Nordic Sky World Championships: Norway stun Sweden in women's relay to take gold in Planica

BySportsbeat

Updated 02/03/2023 at 22:15 GMT

With Frida Karlsson and Ebba Andersson in their team, Sweden were expected to win the 4x5km women's relay at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica. However, a fierce third leg from Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg and a great anchor leg from Anne Kjersti Kalvaa saw Norway take the gold. Stream the 2023 Nordic World Ski Championships live on Eurosport and discovery+.

'Unbelievable!' - Norway storm to shock gold in the women's 4x5km relay

Defending champions Norway surged from behind to continue their domination over the women's 4x5km relay in Planica on Thursday and stunned favourites Sweden.

It is the sixth time in seven championships the Norwegians have taken gold in this event, as Germany and Finland failed to hold onto their five-second lead at the halfway stage.

Starting on the second row, Tiril Udnes Weng handed teammate Astrid Oeyre Slind a slender lead of two tenths of a second over the chasing Swedish team.

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Slind extended Norway's advantage over the 2019 world champions but found herself overtaken by Germany's Katharina Hennig and Kerttu Niskanen of Finland.

Over the third leg, Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg needed to make up 5.6 seconds on the leaders, which the 32-year-old managed in style, leaving anchor Anne Kjersti Kalvaa with a 6.2 second headstart at the front of the pack.

Kalvaa raced home to post a total time of 50:33.3, streets ahead of silver medallists Germany - 50:53.8 - and third-placed Sweden - 51:02.0.

Nevertheless, it was a historic performance from the German quartet of Laura Gimmler, Pia Fink, Victoria Carl and Hennig who claimed a first medal for their nation in this event since 2009.

The Nordic World Championships continues with the men's 4x10km relay getting underway at 11:30 GMT on Friday in Planica. - - -

Stream the 2023 Nordic World Ski Championships live on Eurosport and discovery+

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