March 10, 2013 (Sochi, Russia) – A see-saw battle saw the lead change several times before Germany took control on the final leg as Laura Dahlmeier, 19, overtook the Ukraine’s Mariya Panfilova to clinch the women’s 4x6km Relay with one penalty and seven spare rounds. Panfilova claimed the silver a dozen seconds behind as Team Ukraine used six spare rounds. Tora Berger’s strong skiing gave Norway the final podium spot with 10 spare rounds.

Canada’s Rosanna Crawford, Megan Imrie, Zina Kocher and Megan Heinicke landed in 10th place out of 17 teams using 10 spare rounds at 3:39.2 behind the winners. Poland, who lead early on finished fourth, while France was fifth, and Russia was sixth. The USA did not field a team.

Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic were the early leaders with the Ukraine, Norway and Belarus chasing. Poland took over the lead but the Czech’s Veronika Vitkova put her team out front with clean shooting. Then her teammate Gabriella Soukalova delivered more clean shooting and broke the race wide open with a 44-second lead at the second exchange with the Ukraine and Germany.

But on the third leg the Czech’s Jitka Landova suffered a penalty and used three spare rounds in the standing session relinquishing the lead to the Ukraine. Germany’s Miriam Gossner faltered as well suffering one penalty and three spare rounds allowing the Ukraine’s Valj Semerenko to escape while Poland caught up.

On the final leg the Ukraine was under seige by Germany as Poland challenged for second with Norway’s Berger trying to bridge. All four leaders shot clean in prone as the Ukraine’s Panfilova struggled to keep her uncertain lead. In the final standing session Panfilova used one spare round but Dahlmeier shot clean allowing her to leave the range with only a 5-second deficit.

Panfilova was in trouble as Dahlmeier caught and passed her to claim the gold for Germany with Panfilova holding off Berger for the silver as Norway took home the bronze.

Full results HERE.