Sweden took the Women’s Relay title today at the end of an exciting battle with Switzerland on a very wet day in Mørk, Norway; Karolin Ohlsson out-sprinted Julia Jakob on the run-in, so reversing last year’s result. Russia took bronze, finishing just ahead of Norway – the same as in 2018.
Sweden got a good lead on leg 1 with Lina Strand finishing 44 seconds ahead of Swiss athlete Sabine Hauswirth, who had the Russian Anastasia Rudnaya just 1 second behind. However Simona Aebersold was determined to get the better of Tove Alexandersson on leg 2, and late in the leg she did just that, coming in to the second changeover 6 seconds ahead. Russia was now 1.25 down, closely followed by Norway.
The third leg developed into a straight race for gold between Julia Jakob, Switzerland and Karolin Ohlsson, Sweden. Jakob was just ahead for much of the last part of the leg, but didn’t have the strength and speed at the end and was 4 seconds behind Ohlsson at the line. Then Natalia Gemperle (Russia) and Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg (Norway) emerged from the forest together, and it was Gemperle with the stronger legs to bring Russia into bronze medal position. The Czech Republic and Finland teams complete the podium positions.
Leading results – women
- Sweden (Lina Strand, Tove Alexandersson, Karolin Ohlsson) 1:35:49
- Switzerland (Sabine Hauswirth, Simona Aebersold, Julia Jakob) 1:35:53
- Russia (Anastasia Rudnaya, Tatiana Riabkina, Natalia Gemperle) 1:36:56
- Norway 1:37:02
- Czech Republic 1:40:31
- Finland 1:42:01