Team France with Oscar Lombardot, Sebastien Mahon, Eric Perrot and Emilien Claude took a gold medal in the hard fought junior men relay in the last competition of a highly successful IBU Youth/Junior World Championships in Obertilliach, Austria. Team Norway with Mats Oeverby, Simen Kvarme, Fredrik Grusd and Joergen Saeter was second, just 13.3 seconds behind whereas team Czech republic with Tomas Mikyska, Vitezslav Hornig, Jonas Marecek and Mikulas Karlik finished third, the only of the three teams on the podium without a penalty loop, 1:23.5 behind France.

This was seventh gold and 11th medal altogether for France as (by far) the most successful nation in Obertilliach as well as fourth medal for French anchor Emilien Claude who finished the world championships as the most decorated athlete with three gold and one bronze medal. Slovenian youth women athlete Lena Repinc also won all four available medals but of those two were golds and two silvers.

Bened's strong finish brings gold to French junior women

Team France with Paula Botet, Eve Bouvard, Sophie Chaveau and Camille Bened won a junior women relay at the IBU Youth/Junior World Championships in Obertilliach, Austria despite having skied one penalty loop. Italy with Hannah Auchentaller, Beatrice Tabucchi, Gala Brunetto and Rebecca Passler was the best shooting team of the day with just five reloads and finished in the silver position whereas home team with Anna Gandler, Anna Juppe, Lisa Osl and Lea Rothschopf had eleven reloads and finished in the bronze position. France exchange as third after the first, second and the third leg before Bened found enough speed and had one reload less than her Italian rival Passler who moved Italy in medal positions. This is 10th medal for France and Italy with an important twist to the comparison: of those 10 France has six golds and Italy none.

Photo: IBU/Bjorn Reichert