Norway rules the Mixed relays's day

Norway won in the Mixed and Single Mixed Relays and finished the IBU Open European Championships as the most successful nation with 8 medals, five of those Gold.

Norway wins in Mixed relays

Norway, the best shooting team of the day with just two spare rounds, is the winner of today’s Mixed relays at the IBU Open European Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Germany, with six reloads, finished second, and Sweden, with nine spare rounds, third.

Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide (with one reload) tagged Karoline Erdal (with one spare round) behind Sweden’s Tilda Johansson in second place. A mishap between Johansson and Stina Nilsson tilted the dynamics toward Norway’s advantage, and they never looked back. Erlend Bjoentegaard had a spotless performance as he waited for Germany’s Daniel Schmuck to have a moment of weakness, and it came with one reload in the standing shooting. Vebjoern Soerum, the Pursuit winner and an athlete who can switch into higher gears in the final laps, brought the lead - and Norway’s fourth Gold medal in Lenzerheide - safely home with no spare rounds in 1:03.40.9.

"Maren and Karoline did a great first two legs. Erlend brought me a very comfortable lead. I had a perfect day on the shooting range. I feel goosebumps all over again," said Norway's anchor Soerum.

OECH Lenzerheide - Mixed relays

Germany’s Lisa Maria Spark (one reload), Selina Grotian (one spare round), Daniel Schmuck, and Lucas Fratzscher finished 25.1 seconds back, Germany’s sixth medal at Open European Championships.

In a thriller for third place, Anton Ivarsson controlled his nerves better than Swiss anchor Serafin Wiestner and brought Team Sweden - Johansson, Nilsson, Malte Stefansson, Ivarsson - a bronze medal, 46.8 seconds back.

Arnekleiv and Stroemsheim bring Norway fifth gold

Juni Arnekleiv and Endre Stroemsheim, building on their winning experience from the IBU Cup in Brezno-Osrblie three weeks ago, led from start to finish and won in the Single Mixed Relay (W-M-W-M) in 34:34.7.

“Before the last standing shooting, I felt confident and got in some trouble. It was a great way to celebrate with the flag and see how Vebjoern (Soerum) felt, doing it twice in the last two days," said Stroemsheim.

OECH Lenzerheide - Single Mixed Relays

Amy Baserga and Niklas Hartweg, who achieved a podium in the Single Mixed Relay at the BMW IBU World Cup in Pokljuka, brought Switzerland their only medal. Hartweg had an assertive final lap in his home venue as he skilfully attacked Emilien Claude just in time to carry home silver, 16.6 seconds back. Switzerland, like the winners Norway, used nine spare rounds.

Paula Botet and Claude used seven spare rounds and won a bronze medal with a strong second part of the competition, 21 seconds behind Norway.

Photo: IBU/C. Manzoni

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