December 6, 2009 (Östersund, SWE) – Team USA claimed 7th on Sunday in the men’s 4×7.5km Team Relay putting together a solid effort with Lowell Bailey starting off followed by Jay Hakkinen, then Tim Burke and Jeremy Teelay the anchor. It was France’s day as the team of Vincent Jay, Vincent Defrasne, Simon Fourcade and Martin Fourcade won in 1:15:10.3 over Russia in second at 13.7s with Austria claiming 3rd. The US team was 1:44.1 behind the winning time and their most recent best placing in the Team Relay was 5th last season in Rhupholding, Germany.

Bailey started the race and brought the team into a good position with just two extra shots needed in the standing shooting according to USBA release. While the athletes had some problems in the standing position, in prone all four athletes managed to hit all targets without using any extra shots. Hakkinen as the second starter avoided the penalty loop, but he wasn’t satisfied with needing all three extra rounds in standing. “Of course it is a good result overall,” said Hakkinen. “But I wish I could have done better in standing. I am glad that I didn’t have to go in the penalty loop though!”

On the contrary, Burke had to ski those 150 extra meters. “I am mentally tired. These last days have been crazy and I really need a break to be on top again,” said Burke, who won a silver in the 20km sprint and a bronze on the 10km sprint this week. “I guess I wasn’t completely focused today, but those misses always can happen. That’s biathlon!”

The Canadian men’s biathlon team wrapped up the first stop of the World Cup season with Jean-Philippe Le Guellec, Robin Clegg, Jaime Robb and anchor Brendan Green finishing in 14th with a time of 1:18:36.8 at 3:26.5 behind France.

Meanwhile in the women’s 4x6km Team Relay, the German team of Martina Beck, Andrea Henkel, Simone Hauswald, and Kati Wilhelm were penalty-free on the way to their first podium of the season in 1:10:52.5 with Russia taking second at 18.4 and France in 3rd. No US or Canadian teams were racing. Full results and videos below.

Women’s Team Relay full results here.
Men’s Team Relay full results here.
Race action videos on Eurovision here.

German Women Victorious in Ostersund Relay


French Team Wins Ostersund Relay