WSOC: double home win in relays

WSOC: double home win in relays

Russia took gold in both women’s and men’s relays today, ending the Championships on a high note after some disappointments earlier in the week. The Swedish women’s team were unable to compete because of illness. Silver medals went to Finland and Sweden and bronze to the Czech Republic and Finland.

Sweden still had two of the women’s team, Magdalene Olsson and Tove Alexandersson, with bad throat infections and unable to compete, and therefore had to withdraw from the race. Alena Trapeznikova made a very fast start for the Russian team, getting ahead by almost 3 minutes by the TV control on the first leg, and she, Polina Frolova and Maria Kechkina held on to a comfortable lead right through to the end. The final margin was 3.22 with Finland taking second place and a hard-working Czech Republic team taking a commendable third.

The men’s race was closer but with Russia again leading throughout. There was a tight battle between Sweden and Finland for the minor medal places right through to the last leg, when Erik Rost completed a fine week for him in setting up a lead over Finland by almost 2 minutes at the end.

The conditions were again fast and icy on a fine sunny morning – the picture almost right throughout the Championships – and a good crowd of spectators had again come to the biathlon stadium in Krasnoyarsk. The stadium will feature ski orienteering again in two years’ time when the 29^th Winter Universiade will be held there.

Leading results

Women

1. Russia (Alena Trapeznikova, Polina Frolova, Maria Kechkina) 1:23:47
2. Finland (Mirka Suutari, Marjut Turunen, Salla Koskela) 1:27:09
3. Czech Republic (Petra Hancova, Kristyna Kolinova, Hana Hancikova) 1:33:07
4. Estonia, 5. Kazakhstan.

Men

1. Russia (Andrey Grigoriev, Kirill Veselov, Andrey Lamov) 1:29:13
2. Sweden (Martin Hammarberg, Ulrik Nordberg, Erik Rost) 1:30:25
3. Finland (Tero Linnainmaa, Jyri Uusitalo, Ville Petteri Saarela) 1:32:21
4. Norway, 5. Czech Republic, 6. Estonia.