January 19, 2014 (Antholz, Italy) – The Canadian Men’s Biathlon Team will head into the 2014 Olympic Winter Games having posted their best World Cup relay result ever after finishing sixth on Sunday in Antholz-Anterselva, Italy.

Team Canada (l-r) Perras, Leguellec, Green, Smith © Nordic Focus

The four Canucks including – Jean-Philippe Le Guellec, of Shannon, Que., Regina’s Scott Perras, Calgary’s Nathan Smith, and Brendan Green, of Hay River, N.W.T. – battled through chaos and intense fog to hang on with the world’s best in a 4×7.5 kilometre relay race to mark the final World Cup start for the Canadians prior to Sochi. The Canadians clocked a combined time of 1:17:15.5.

“That was about as chaotic as any race that I have ever done,” said Scott Perras. “The zero was delayed because of fog and we had to start the race by 3 p.m. or we’d run out of daylight. Then the rain moved in and then heavy snow. The conditions were all over the place and we had to make a last minute decision on the skis and went with it. It was not an easy day for the wax techs.”

France was the eventual winner with a time of 1:14:34.1. Sweden placed second at 1:14:36.7, while Germany rounded out the men’s podium in third with a time of 1:15:12.9. No American team competed.

Team Germany (l-r) M. Fourcade, Beatrix, Boeuf, S. Fourcade © Nordic Focus

The previous best for a Canadian men’s team was seventh in 2009. This year they have a ninth and an eighth-place finish.

“I think the biggest thing we all take away from today is that we prevailed despite all the chaos,” added Perras. “We put a little more high-pressure experience in the bank which will help us later on.”

Full results here.

Team Canada (far right) © Matthias Ahrens