December 13, 2015 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – Team Canada’s Christian Gow, Nathan Smith, Scott Gow and Brendan Green matched their best-ever result placing sixth in the 4×7.5km men’s relay in Hochfilzen, Austria on Sunday, using 9 spares at just 20 seconds from the podium.

Team Canada ©

The US squad of Lowell Bailey, Tim Burke, Leif Nordgren and Sean Doherty also raced well finishing in eighth place with one penalty and 12 spares at 2:06.6 behind the winners.

Russia's Shipulin (l) takes Norway's Svendsen © Nordic Focus

Russia’s Anton Shipulin chased down Norway’s Emil Hegle Svendsen and passed him near the finish on the final leg for the gold as Norway settled for the silver at 3.1s back. France’s Martin Fourcade held off the hard-charging Austrians, Germans and Canadians to secure the bronze medal at 1:01.9 behind the Russia.

Nathan Smith (CAN) © Nordic Focus

“Today was a tight race for each of us and exciting through all four legs,” said Green. “That was some high-pressured racing today. We are all pretty happy for sure.” Green, 29, was also part of a sixth-place finish for the Canadian men two years ago in Italy, and last year on the same course in Hochfilzen.

“Austria has been great to us,” laughed Green. “It’s hard to say what it is. I think right now momentum is building on the team with some good results early in the season. But I think as a team we are more confident now. The biggest thing for me is knowing if I don’t perform one of the younger guys will so that removes some pressure because the expectations for the team are not all on one athlete anymore.”

Brendan Green (CAN) © Nordic Focus

Christian Gow, 22, set the tone for the Canucks in the opening leg while tagging off to the leader of the team Nathan Smith. Smith lost a bit of time trying to shoot to quick on the range, but the older Gow brother at 25, Scott, was had his teammates back, skiing a solid third leg to set Green up for a charge to the podium. With the Canadians skiing into as high as fifth position, the two-time Olympian Green was not able to make up anymore ground on the field and celebrated the sixth-place finish.

“There was a lot of pressure out there on that last leg today but I’m happy with how I handled it,” said Green, who added the two performances by the young guys on the team in the Gow brothers was a difference maker today. “It has been a bit of a slow start to the season for me. I keep getting a little better each week and hoping for a breakthrough here. Today was hopefully the start of that.”

Leif Nordgren (USA) © Nordic Focus

Team USA’s Bailey raced the opening leg for Team USA moving up from the 19th start position to sixth place at the first exchange after using only one spare in prone and skiing the fifth-fastest course time. Burke took the exchange from Bailey and cleaned from the prone position to put the U.S. into first place exiting the range, with Russia and Sweden right on his heels. However, a penalty and three spares in standing bumped the U.S. squad back to eighth, a position held on to at the finish by the efforts of Nordgren and Doherty.

Russia © Nordic Focus

Men’s relay results here.

Women’s Relay

Meanwhile, the Canadian women of Julia Ransom, Megan Tandy, Emma Lunder and Rosanna Crawford had a solid outing of their own finishing 10th at 1:08.7 behind Italy the winners of the women’s 4x6km relay with a time of 1:05:32.6. Germany was second a mere 0.2 seconds back, while the Ukraine skied to the bronze medal at 13.1s behind.

Italy © Nordic Focus

The U.S. team of Annelies Cook, Susan Dunklee, Clare Egan and Hannah Dreissigacker finishing 15th with two penalties and using 12 spares at 4:10.9 behind.

Megan Tandy (CAN) © Nordic Focus

“We had perfect sunny and warm conditions for the relay and it was such a super atmosphere,” said Cook. “We didn’t perform to our capabilities as a team, but there were some really good aspects to take away from today and also some good things to learn for the next one. I personally felt much stronger skiing today than in the sprint and it was really fun to be the start leg and have people close to me to chase. Using three extra rounds kept me from the top but not far behind the leaders, so I was satisfied.”

Susan Dunklee (USA) © Nordic Focus

Women’s Relay results here.

The World Cup now travels to Pokljuka, Slovenia.