December 16, 2007 (Pokljuka, Slovenia) – The Russian men won their 4×7.5 km biathlon relay Sunday with Germany second while in the women’s 4×6 km, the reverse happened as the Germany won with the Russian women being the runners-up. Canadian men were 14th in a 19-team field. No U.S. men’s or women’s team raced, nor was there a Canadian women’s foursome.

Andrei Makoveev gave Russia a 27-second lead in the first leg of the relay and nobody got close. Their winning time was 1:16.58.2 with Germany second, 2:35 back. Austria, another 36 seconds off the pace, finished third, thanks to a strong anchor leg from Simon Eder, who lifted his mates from fourth to third place.

The women’s race, which was run in the early afternoon was tighter. Germany won by 42.5 seconds. Russia held the lead through the first two legs, but skidded to second place as Natalia Guseva missed two shots from the prone. Magdalena Neuner also missed two shots but her skiing gave her the fastest 6 km leg and Germany held a 46.9-second heading into the anchor leg.

Andrea Henkel had two misses and Ekaterina Iourieva shot clean for Russia, but could shave only three seconds off the lead and Germany cruised to the win in 1:13.52.4. Russia’s time was 1:14.34.9 and France finished third.

The next biathlon World Cup races will be in the new year, starting Jan. 2 in Oberhof, Germany, a top Nordic center in the former East Germany.

Full results here.