Italy and Sweden win relay races in Hochfilzen

Nordic

Italy and Sweden win relay races in Hochfilzen

Lisa Vittozzi (ITA), Alexia Runggaldier (ITA, Fischer skis, bindings and boots), Dorothea Wierer (ITA) and Federica Sanfilippo (ITA, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) won women's relay in Hochfilzen (AUT). In the men's race the Swedes Peppe Femling (SWE, Fischer skis and bindings), Martin Ponsiluoma (SWE, Fischer skis, bindings and boots), Torstein Stenersen and Sebastian Samuelson (both SWE) claimed victory.

With only three spare rounds in the entire competition, the Italians showed an excellent shooting performance in the 4x6km relay. After the team dropped back after Alexia Runggaldier's two spare rounds and weaker skiing, the team started to catch up: Doro Wierer already gave Federica Sanfilippo a 20-second advantage, which the final skier was able to bring home. Sweden with Linn Persson (SWE, Fischer skis and bindings), Mona Brorsson (SWE), Emma Nilsson (SWE) and Hanna Öberg (SWE, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) and the French Anais Chevalier, Julia Simon (both FRA), Celia Aymonier (FRA, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) and Anais Bescond (FRA) were able to regain seconds against Sanfilippo, but it was not enough to win. Fourth went to Russians Evgeniya Pavlova (RUS, Fischer skis and bindings), Ekaterina Yurlova-Percht, Valeriia Vasnetcova (both RUS, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) and Irina Starykh (RUS).

=> 4x6km Relay Hochflizen (AUT)

Although due to Peppe Femling's skiing deficiencies the team was around thirty seconds behind along with Norway, Martin Ponsiluoma brought his team closer to the others before the second exchange, despite three reloads. Torstein Stenersen took the lead shortly after his standing shooting and Sebastian Samuelsson then stormed on and off. But then he had to use two spare rounds in standing and brought Norway back in strike distance. However, on the final lap he proved to be the stronger, leaving Norway's Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (NOR), along with Lars Helge Birkeland (NOR, Fischer skis, bindings and boots), Henrik L'Abee-Lund (NOR) and Tarjei Bø (NOR, Fischer skis, bindings and boots), on second place. The German team with Simon Schempp (GER), Johannes Kühn (GER, Fischer skis, bindings and boots), Arnd Peiffer and Benedikt Doll (both GER) had to catch up from 18th place after a penalty from Johannes Kühn, thanks to Peiffer and Doll they nevertheless reached the podium place ahead of the Austrians Tobias Eberhard (AUT, Fischer skis, bindings and boots), Simon Eder and Dominik Landertinger (AUT, Fischer skis and bindings), who had to substitute their diseased anchor skier Julian Eberhard by Felix Leitner (both AUT Fischer skis, bindings and boots) shortly before the start. The substitute showed a great race and finished fourth in front of their home crowd.

=> 4x7,5km Relay Hochfilzen (AUT)