersund
, Sweden
, in December 2009, the first event of the 2009–10 season. She finished in 73rd place in the individual and 58th in the sprint race, with seven and five shooting errors respectively. She saw no chance to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in biathlon and concentrated on cross-country skiing for the remaining season. Gössner competed at the 2009–10 Tour de Ski
, finishing in 5th place in the prologue, which secured her the Olympic qualification in cross-country skiing. She continued with good results in the cross-country World Cup, coming in 5th in the sprint and 4th in the team sprint in Rybinsk
, Russia
.
The Winter Olympics in Vancouver
started with a setback for Gössner. She was looking for a potential top ten finish in the 10 kilometre freestyle race
, before crashing on the second loop. She injured her shoulder and lost time, eventually finishing in 21st place. On 25 February 2010, running the third leg alongside Katrin Zeller
, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
and Claudia Nystad for Germany, Gössner claimed the silver medal in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay
. After the Olympics, she remained with the cross-country team through the end of the season. Her best World Cup result was a second place in Lahti, again coming in a women's relay event. Along with all Olympic medal winners, she received the Silberne Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest state decoration
for athletes in Germany.
Despite repeated attempts by head coach Jochen Behle to convince her to stay with the cross-country team, Gössner decided to return to biathlon for the 2010–11 season, even if she had to compete in second tier IBU Cup races initially. However, she was picked for the German team at the World Cup opening in Östersund. In the first race of the season, she finished in 39th place in the individual race, winning her first Biathlon World Cup points. Two days later, Gössner shot clean and came in second place in the sprint race. In the subsequent pursuit, she defended her second place. She set the fastest course time in both races and was beaten only by Finland's Kaisa Mäkäräinen
.
Following her surprising podiums, Gössner continued the season with average results, earning World Cup points in 11 of her next 13 individual races. However, she failed to reach any more top ten positions because of poor shooting performances. In Pokljuka, Slovenia
, Gössner competed in her first biathlon team event, a mixed relay race. She incurred four penalty loops in the standing shoot, with Germany finishing eighth eventually. One month later in Antholz, Italy
, she reached third place in the women's relay with Germany, again skiing two penalty loops. At the World Cup stop in Fort Kent
in the United States, Gössner claimed her third career podium, coming in second behind team mate Andrea Henkel
in the sprint race.
In March 2011, Gössner made her first appearance at the Biathlon World Championships
in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
. She achieved good results, finishing in 9th place in the sprint
, 7th in the pursuit
and 14th in the mass start
, and was consequently selected for the women's relay
. Alongside Andrea Henkel
, Tina Bachmann
and Magdalena Neuner
, Gössner ran the second leg for Germany, but again struggled with the standing shoot and had to ski two penalty loops. A strong finish by team mate Magdalena Neuner on the last leg, however, gave Gössner her first world championship gold medal and first World Cup win. Gössner ended her first complete biathlon season with three individual podiums and seven top ten finishes, ranked 14th in the overall World Cup standings.
in biathlon. During 8 of her 27 World Cup races (30%), she has set the fastest course time (race time without time spent at the shooting range or in the penalty loop). In addition, she has been among the top three fastest skiers in 70% of her career races. At junior level, Gössner was noted for her fast skiing performances and she often had been able to make up for multiple shooting errors on the cross-country course. In her first two World Cup races in the 2009–10 season
, she achieved the 9th and 15th fastest course time respectively. One year later during the 2010–11 season
, Gössner set the fastest skiing time in 8 of her 25 races, out-skiing most of the field's top contenders on a regular basis.
in Vancouver
, Canada
, Gössner competed in cross-country skiing
, after she had failed to qualify for the German biathlon team. She finished in 21st place in the 10 kilometre freestyle race
, before winning the silver medal with Katrin Zeller
, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
and Claudia Nystad in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay
.
at the 2011 competition
in Khanty-Mansiysk
, Russia
. Following top ten finishes in the sprint and pursuit races, she won her first world title in the women's relay
, claiming the gold medal alongside Andrea Henkel
, Tina Bachmann
and Magdalena Neuner
.
, Czech Republic
. She came in 19th place in the freestyle sprint race and won the silver medal with Katrin Zeller
, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
and Claudia Nystad in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay.
in the 2009–10 season. After two disappointing races at the beginning of the winter, she joined the German cross-country team. She had ten appearances on the FIS Cross-Country World Cup
tour, including three top ten finishes in non-team races. The following winter, Gössner returned to biathlon for the 2010–11 season. In the overall standings she finished her first complete World Cup season in 14th place.
races. Her career best results were second place finishes in two sprints and one pursuit race respectively. In team events, she claimed her maiden World Cup win in the 2011 World Championships relay
with Germany. Gössner has achieved 10 top ten finishes—33.33 per cent of all the races she has entered.
, Germany
, winning gold as part of the German relay team. One year later in Canmore, Alberta
, Canada
, Gössner won the pursuit title after claiming the silver medal in the sprint, and she also won bronze in the relay.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
biathlete
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
and cross-country skier
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
. Noted for her fast skiing performances, she won two junior world championship titles in biathlon in 2008 and 2009. Gössner was called-up for the Nordic World Ski Championships 2009, where she was part of Germany's cross-country team claiming silver in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Gössner won a silver medal in cross-country skiing in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 4 x 5 kilometre relay
The women's 4 x 5 kilometre relay cross-country skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held on 25 February at Whistler Olympic Park at 11:15 PST....
. She returned to biathlon for the 2010–11 season, achieving three podium finishes in her first complete winter on the Biathlon World Cup
Biathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
tour. At the Biathlon World Championships 2011
Biathlon World Championships 2011
The 44th Biathlon World Championships was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from March 3 to March 13 2011.There was a total of 11 competitions: sprint, pursuit, individual, mass start, and relay races for men and women, and mixed relay...
, Gössner won the gold medal in the women's relay
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's relay
The Women's relay of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 13 2011 at 15:00. 20 nations will participate.-Results:...
.
Early life
Miriam Gössner was born in the German alpine resort town of Garmisch-PartenkirchenGarmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. Her father is German and her mother Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, born in Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
, Norway. Gössner grew up bilingually and is fluent in Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
. She originally hoped for a career in alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, but following an accident during slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
training, in which she lost several teeth and suffered a broken cheekbone, she instead started biathlon at the age of 14. Since 2008, Gössner has been living in a relationship with German biathlete Simon Schempp
Simon Schempp
Simon Schempp is a German biathlete. In 2009, he ran his first single World Cup Race. He competed for Germany at the 2010 Winter Olympics, finishing fifth.-Career highlights:IBU World ChampionshipsWorld Cup...
.
Early career
After deciding to pursue a career in biathlon, Gössner joined the German Customs Administration in August 2006 to become a member in the government-supported Customs-Ski-Team (Zoll-Ski-Team). She officially holds the rank of Zolloberwachtmeisterin (head customs officer), although she is a full time professional athlete with no customs obligations. One of her team mates is Olympic champion Magdalena NeunerMagdalena Neuner
Magdalena "Lena" Neuner is a German professional biathlete. She is the most successful woman of all time at Biathlon World Championships and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the age of 21, she became the youngest Overall World Cup winner in the history of the International Biathlon Union...
, with whom she trains in Mittenwald
Mittenwald
Mittenwald is a German municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria.-Geography:Mittenwald is located approx. 16 kilometers to the south-east of Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
, one of Germany's biathlon bases.
Gössner qualified for the 2008 Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships in Ruhpolding
Ruhpolding
Ruhpolding is a municipality of the Traunstein district in southeastern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the south of the Chiemgau region in the Alps. Ruhpolding has a population of approximately 6,400....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where she won gold as part of the German relay team. One year later at the 2009 Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships in Canmore, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Gössner won the pursuit title. She also won silver in the sprint, bronze in the relay, and came in fourth place in the individual. Early on, Gössner was noted for her fast skiing performances. She won the junior pursuit gold in spite of eight shooting errors and came in fourth in the individual with a total time penalty of six minutes.
Because of her fast skiing times, Germany's cross-country coach, Jochen Behle
Jochen Behle
Jochen Behle is a former German cross-country skier who competed from 1982 to 1998.Competing in five Winter Olympics, he earned his best career finish of fourth in the 4 x 10 km relay at Lillehammer in 1994 and his best individual finish of 11th in the 10 km event at those same games.Behle's best...
, called her up as a late replacement for the freestyle sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec
Liberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. She came in 17th place during qualification, but did not advance beyond the quarter-final in the main competition, eventually finishing in 19th position. After Stefanie Böhler
Stefanie Böhler
Stefanie Böhler is a German cross-country skier who has competed since 1999. She won a silver medal in the 4 x 5 km relay at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin...
had to withdraw, Gössner was picked for the 4 × 5 kilometre relay. She set the fastest time of all racers on her lap and reduced Germany's gap to the lead by 55.1 seconds, playing an important part in Germany's silver medal win. Gössner could not compete in biathlon for the remainder of the season due to a thumb injury, therefore she debuted in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup
FIS Cross-Country World Cup
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31...
in Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in March 2009, winning her first World Cup points with two top-30 finishes.
Olympic cross-country silver (2009–10 season)
Gössner made her debut in the Biathlon World CupBiathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
in Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, in December 2009, the first event of the 2009–10 season. She finished in 73rd place in the individual and 58th in the sprint race, with seven and five shooting errors respectively. She saw no chance to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in biathlon and concentrated on cross-country skiing for the remaining season. Gössner competed at the 2009–10 Tour de Ski
2009–10 Tour de Ski
The 2009–10 Tour de Ski took place 1-10 January 2010. The race started in Oberhof, Germany, and ended in Val di Fiemme, Italy. The defending champions are Switzerland's Dario Cologna for the men and Finland's Virpi Kuitunen...
, finishing in 5th place in the prologue, which secured her the Olympic qualification in cross-country skiing. She continued with good results in the cross-country World Cup, coming in 5th in the sprint and 4th in the team sprint in Rybinsk
Rybinsk
Rybinsk is the second largest city of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, which lies at the confluence of the Volga and Sheksna Rivers. Population: It is served by Rybinsk Staroselye airport.-Early history:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
The Winter Olympics in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
started with a setback for Gössner. She was looking for a potential top ten finish in the 10 kilometre freestyle race
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 10 kilometre freestyle
The women's 10 kilometre freestyle cross-country skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held on February 15 at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia at 10:00 PST....
, before crashing on the second loop. She injured her shoulder and lost time, eventually finishing in 21st place. On 25 February 2010, running the third leg alongside Katrin Zeller
Katrin Zeller
Katrin Zeller is a German cross country skier who has competed since 1997. She won a silver medal in the 4 x 5 km relay at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver....
, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle is a German cross country skier from Reit im Winkl who has competed since 1998...
and Claudia Nystad for Germany, Gössner claimed the silver medal in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 4 x 5 kilometre relay
The women's 4 x 5 kilometre relay cross-country skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held on 25 February at Whistler Olympic Park at 11:15 PST....
. After the Olympics, she remained with the cross-country team through the end of the season. Her best World Cup result was a second place in Lahti, again coming in a women's relay event. Along with all Olympic medal winners, she received the Silberne Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest state decoration
State decoration
State decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a state. International decorations are similar, but are not granted by a specific nation but rather an international organization....
for athletes in Germany.
First biathlon success (2010–11 season)
| 2010–11 World Cup season 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup The 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union... results |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | World Cup location | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass Start | Relay | Mixed relay | |
| 1 | Östersund, Sweden Östersund Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the... |
39 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | |
| 2 | Hochfilzen, Austria Hochfilzen Hochfilzen is a small village in Tyrol, Austria, in the Kitzbühel district. It is located at , in the Pillersee valley 5km west of Fieberbrunn. Population was 1,109 in 2001.It is a popular winter sports resort, especially for cross country skiing... |
– | 18 | 25 | – | DNS | – | |
| 3 | Pokljuka, Slovenia Pokljuka Pokljuka is a foresty plateau at the altitude of around 1300 metres, situated partly in the municipality of Bled and partly in municipality of Bohinj in northwestern Slovenia. It is part of Triglav national park... |
53 | 12 | – | – | – | 8 | |
| 4 | Oberhof, Germany Oberhof, Germany Oberhof is a town in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district of Thuringia, Germany. It is a winter sports center and health resort. It is visited by tenfold as many tourists every year... |
– | 43 | – | 19 | DNS | – | |
| 5 | Ruhpolding, Germany Ruhpolding Ruhpolding is a municipality of the Traunstein district in southeastern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the south of the Chiemgau region in the Alps. Ruhpolding has a population of approximately 6,400.... |
39 | 17 | 22 | – | – | ||
| 6 | Antholz, Italy Rasen-Antholz Rasen-Antholz is a municipality in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 110 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 60 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria.-Geography:... |
– | 17 | – | 28 | 3 | – | |
| 7 | Presque Isle, United States Presque Isle, Maine Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census... |
– | 21 | 29 | – | – | DNS | |
| 8 | Fort Kent, United States Fort Kent, Maine Fort Kent is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,097 in the 2010 census. Fort Kent is home to an Olympic biathlete training center, an annual CAN-AM dogsled race, and the Fort Kent Blockhouse, built in reaction to the Aroostook War and in modern times designated... |
– | 2 | 10 | 14 | – | – | |
| WCH Biathlon World Championships 2011 The 44th Biathlon World Championships was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from March 3 to March 13 2011.There was a total of 11 competitions: sprint, pursuit, individual, mass start, and relay races for men and women, and mixed relay... |
Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Khanty-Mansiysk Khanty-Mansiysk experiences a subarctic climate . The climate is extreme, with temperatures as low as -49 C° and as high as 34.5 C°. On average, however, the region is very cold, with an average tempurature of -1.1 C°... |
DNS | 9 | 7 | 14 | 1 | DNS | |
| 9 | Oslo, Norway | – | 35 | 6 | 13 | – | – | |
| "line-height:130%">Key:"—" denotes discipline not held; DNS—Did not start; WCH—World Championships | ||||||||
Despite repeated attempts by head coach Jochen Behle to convince her to stay with the cross-country team, Gössner decided to return to biathlon for the 2010–11 season, even if she had to compete in second tier IBU Cup races initially. However, she was picked for the German team at the World Cup opening in Östersund. In the first race of the season, she finished in 39th place in the individual race, winning her first Biathlon World Cup points. Two days later, Gössner shot clean and came in second place in the sprint race. In the subsequent pursuit, she defended her second place. She set the fastest course time in both races and was beaten only by Finland's Kaisa Mäkäräinen
Kaisa Mäkäräinen
Kaisa Leena Mäkäräinen is a Finnish biathlete, who currently competes for Kontiolahden Urheilijat. Outside of sports, Mäkäräinen is currently studying to be a Physics teacher at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu...
.
Following her surprising podiums, Gössner continued the season with average results, earning World Cup points in 11 of her next 13 individual races. However, she failed to reach any more top ten positions because of poor shooting performances. In Pokljuka, Slovenia
Pokljuka
Pokljuka is a foresty plateau at the altitude of around 1300 metres, situated partly in the municipality of Bled and partly in municipality of Bohinj in northwestern Slovenia. It is part of Triglav national park...
, Gössner competed in her first biathlon team event, a mixed relay race. She incurred four penalty loops in the standing shoot, with Germany finishing eighth eventually. One month later in Antholz, Italy
Rasen-Antholz
Rasen-Antholz is a municipality in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 110 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 60 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria.-Geography:...
, she reached third place in the women's relay with Germany, again skiing two penalty loops. At the World Cup stop in Fort Kent
Fort Kent, Maine
Fort Kent is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,097 in the 2010 census. Fort Kent is home to an Olympic biathlete training center, an annual CAN-AM dogsled race, and the Fort Kent Blockhouse, built in reaction to the Aroostook War and in modern times designated...
in the United States, Gössner claimed her third career podium, coming in second behind team mate Andrea Henkel
Andrea Henkel
Andrea Henkel is a German biathlete and the younger sister of Manuela Henkel, a successful cross-country skier. She trains at SV Großbreitenbach...
in the sprint race.
In March 2011, Gössner made her first appearance at the Biathlon World Championships
Biathlon World Championships
The first Biathlon World Championships was held in 1958, with individual and team contests for men. The number of events has grown significantly over the years. Beginning in 1984, women biathletes had their own World Championships, and finally, from 1989, both genders have been participating in...
in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia
Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk experiences a subarctic climate . The climate is extreme, with temperatures as low as -49 C° and as high as 34.5 C°. On average, however, the region is very cold, with an average tempurature of -1.1 C°...
. She achieved good results, finishing in 9th place in the sprint
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's sprint
The women's sprint competition of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 5, 2011 at 18:00 local time. 103 athletes participated.- Results :...
, 7th in the pursuit
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's pursuit
The women's pursuit competition of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 6, 2011 at 16:30 local time. The best 60 athletes from the sprint participated.- Results :...
and 14th in the mass start
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's mass start
The women's mass start competition of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 12, 2011 at 12:30 local time.- Results :...
, and was consequently selected for the women's relay
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's relay
The Women's relay of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 13 2011 at 15:00. 20 nations will participate.-Results:...
. Alongside Andrea Henkel
Andrea Henkel
Andrea Henkel is a German biathlete and the younger sister of Manuela Henkel, a successful cross-country skier. She trains at SV Großbreitenbach...
, Tina Bachmann
Tina Bachmann
Tina Bachmann is a German professional biathlete.At the World Championships 2011 in Khanty-Mansiysk Bachmann won silver in 15 km Individual and gold with the women's team in the 4 x 6 km Relay race.-External links:...
and Magdalena Neuner
Magdalena Neuner
Magdalena "Lena" Neuner is a German professional biathlete. She is the most successful woman of all time at Biathlon World Championships and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the age of 21, she became the youngest Overall World Cup winner in the history of the International Biathlon Union...
, Gössner ran the second leg for Germany, but again struggled with the standing shoot and had to ski two penalty loops. A strong finish by team mate Magdalena Neuner on the last leg, however, gave Gössner her first world championship gold medal and first World Cup win. Gössner ended her first complete biathlon season with three individual podiums and seven top ten finishes, ranked 14th in the overall World Cup standings.
Skiing
Gössner is one of the fastest female cross-country skiersCross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
in biathlon. During 8 of her 27 World Cup races (30%), she has set the fastest course time (race time without time spent at the shooting range or in the penalty loop). In addition, she has been among the top three fastest skiers in 70% of her career races. At junior level, Gössner was noted for her fast skiing performances and she often had been able to make up for multiple shooting errors on the cross-country course. In her first two World Cup races in the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Biathlon World Cup
The 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union. The season started December 2, 2009 in Östersund, Sweden and ended March 28, 2010 with the Mixed Relay World Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia...
, she achieved the 9th and 15th fastest course time respectively. One year later during the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Biathlon World Cup
The 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union...
, Gössner set the fastest skiing time in 8 of her 25 races, out-skiing most of the field's top contenders on a regular basis.
| Course times | 2009–10 season 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup The 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union. The season started December 2, 2009 in Östersund, Sweden and ended March 28, 2010 with the Mixed Relay World Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia... |
2010–11 season 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup The 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union... |
Career | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fastest | 0 / 2 | 0% | 8 / 25 | 32% | 8 / 27 | 30% |
| 2nd fastest | 0 / 2 | 0% | 6 / 25 | 24% | 6 / 27 | 22% |
| 3rd fastest | 0 / 2 | 0% | 5 / 25 | 20% | 5 / 27 | 19% |
| Other | 2 / 2 | 100% | 6 / 25 | 24% | 8 / 27 | 30% |
- *Key:Number of respective times achieved / number of all races entered, percentage. Results in IBU World Cup races, no relay events.
- **Statistics as of 20 March 2011.
Shooting
As of the end of the 2010–11 season, Gössner has a career shooting accuracy of 67%. Her career average in the prone position is 80%, while her career average in the standing position is 54%. Her shooting results in the prone position are slightly below average, while her standing position percentage is among the worst of the entire World Cup field. In her first complete season on the World Cup tour, Gössner produced highly inconsistent shooting results. She shot clean once, during her first podium finish in the Östersund sprint race in December 2010, but also had two races with a total of nine shooting errors (Antholz mass start, Presque Isle pursuit). She has competed in two women's relays and one mixed relay, incurring at least two penalty loops in each of those races.| Shooting | 2009–10 season 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup The 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union. The season started December 2, 2009 in Östersund, Sweden and ended March 28, 2010 with the Mixed Relay World Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia... |
2010–11 season 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup The 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union... |
Career | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prone position | 11 / 15 | 73% | 177 / 220 | 80% | 188 / 235 | 80% |
| Standing position | 7 / 15 | 47% | 123 / 224 | 55% | 130 / 239 | 54% |
| Total | 18 / 30 | 60% | 300 / 444 | 68% | 318 / 474 | 67% |
- *Key:Hits / shots, percentage. Results in all IBU World Cup races including relay events.
- **Statistics as of 20 March 2011.
Olympic Games
At the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Gössner competed in cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, after she had failed to qualify for the German biathlon team. She finished in 21st place in the 10 kilometre freestyle race
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 10 kilometre freestyle
The women's 10 kilometre freestyle cross-country skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held on February 15 at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia at 10:00 PST....
, before winning the silver medal with Katrin Zeller
Katrin Zeller
Katrin Zeller is a German cross country skier who has competed since 1997. She won a silver medal in the 4 x 5 km relay at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver....
, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle is a German cross country skier from Reit im Winkl who has competed since 1998...
and Claudia Nystad in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 4 x 5 kilometre relay
The women's 4 x 5 kilometre relay cross-country skiing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held on 25 February at Whistler Olympic Park at 11:15 PST....
.
| Event | 10 km freestyle | 15 km pursuit | 30 km classical | 4 × 5 km relay | Sprint classical | Team sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics The cross-country skiing competition of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were held at Whistler Olympic Park. The events were held between 15 and 28 February 2010.- Medal table :- Men's events :- Women's events :- Competition schedule :... |
21st | — | — | Silver | — | — |
Biathlon World Championships
Gössner made her debut at the Biathlon World ChampionshipsBiathlon World Championships
The first Biathlon World Championships was held in 1958, with individual and team contests for men. The number of events has grown significantly over the years. Beginning in 1984, women biathletes had their own World Championships, and finally, from 1989, both genders have been participating in...
at the 2011 competition
Biathlon World Championships 2011
The 44th Biathlon World Championships was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from March 3 to March 13 2011.There was a total of 11 competitions: sprint, pursuit, individual, mass start, and relay races for men and women, and mixed relay...
in Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk experiences a subarctic climate . The climate is extreme, with temperatures as low as -49 C° and as high as 34.5 C°. On average, however, the region is very cold, with an average tempurature of -1.1 C°...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Following top ten finishes in the sprint and pursuit races, she won her first world title in the women's relay
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's relay
The Women's relay of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 13 2011 at 15:00. 20 nations will participate.-Results:...
, claiming the gold medal alongside Andrea Henkel
Andrea Henkel
Andrea Henkel is a German biathlete and the younger sister of Manuela Henkel, a successful cross-country skier. She trains at SV Großbreitenbach...
, Tina Bachmann
Tina Bachmann
Tina Bachmann is a German professional biathlete.At the World Championships 2011 in Khanty-Mansiysk Bachmann won silver in 15 km Individual and gold with the women's team in the 4 x 6 km Relay race.-External links:...
and Magdalena Neuner
Magdalena Neuner
Magdalena "Lena" Neuner is a German professional biathlete. She is the most successful woman of all time at Biathlon World Championships and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the age of 21, she became the youngest Overall World Cup winner in the history of the International Biathlon Union...
.
| Event | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass Start | Relay | Mixed Relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Biathlon World Championships 2011 The 44th Biathlon World Championships was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from March 3 to March 13 2011.There was a total of 11 competitions: sprint, pursuit, individual, mass start, and relay races for men and women, and mixed relay... |
— | 9th | 7th | 14th | Gold | — |
Nordic World Ski Championships
Courtesy of her fast skiing at junior level in biathlon, Gössner was called-up as a late replacement for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in LiberecLiberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. She came in 19th place in the freestyle sprint race and won the silver medal with Katrin Zeller
Katrin Zeller
Katrin Zeller is a German cross country skier who has competed since 1997. She won a silver medal in the 4 x 5 km relay at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver....
, Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle
Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle is a German cross country skier from Reit im Winkl who has competed since 1998...
and Claudia Nystad in the 4 × 5 kilometre relay.
| Event | 10 km classical | 15 km pursuit | 30 km freestyle | 4 × 5 km relay | Sprint freestyle | Team sprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Liberec, Czech Republic | — | — | — | Silver | 19th | — |
Biathlon World Cup
Gössner made her debut in the Biathlon World CupBiathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
in the 2009–10 season. After two disappointing races at the beginning of the winter, she joined the German cross-country team. She had ten appearances on the FIS Cross-Country World Cup
FIS Cross-Country World Cup
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31...
tour, including three top ten finishes in non-team races. The following winter, Gössner returned to biathlon for the 2010–11 season. In the overall standings she finished her first complete World Cup season in 14th place.
| Season | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass Start | Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Races | Points | Position | Races | Points | Position | Races | Points | Position | Races | Points | Position | Races | Points | Position | |
| 2009–10 | 1/4 | 0 | – | 1/10 | 0 | – | 0/6 | – | – | 0/5 | – | – | 2/25 | 0 | – |
| 2010–11 | 3/4 | 4 | 66th | 10/10 | 266 | 9th | 7/7 | 206 | 9th | 5/5 | 117 | 16th | 25/26 | 593 | 14th |
- *Key:Races—number of entered races/all races; Points—won World Cup points; Position—World Cup season ranking.
Overall biathlon record
As of the end of the 2010–11 season, Gössner has competed in 30 Biathlon World CupBiathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
races. Her career best results were second place finishes in two sprints and one pursuit race respectively. In team events, she claimed her maiden World Cup win in the 2011 World Championships relay
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Women's relay
The Women's relay of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 13 2011 at 15:00. 20 nations will participate.-Results:...
with Germany. Gössner has achieved 10 top ten finishes—33.33 per cent of all the races she has entered.
| Result | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Mass Start | Relay | Mixed Relay | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 2nd Place | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 3 |
| 3rd Place | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| Top 10 | – | 3 | 4 | – | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Points | 2 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
| Other | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| Starts | 4 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 30 |
- *Results in all IBU World Cup races including relay events. Statistics as of 20 March 2011.
Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships
Gössner has won two gold medals, as well as one silver and one bronze medal at the Biathlon Junior/Youth World Championships. In 2008, she competed at her first junior world championships when they were held in RuhpoldingRuhpolding
Ruhpolding is a municipality of the Traunstein district in southeastern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the south of the Chiemgau region in the Alps. Ruhpolding has a population of approximately 6,400....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, winning gold as part of the German relay team. One year later in Canmore, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Gössner won the pursuit title after claiming the silver medal in the sprint, and she also won bronze in the relay.
| Event | Individual | Sprint | Pursuit | Relay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Ruhpolding, Germany Ruhpolding Ruhpolding is a municipality of the Traunstein district in southeastern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the south of the Chiemgau region in the Alps. Ruhpolding has a population of approximately 6,400.... |
33rd | 15th | 13th | Gold |
| 2009 Canmore, Canada Canmore, Alberta Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of... |
4th | Silver | Gold | Bronze |