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!
the men’s field skis towards the big hill.
Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (NOR) leads Lowell Bailey (USA) on the first loop.
Ann Kristin Flatland (NOR) leads the women’s field down a hill.
Marie Laure Brunet (FRA) in the lead.
Gabriela Soukalova (CZE) interviewed about her subpar relay leg, which dropped her team from 2nd to 7th.
Alexey Volkov (RUS) on the first leg of the relay.
Men ski through a tunnel.
The men’s field reaches the top of the course’s biggest hill.
Susan Dunklee (USA, left) on a downhill.
Lowell Bailey (USA) in second behind Daniel Boehm (GER).
Anastasiya Kuzmina (SVK).
Mari Laukkanen (FIN).
Ann Kristin Flatland (NOR) and Marie Laure Brunet (FRA) in the pack.
Megan Heinicke (CAN) and Hannah Dreissigacker (USA).
Rosanna Crawford (CAN).
The men’s relay snakes up a hill.
Dominik Windisch (ITA), Vladimir Chepelin (BLR), and Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR).
Synnøve Solemdal (NOR) and Karin Oberhofer (ITA).
Evgeniy Ustyugov (RUS) and Jena Guillaume Beatrix (FRA).
Some fans requested to have their photo taken…
Alexis Boeuf (FRA) and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (NOR).
Christoph Sumann (AUT) chases up the hill.
Nadezhda Skardino (BLR) was the first to tag off after the first leg of the women’s relay.
Kaisa Makarainen (FIN).
Tim Burke (USA) leaving the range.
Veronika Vitkova (CZE) and Ekaterina Glazyrina (RUS) at the front as the women’s relay kicks off.
The start of the men’s relay.
The start of the women’s relay.
Irina Starykh (RUS) on her way to a World Cup podium earlier this season in Hochfilzen, Austria.
Early in the men’s relay.
The third leg of the women’s relay on the range for standing.
Juliya Dzhyma (UKR) leads a pack on the first leg.
Sanna Markkanen (FIN) and Hannah Dreissigacker (USA).
Lowell Bailey (USA) on his first time through the stadium.
Sara Studebaker (USA).
The men’s field, with Daniel Boehm (GER) in the lead, attacks an uphill.
The second leg of the men’s relay in standing shooting.
![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")
