Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen’s prone penalty did little to dent Norway’s rout in the Oestersund Men’s 4 X 7.5 km Relay this afternoon when he cleaned standing, flying to a 1:11:10.1 victory. Christiansen and teammates Isak Leknes Frey, Martin Uldal and Sturla Holm Laegreid, with a penalty and ten spares led after the first leg standing stage and went unchallenged from that point.

“Lucky to get only one penalty”

Christiansen enjoyed returning to his anchor position on the World Cup relay team and was thrilled with a single prone penalty. “It was a lot of fun. I missed that feeling, fighting with Sebbe and Eric on the last loop, last shooting. It looked like I might shoot alone in standing but then the wind turned and I did not know where I was. I was lucky to only get one penalty loop (in prone). I pushed hard in the second loop to maybe have one spare shot advantage. Cold as ice on the last shooting was nice!”

In standing, “a new race”

As for that last standing, “I just thought this is a new race, a new shooting. I am still leading. I had maybe one spare bullet on both Sebbe and Eric and that’s quite good. I just felt good, breathe a lot because I was quite calm when I entered the range, started breathing and it was a nice one-by-one shot.”

France, with three penalties and eleven spares finished second, 15.3 seconds back. The home team Sweden delighted the packed stadium with their third place, 24.7 seconds back with three penalties and fourteen spares.

Germany with nine spares finished fourth, 55.7 seconds back. The USA with two penalties and fourteen spares and Italy with three penalties and ten spares finished fifth and sixth, 1:25 and 1:55.4 back, respectively.

Windy Late Afternoon

Twenty-one teams lined up under the lights for the first men’s showdown of the new season, the first without a Boe brother in a relay for many years! After struggling with the tricky Oestersund shooting range wind, Norway’s leadoff leg Uldal left standing in the lead, tagging Frey 25 seconds ahead of Italy’s Lukas Hofer. Frey cleaned prone very fast, stretching th lead to 44 seconds. An equally brilliant standing stage pushed Norway’s lead out to 50 seconds over Italy and France when he tagged Laegreid. Laegreid used a spare in prone; Emilien Jacquelin cleaned closing nine seconds closer to the leader. Laegreid added two spares in standing, but Jacquelin added a penalty.

Christiansen’s Prone Penalty Opens Door

Last year’s Total Score winner tagged Christiansen 1:02 before Eric Perrot took over for France. Christiansen’s prone penalty opened the door to his rivals, adding some short-term drama. Clean-shooting Sebastian Samuelsson closed the gap to 12 seconds with Perrot 3 seconds further back.

Christiansen rebounded with a perfect standing matched by Perrot lurking 8 seconds back but unable to challenge for the victory, settling for second ahead of Sweden.

Photos: IBU/Per Danielsson, Christian Manzoni, Nordic Focus