Para Nordic World Championships close with Relay Day
Jan 29, 2023·Para Cross-Country
The last day of the FIS Para Nordic World Ski Championships in Östersund (SWE) delivered thrilling relays. Four stages were held – for those teams with fewer athletes than four, the athletes had to make more than one distance.
All teams start at the same time and first in the finish wins. The teams consist of skaters with visual impairments, standing skaters and seated skaters – both men and women.
The first relay featured Ukraine, Norway, France, Japan, Germany, Kazakhstan, the United States, Poland and Italy lined up. Ahead of the open relay, Ukraine, as the reigning Paralympic relay champion, was favored. And indeed, Ukraine had a strong start and held the lead, but by the first intermediate, Germany had taken command and Ukraine slipped down.
Pressured by Norway, the Germans held on all the way to the finish to claim the gold medal. Norway ended as the clear runner-up. The bronze medal was a duel between Ukraine and France, which Ukraine won with a late pass to take home the hardware.
The German team consisted of Sebastian Marburger, Linn Kazmeier, Nico Messinger and Marco Maier.
"It was a tough race. We have a good team spirit and it was great to win together and celebrate as a team," said a delighted Linn Kazmeier, who drove Germany's second leg, after the finish.
In the second relay start, France, Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, the United States, Brazil and Germany each started with one team. Canada took early control in the mixed relay; after Mark Arendz ran a strong second leg, the Canadians had a 59-second lead on Ukraine.
However, the lead was eaten up by Ukraine during the third and fourth stages, chased by the United States. the gold was up for grabs and it was American Jake Adicoff who overtook Ukraine's Liudmyla Liashenko to eanr the victory for his American team.
Germany, 25:45.4
Norway, 25:53.7
Ukraine, 26:24.8
USA, 29:52.0
Ukraine, 29:56.5
Germany, 30:07.1
