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When it comes to World Cup racing, the Mixed Relay is the new kid on the block. And, like many new kids, not everyone is certain what to make of them. Today in Goms, Switzerland, the fourth 4×5 mixed relay in World Cup history took place. Team USA took first place in this event when it was held in Falun, Sweden in 2022. In that race the USA had its powerhouse duo of Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan to rely on. Today, that would not be the case, as the Americans needed to rest their stars and turned to the men to lead them by relying upon the relatively experienced presence of Gus Schumacher and Ben Ogden, while the women were represented by the fledgling duo of Erin Bianco and Samantha Smith. Bianco has one World Cup race to her credit, while Smith has 17. In a new race format, it would be Team USA’s new kids who would be tasked with doing the heavy lifting.
This was a very tall order for the American women. They would face Norway I with Tiril Udnes Weng (last year’s crystal globe winner), and Margrethe Bergane. Sweden I fielded Frida Karlsson and Linn Svahn. Finland I was starting Kerttu Niskanen.
Ogden and Schumacher were scheduled to face Martin Loewstroem Nyenget (NOR), Simen Hegstad Krueger (NOR), and Jens Burman (SWE), but at least the Americans had been down that road many times by now.
But things did not go as planned for team USA as Bianco was unable to complete the second leg of the race due to a fall. “We had a medical emergency,” said USA coach Kristen Bourne, “But everyone is okay.” Bourne told FasterSkier that Bianco had fallen during one of the icy technical downhills and was unable to continue, but that she is now back in her hotel room and doing okay. Bianco’s family was at the race and was able to be with her. “Today I had a crash in the relay and was unable to finish,” said Bianco in a statement after the race. “But I am okay! Our team doctor got to me quickly and made sure everything was okay. We’re back to the hotel now and my focus is to rest and recover and continue cheering on my teammates throughout the rest of the weekend!”
At the end of the relay, Sweden I took first place, with Sweden II coming in second. Norway I was third. Canada finished 13th.
Leg One—Classic
The first two legs of the Mixed Relay are Classic with the men going first. Ben Ogden led out for team USA, and immediately went to the front. But fairly early on he moved back a bit and was content to let Sweden I, led by William Poromaa, and Norway I led by Nyenget set the pace. Norway II’s Mattis Stenshagen also took a turn in the lead. Once it was the two Norwegian teams at the front, they began to push the pace and quickly put a gap on the rest of the field. At the first exchange, it was the two Norwegians with a ten second lead as they handed off to Bergane for Norway I and Kristen Austgulen Fosnaes for Norway II. Ogden had dropped back to 13.5 seconds behind at the exchange when he handed off to Bianco.
Leg Two—Classic
Even though it was only Bianco’s second World Cup race, she is no kid. At 25, she was the oldest team member. She would need all of her maturity to help navigate the challenges ahead.
Very quickly she had narrowed the gap to eight seconds behind the front pack and was able to keep the lead group in her sights as the leaders had consolidated after the initial exchange. Karlsson then began to push the pace and moved to the front with Niskanen going with her. Karlsson was coming off one of her best weekends of skiing and showed that her fitness was still at top-level. Karlsson pushed hard and was able to break the lead pack down to six skiers. Bianco was now tenth 36 seconds back.
Niskanen was keeping close tabs on Karlsson while Sweden II led by Ebba Andersson also pushed the pace. But Karlsson’s pace was too hot, and no one could match her. Niskanen was clearly working hard trying to reel in Karlsson, but Karlsson was in top form and couldn’t be caught.
On the final climb into the stadium Norway I and II had gained ground on Finland and they both surged ahead of Finland as the teams entered the stadium. When they entered the exchange zone Karlsson had maintained her lead. Karlsson handed off to Jens Burman and Niskanen handed off to Perttu Hyvarinen. It was somewhere before the handoff where Bianco was forced to drop from the race and Schumacher never had the opportunity to ski.
Leg Three—Freestyle
Burman took advantage of the lead Karlsson handed him, but both of Norway’s teams were now only four seconds behind him. Burman continued to fend off the Norwegians as he maintained a four second gap over Jan Thomas Jenssen for Norway II and Simen Hegstad Krueger for Norway I. But Burman couldn’t fend off the hard charging Norwegians, as at the start of the second lap Jenssen and Krueger took over the lead and upped the tempo. The race was now down to five teams with a realistic chance: Norway I and II, Sweden I and II, and Finland.
Jenssen and Krueger pushed hard as they entered the stadium, and it was the two Norwegians with Sweden II’s Edvin Anger now in the lead group. Sweden I and Finland I were now 17 seconds behind.
Leg Four—Freestyle
At the exchange it was Norway II’s Maria Hartz Melling trying to hold off her teammate Tiril Udnes Weng. Maja Dahlqvist for Sweden II was trying to pull her team along as she skied the anchor leg. Svahn on Sweden I had quickly been able to join the lead pack and put Sweden I back in contention. As the five lead skiers consolidated the pace slowed significantly, which seemed to play into the hands of Svahn who is the World Cup Sprint leader. With 2.5 kilometers to go it was Svahn, Weng, Dahlqvist, and Melling at the front as the group entered the stadium at the end of the first lap. The pace slowed even more as skiers jockeyed for position. Weng then realized that if she wanted to have a chance against the Sprinters she would have to increase the tempo. She put in a hard turn of speed but couldn’t pull away from Svahn and Dahlqvist, but it did reduce the lead group to only three skiers.
The race was now down to Norway I, Sweden I, and Sweden II. Weng continued to push, but couldn’t drop Svahn and Dahlqvist; this did not bode well for her. As they approached the finish, Svahn blasted past Weng with a withering turn of speed. Dahlqvist and Weng did not have an answer. Svahn showed why she is the best Sprinter on the tour and in a couple of seconds put a huge gap on the competition. Svahn easily glided across the finish line to give Sweden I the victory. Dahlqvist had been able to work past Weng for second, while Weng couldn’t quite keep the pace and finished third.
Mixed Relay Results
