Canada’s women’s relay team had a bounce-back performance Saturday at the IBU World Cup biathlon in Antholz-Aterselva, Italy.
After getting lapped the previous week in Rhupolding, Germany, all four Canadian women’s completed their six-kilometre relay segments and they were deadly accurate on the shooting range in Italy, going penalty-free while using just 11 spares.
It all added up to a respectable 12th place finish for Canada in the 22-team event.
Emma Lunder of Vernon required just one spare to knock down her 10 targets and handed off to Sarah Beaudry, who shot clean in both rounds.. Emily Dickson was third in the relay order and she reloaded three times on each of her prone and standing rounds to avid any penalty loops. Megan Bankes dipped into her reserves twice during each shooting session before she got back on the course to finish the relay 2:09.7 off the winning pace set by Norway.
Norway (Ingrid Landmark Tandrivold, Karolin Knotten, Tiril Eckhoff and Ida Lien) won gold in 1:12:54.1 after three penalties and 13 spares. Russia won silver (+24.6 seconds, three penalties, 2 spares) and France claimed bronze (+32.6, no penalties, 13 spares).
Benedikt Doll of Germany won the men’s 15 km mass start race Saturday. No Canadians qualified for the 30-skier race.
The men’s 4 X 7.5 km relay is set for Sunday, followed by the women’s 12.5 km mass start.
Canada will wear No. 12 bibs in the relay. Adam Runnalls of Calgary will race the lead leg, followed by Christian Gow of Canmore, of Canmore, Jules Brunotte of Sherbrooke., Que., and Scott Gow of Canmore. No Canadians qualified for the women’s mass start.
