Soerum Sprints to Norwegian Mixed Relay Win
Norway’s Vebjoern Soerum, after leaving the last standing stage 14.6 seconds off the lead, put on a furious last loop, sprinting past the fading Emilien Jacquelin of France in the last 5 meters to win the Kontiolahti Mixed Relay in 1:09:59.6. Norway with Soerum, Karoline Knotten, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold and Joahnnes Dale-Skjevdal used 10 spare rounds avenging their mixed relay defeat by the French squad at last season’s IBU World Championships.
“Great to be first across the line”
Soerum who has spent much of his career on the IBU cup circuit opened the season with a bang anchoring Norway to victory, despite struggling in the last standing stage. “It was nothing I expected after the last shooting. I was trying to reach the Swede and then right before the finish line, I saw Jacquelin. He was really tired I guess, me as well. So. I tried everything I could, and it was so great to be first across the finish line.”
After his spectacular finish, the 26-year-old with just 19 World Cup starts smiled, adding, “It gives me great motivation. I am already looking forward to the next races.”
Second-place France finished .8 seconds back with four spare rounds. Sweden finished third, 21.5 seconds back with seven spare rounds.
Snow and Wind; Norway Leads Early
It was snowing lightly and then heavily as darkness set in by the time the mixed relay started. The snow slowed the tracks and brought in ever-stronger winds on the range as the competition progressed. Knotten led the pack through the first leg. Tandrevold followed with a strong performance on the tracks early but fell behind Elvira Oeberg before the second exchange.
Tandrevold explained, “I did it (my race) quite good…Elvira is always strong in the first World Cups. I just tried to do my best and that is all I can do.”
BMW IBU World Cup 1 Kontiolahti Mixed Relay
Sweden Takes Over
Jesper Nelin followed Elvira’s lead, holding the lead while using just one spare round, while Dale-Skjevdal needed three in standing, but rebounded on the tracks, tagging Soerum 16 seconds back with Jacquelin 27 seconds out of the lead.
France’s fortunes fade in last 5 meters
Jacquelin cleaned prone easily to grab the lead while his rivals both struggled with spare rounds in the windy, snowy conditions then one spare in standing leaving the range with an 8.6 second lead over Martin Ponsiluoma. Ponsiluoma struggled on the last loop, while Soerum put on a mad dash passing him and blowing past the fading Jacquelin in the last 5 meters for the victory.
Upbeat Jacquelin
Despite his fade, Jacquelin was upbeat. “If I think about my race and not the opponents, it was a good one…I stayed calm on the shooting range; that was good for the next races. The shape is there…One guy was faster than me on the last lap, so I am disappointed. I wanted to win for the team.”
Photos: IBU/Romans Koksarovs, Nordic Focus/Christian Manzoni
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