BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup 1 (2015-2016) - Single Mixed Relay

29.11.2015, Ostersund

Norway Wins Season-Opening Single Mix Relay

Nicolaisen and Birkeland
Norway's Lars Helge Birkeland and Kaia Nicolaisen won the season-opening single mixed relay in 36:27.3 with one penalty and seven spare rounds. Canada finished second, 11.9seconds back, with nine spare rounds, with Germany in third, 13.2 seconds back, with one penalty and eight spare rounds.

Fourth went to the home team of Sweden, 24.4 seconds back, with Russia in fifth, 41.8 seconds back and Finland in sixth, 42.3 seconds back.

Snow and Wind

The new season started under cloudy skies with a strong wind dropping light snow through the morning into the afternoon. The strong winds plus a bit heavier snow, not unusual here, made shooting a challenge for all 24 teams.

France Leads Early

Marie Dorin Habert of France made the first loop look easy with fast skis and clean prone shooting. In standing, she needed two spare rounds, while Kaia Nicolaisen of Norway shot clean to take the lead. She tagged in first with Ukraine's Juliya Dzhyma in second, 4.8 seconds back and Dorin Habert, 8.2 seconds back.

Norway

In the first men's prone stage, Lars Helge Birkeland used one spare but held the lead over France's Simon Fourcade. In standing, Birkeland again used another spare while Fourcade had a penalty; they went out in that order to the next exchange, with Germany now up to third position.

Now Nicolaisen had a 20 second gap on Dorin. After the prone stage, Dorin Habert and the Norwegian were almost side-by-side heading to standing, with Maren Hammerschmidt in third, followed by Dzhyma in fourth. However, due to a penalty on Fourcade who failed to use all of his spare rounds and not doing a penalty loop, four minutes penalty was added to their time, pushing them back to the end of the field.

Dzhyma shot clean in standing to take the lead over Norway, with Rosanna Crawford of Canada now moving up to third at the exchange. The top three teams were separated by just 11 seconds.

Canada's Nathan Smith shot clean in the final prone stage to claim a seven second lead over Birkeland and now in third, Daniel Boehm of Germany.

Birkeland cleaned, leaving for the final loop with 12 seconds over Boehm, Smith, and Sweden's Tobias Arvidson. Smith outsprinted the German to take second while the home team Sweden finished fourth.

Nicolaisen commented, "I was not nervous even though it was my first WC start. My goal was just to shoot good and ski fast."

Birkeland added, "I love the last shooting so I just decided to attack. I was hoping for a win but it is never easy...In the other competitions, I have a good chance in all of them.

Surprised Canadian

Rosanna Crawford of Canada said, "I was really surprised when I took off in third position, I really thought I was still back in eighth after our bad start."

Boehm was satisfied to be on the podium. "It is always good to be on the podium in the first race. Everyone is in good shape, so it is hard to get to the podium...I knew I had to focus in the last shooting, but I am not in the best skiing shape. I pushed hard on the last loop, but Nathan got ahead by the finish."

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