France took control of this afternoon’s IBU World Championships Mixed Relay from the first exchange and never looked back, with anchor Emilien Jacquelin bringing home their second consecutive Gold medal in 1:04:41.5. Jacquelin and teammates Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot and Eric Perrot had one penalty and six spares in their Gold medal win, leaving Silver medalist Czechia 1:13.8 back, with Bronze medalist Germany 1:18.4 back.

Jacquelin, “Teammates…very impressive”

Jacquelin despite picking up his team’s only penalty, praised his teammates. “I am so lucky to have these guys and girls on the team. What they did is impressive, very impressive since the beginning of the year.”

“I was quite shaky”

As for his penalty, “I did this penalty loop. I was quite shaky. It is quite hard to be alone on the shooting range with this huge gap. Anyway, for the team it was the win. For me, I need to improve everything I learned from this shooting. I have to adjust, but I have to thank them of course.”

Czechia, with nine spares won their first IBU WCH mixed relay medal since Antholz 2020 when they claimed Bronze also anchored by Michal Krcmar.

Krcmar admitted today “I was nervous on the start, because this was a very good position for us…On the last uphill, I saw Justus was a little tired and I tried, and we got it. We are here…an amazing day for us.”

Germany with 11 spares last won a medal, Silver at Oestersund 2019. Norway came back from two first leg penalties to finish fourth, with eight additional spares, 1:21.1 back. Sweden, with a penalty and 10 spares finished fifth, 1:36.5 back after anchor Sebastian Samuelsson fell on the last loop. Switzerland with eleven spares finished sixth, 1:44.1 back.

The competition opened with 24 teams starting under cloudy skies, +6C, and virtually no wind on the range for the 24 teams on the starting line. Suvi Minkkinen and Simon sorted out the first leg with fast, accurate shooting. After standing, the duo was 1-2, separated by four seconds heading to the first exchange. Norway fell two minutes back with Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold’s second penalty.

Jeanmonnot Opens Gap

Jeanmonnot left the first exchange in the lead, followed by Poland and Czechia. The French second leg cleaned prone and gone before anyone else shot. Six fast standing shots ballooned the French lead to 38 seconds ahead of Czechia’s Tereza Vobornikova.

Perrot took Jeanmonnot’s tag 44 seconds up on the field. Like his teammate, Perrot was fast and clean in prone with Vitezslav Hornig and Philipp Nawrath 55 seconds back. Perrot’s five standing shots hit the mark, adding to the French lead.

French Gold; Krcmar secures Czech Silver

Jacquelin left the final exchange, 1:29 before Krcmar, and Justus Strelow. The two-time IBU Pursuit World Champion used a spare in prone, holding the big gap. Jacquelin’s penalty loop interfered but the Gold medal was secure. Krcmar passed Strelow in the last loop for Silver with JT Boe bringing Norway back for fourth.

Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Nordic Focus