France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet left the final standing stage in first place and skied away from the field in this afternoon’s IBU World Championships Single Mixed Relay, capturing the Gold medal in 32:25.1. Fillon Maillet and teammate Julia Simon used seven spares, giving France it’s third title in this two-person relay. Fillon Maillet teamed with Lou Jeanmonnot for the title last year in Nove Mesto.

“A bit of pressure”

Simon, after her second Single Mixed Gold (Pokljuka 2021) said this one, “felt great. Last year, it was Lou on the team and this year I felt a bit of pressure because she did so great. I wanted to do the same, especially since Quentin was there last year. It feels so good; I am really happy with this Championships so far.”

“More nervous watching Julia”

Fillon Maillet was nervous today but not in the crucial last standing stage. “I was more nervous when I was watching Julia’s race than when I arrived at the shooting range. I knew what I had to do. It was an electric race, fighting all the time. Thank you to Julia for the great job. It was as tough race.”

He continued, “Today was very stressful race because it is a short loop, very hard and the shooting has more consequence…There was so much emotion.”

Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe, with a brilliantly fast last loop brought Norway up from third 10 seconds back after the last standing stage to the Silver medal with teammate Ragnild Femsteinevik, despite 15 spares, 5.7 seconds back. JT now has been on the podium in every IBU WCH Single Mixed Relay since its inception in 2019. Germany with Justus Strelow and Franziska Preuss took the Bronze medal with four spares, 8.3 seconds back.

Switzerland finished fourth, with ten spares, 12.7 seconds back. Sweden, with seven spares finished fifth, 13.5 seconds back while Slovenia, with eight spares finished sixth, 18.7 seconds back.

The last mid-week competition in Lenzerheide boasted another bluebird, clear day, again spring-like temperatures while the wind flags flapped intermittently in the breeze.

Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Nordic Focus