Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, after a week away from the BMW IBU World Cup circuit, returned to anchor Norway’s 11th consecutive Men’s 4 X 7.5 km Relay victory in 1:09:49.6. After Sturla Holm Laegreid and Johannes Dale-Skjevdal’s opening legs, Tarjei Boe’s third leg keyed the victory when he went 5-for-5 in standing, giving Christiansen a 41-second cushion that he never relinquished.
The old song lyrics, “What a difference a day makes (in this case…a year makes)” applies perfectly to the German men’s team. The first trimester and into 2024 was their best in what seems like eons, far above last season.