The men’s field reaches the top of the course’s biggest hill.
HOCHFILZEN, Austria – The men’s and women’s World Cup biathlon relays brought excitement to this small town on Saturday – along with a lot of fans. Announcers reported that the crowd of 40,000+ spectators was the largest they had ever had for a regular World Cup race (the venue has also twice hosted World Championships).
The Ukraine women’s team flexed their muscle at the start of the day, taking over the lead halfway through and never relinquishing it, skiing to a one minute victory. Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier outsprinted France’s Anais Bescond for second.
In the men’s race, Norway staged one of its usual comebacks to take yet another win, while Sweden was a more improbable presence on the podium – after a slow start, the team used exceptional shooting, a blazing fast leg from Fredrik Lindström, and a furious finishing sprint from Carl Johan Bergman to shoot past Russia’s Dmitry Malyshko and into second place.
The trains of skiers were picturesque and beautiful as they moved through the venue’s wide-open landscape and up its snaking hills. A heavy snowstorm came through partway through the men’s relay, meaning we didn’t snap any photos from the second half of the race – but enjoy these images from the women’s race and the start of the men’s!
Ann Kristin Flatland (NOR) leads the women’s field down a hill.
Irina Starykh (RUS) on her way to a World Cup podium earlier this season in Hochfilzen, Austria.
The start of the men’s relay.
The start of the women’s relay.
Ann Kristin Flatland (NOR) and Marie Laure Brunet (FRA) in the pack.
Rosanna Crawford (CAN).
Evgeniy Ustyugov (RUS) and Jena Guillaume Beatrix (FRA).
Early in the men’s relay.
Nadezhda Skardino (BLR) was the first to tag off after the first leg of the women’s relay.
Anastasiya Kuzmina (SVK).
Christoph Sumann (AUT) chases up the hill.
Susan Dunklee (USA, left) on a downhill.
The men’s relay snakes up a hill.
Synnøve Solemdal (NOR) and Karin Oberhofer (ITA).
The second leg of the men’s relay in standing shooting.
The men’s field, with Daniel Boehm (GER) in the lead, attacks an uphill.
Mari Laukkanen (FIN).
The men’s field reaches the top of the course’s biggest hill.
the men’s field skis towards the big hill.
The third leg of the women’s relay on the range for standing.
The second leg of the men’s relay in prone.
Lowell Bailey (USA) in second behind Daniel Boehm (GER).
Sara Studebaker (USA).
Kaisa Makarainen (FIN).
Veronika Vitkova (CZE) and Ekaterina Glazyrina (RUS) at the front as the women’s relay kicks off.
Vita Semerenko (UKR) takes off from the range.
Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (NOR) leads Lowell Bailey (USA) on the first loop.
Men ski through a tunnel.
Alexey Volkov (RUS) on the first leg of the relay.
Megan Heinicke (CAN) and Hannah Dreissigacker (USA).
Juliya Dzhyma (UKR) leads a pack on the first leg.
Some fans requested to have their photo taken…
Dominik Windisch (ITA), Vladimir Chepelin (BLR), and Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR).
Marie Laure Brunet (FRA) in the lead.
Gabriela Soukalova (CZE) interviewed about her subpar relay leg, which dropped her team from 2nd to 7th.
Sanna Markkanen (FIN) and Hannah Dreissigacker (USA).
Lowell Bailey (USA) on his first time through the stadium.
Alexis Boeuf (FRA) and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (NOR).
![The men's field reaches the top of the course's biggest hill.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/top-of-the-uphill.jpg")
