OBERHOF, Germany – Justine Braisaz helped France to upset favourite Germany in the women's team relay, while Sweden claimed its first win since 2009 in the men's competition at a biathlon World Cup on Sunday.
Braisaz followed teammates Anais Bescond, Anais Chevalier and Celia Aymonier as they completed the 4x6-kilometre course in 1 hour, 12 minutes and 42.4 seconds, beating the German team of Vanessa Hinz, Denise Herrmann, Franziska Preuss and Maren Hammerschmidt by 32.4 seconds.
Sarah Beaudry and Megan Tandy, both of Prince George, teamed up with Julia Ransom of Kelowna and Emma Lunder of Vernon to finish 14th, 6:37.5 off the winning pace. Beaudry, 23, and Tandy, 29, both products of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, skied penalty-free. Beaudry used three spares and Tandy used two. Ransom and Lunder each skied one penalty loop.
In difficult conditions featuring wind, fog and snow, the French team finished with one penalty and ten spares, while the Germans had two and 13, respectively. The Germans had been unbeaten in six relays going back to last season. Sweden finished third, ahead of Russia and Ukraine.
The fog worsened drastically for the men's relay later Sunday, when Sweden finished well ahead of rivals with one one penalty and nine spares.
Martin Ponsiluoma, Jesper Nelin, Sebastian Samuelsson and Fredrik Lindstroem finished the 4x7.5K men’s course in 1:19:44.1, beating the Italian team by 1:10.8 and Norwegian team by 2:04.6.
The Italians had two penalties and 11 spares while the Norwegians had three and 14, respectively.
Canada (Christian Gow of Canmore, Scottt Gow of Canmore, Brendan Green of Hay River, N.W.T., and Carsen Campbell of Bedeque, P.E.I) finished 10th, 6:23.1 behind Norway.
Germany finished sixth, with the unfortunate Johannes Kuehn forced to complete nine penalty loops.
“If I can't see anything I don't know what I have to shoot,” Kuehn said of the conditions.
