The German paired a faultless shooting performance with a strong finish to complete the 7.5 kilometres sprint in 20min 7.1sec.

Czech Markéta Davidová was second, 18.1sec back with one penalty, and the clean-shooting Julia Simon of France was 20.1 off the pace of Herrmann-Wick.

Swedne's Elvira Öberg was fourth and Anamarija Lampič of Slovenia - on IBU World Cup debut - fifth.

"It feels like the Olympic dream in Beijing, because Hochfilzen was not one of my most favorite places," Herrmann-Wick told the IBU website after the win.

"Today I tried to do a good race overall to be calm on the skis and not too fast on the range. 

"The range seems easy but it is not that easy. 

"The last years, I pushed too hard. 

"Today it was really hard on the tracks, icy and slippery. 

"I was a bit afraid of the conditions before, so I tried to stay calm and do a good biathlon race. 

"With this victory, I am super satisfied and proud."

Neither Herrmann-Wick, the Olympic 15km champion and also a relay bronze medallist, or Davidová had finished on the podium yet this season.

Simon had and her third-place finish is enough to assume the overall World Cup lead.

Lampič was in IBU World Cup action for the first time since swapping cross-country skiing for biathlon - a switch Herrmann-Wick also made several years ago.

A men's 10km sprint is scheduled tomorrow.