Sebastian Samuelsson’s decisive anchor leg highlighted by a fast clean prone stage keyed Sweden’s 1:09:07.5 victory in this afternoon’s Pokljuka Mixed Relay. The multi-medaled Swede left the final exchange a second behind France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet, but the French star struggled in prone, falling back to eventually finish second. Samuelsson and teammates Anna-Karin Heijdenberg, Hanna Oeberg and Martin Ponsiluoma used 12 spare rounds securing the win and their first-ever Mixed Relay Crystal Globe with 439 points to France’s 430.

“Had to bring my best game”

Samuelsson called his flag-waving win, “amazing. It was a really good fight with Quentin Fillon Maillet. He is a great athlete and he is in good shape. I knew I had to bring my best game and I did, so I am very happy with that. I knew nothing was done until after the standing shooting so I continued to pace myself in a good way and enjoy the last shooting. I missed one but everything was good. I am very happy, of course.”

“I knew when he hit all the prone targets”

Ponsiluoma’s strong performance came at the venue where he won the 2021 IBU World Championship Sprint. “I like this place. The track is really fun. I like the shooting range too; I have been shooting a little bit better this week.” As for watching Samuelsson, “I knew when he hit all the prone targets and had a big lead he would do a good standing shooting. He did and was really sure he could win.”

France with a penalty and six spares finished 14.8 seconds back. Norway with ten spares finished third, 22 seconds back. Austria with seven spares finished fourth, 53.6 seconds back. Italy with nine spares finished sixth, 1:01 back while Germany with seven spares finished sixth, 1:03.6 back.

The early afternoon snow continued lightly with some fog rolling in as the deciding Mixed Relay of the season started. Sweden and Norway went to the head of the pack in the first leg with Kirkeeide tagging Ida Lien 2.9 seconds before Hanna took over from Heidjenberg. Lien and Hanna remained 1-2 after their prone stage. Hanna used one spare to clean standing while Lien used two, giving the Swede an advantage that swelled to 12 seconds over Johannes Dale-Skjevdal when she tagged Ponsiluoma. Michelon’s clean stage moved France to third when she tagged Perrot.

Ponsiluoma cleaned prone with three spares while the Norwegian needed two, leaving with the clean-shooting Perrot a step behind. Perrot went 5-for-5 and an 8.7-second lead with Norway 22 seconds in arrears. Ponsiluoma rebounded with a fast last loop, tagging Samuelsson .4 seconds behind Fillon Maillet.

Samuelsson’s Prone-decider

Samuelsson cleaned prone with five shots taking a decisive 21-second lead over Frey; Fillon Maillet fell 35 seconds back. Samuelsson’s one spare in standing sealed the win and the Mixed Relay Crystal Globe for Sweden. Fillon Maillet pulled away for second over Norway.

Photos: IBU/Jaroslav Svoboda, Nordic Focus