Slepov, winner of the sprint competition yesterday, amassed three penalties before he crossed the line in a time of 33min 21sec to take the title by 44.3 seconds in front of Bulgaria's Krasimir Anev.

Fellow Russian Anton Babikov was third and Norway's Lars Helge Birkeland claimed fourth.

Slepov's success capped off a fruitful afternoon for the Russians after Ekaterina Shumilova won the women's 10km event in comfortable fashion as she took her first gold medal of the championships.

In difficult conditions, Shumilova finished in a time of 33:07.4, 31.9 seconds ahead of nearest challenger Iryna Varvynets of the Ukraine.

Ekaterina Yurlova was third as she crossed the line 51.4 seconds adrift of Shumilova, while Krystyna Guzik of Poland missed out on a podium spot as she finished fourth.

Shumilova seemed keen to build on her third-place finish yesterday's sprint event as she signalled her intentions by taking an early lead.

But Belarusian Nastassia Dubarezava stormed to the front and she remained on course to defy the weather by shooting clean, but she crumbled under the pressure, making three mistakes at the final standing stage which handed Shumilova the impetus.

Russia's Ekaterina Shumilova proved too strong for the rest of the field as she took gold in the women's 10km pursuit at the IBU European Open in Otepää ©IBU



The Russian made the most of the opportunity as she set off with a substantial advantage over the rest of the field and she eventually sauntered to a comfortable victory.

"Today it was much easier for me than it was in sprint despite to the conditions which were harder," she said.

"On the third shooting range there was a big wind gust, I was trying to shoot "in the wind", but couldn't make it.

"Then I calmed down and worked in my normal rhythm.

"But today you had to risk because it was a lottery at the shooting range and if you shot too long it could gave you even more penalties and mistakes."

In the junior women's event, held over the same distance, Anastasiya Merkushyna of Ukraine secured her second win in a row with a time of 35:52.9.

Silver went to Russia's Uliana Kaisheva and Dunja Zdouc of Austria claimed bronze.

The event continues tomorrow with the junior mixed relay.

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