The French team of Emilien and Fabien Claude, Quentin Fillon Maillet and anchor leg Emilien Jacquelin took control in the second leg of the Ruhpolding Men’s 4 X 7.5 km Relay, running to a 1:08:45.4 victory, using six spare rounds on a breezy afternoon. Fabien keyed the victory Jacquelin brought home, moving into the lead when Vebjoern Soerum picked up two penalties, putting Norway at a deficit they never recovered from.

Three-peat, “Big victory for our team”

French anchor Jacquelin was proud of his team’s third consecutive relay win this season. “It is the first time in French history to get a three-peat. It means a lot for us. On our best days, we keep our humility, do our best every day and we know we can do this kind of a race. It is so great that we were able to do it. It is special because in Ruhpolding with this crowd and really fast track. It is quite different from other relays, so we can be proud…It is a big victory for our team.”

“Catching more teams…really motivated”

Sweden, with 10 spares, moved from 13th after the second leg to second place, 38.4 seconds back. Third leg Martin Ponsiluoma brought Sweden into contention. “I did not have much of a choice; I had to start really hard and go. I was catching more teams all the time, so I was really motivated.”

Anchor Sebastian Samuelsson added, “We know that we can be on the podium with a good day…If you take a podium with this crowd in this arena, you have to celebrate.” Germany with 14 spares finished third, 58.8 seconds back. Slovenia finished fifth, with six spares, 1:13.8 back. Norway finished fourth, with three penalties and ten spares, 1:05.9 back. Ukraine finished sixth, with seven spares, 1:19 back.

A bluebird day, a swirling wind, +1C and a huge crowd in the Chiemgau Arena set the stage the first men’s relay of 2025 led by perennial rivals Norway, France and Germany. Canada’s Adam Runnals led out of the first prone, with Justus Strelow and Emilien Claude on his shoulder. All the top teams used a spare in standing, but at the first exchange, Emilien was first with Soerum one second later.

France in Control

Soerum’s fast, clean prone put him 10 seconds up. With some wind on the range, everything changed: Fabien cleaned with one spare; Germany fourth, 31 seconds back and Norway seventh after Soerum’s two penalties.

Fillon Maillet started 24 seconds up, lengthening it to 37 seconds over Slovenia after his blisteringly fast standing stage. Ponsiluoma needed a spare in standing, but skiing very fast, moved Sweden to fourth. The French star tagged Jacquelin 39 seconds before Slovenia and Sweden and Germany 54 seconds back.

Jacquelin used a spare in prone and missed his first standing shot but hit the next five our quickly, sealing victory. Samuelsson cleaned standing in five shots in second while Philipp Nawrath left third, setting the podium.

Photos: IBU/Svoboda, Nordic Focus