Norwegian Victory After Incredible Finish: – One of the Top Three in History

Norway clinched victory in the mixed relay thanks to an extraordinary finish by Vebjørn Sørum.

Sørum started the last leg third, trailing French Émilien Jacquelin by 14.6 seconds and Swedish Martin Ponsiluoma by 8.6 seconds. Initially, it seemed nearly impossible for Sørum to catch up, especially after losing time at the first checkpoint on the final leg.

However, Sørum found his pace and with a remarkable sprint, he closed the gap entirely. Eventually, he crossed the finish line neck-and-neck with a fatigued Jacquelin. In the final sprint, it was Sørum who proved to be the strongest, securing Norway’s victory ahead of France and Sweden.

TV2 expert Ole Kristian Stoltenberg praised the effort, stating it was among the top three finishes in history. Commentator Marius Skjelbæk exclaimed he had never seen anything quite like this final leg before, emphasizing the intensity of the race.

Karoline Knotten began the race with a flawless first leg, placing Norway at the front by the first exchange, setting an excellent tone for the team. Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold followed suit, showing impressive shooting skills initially but faced challenges on the standing round, losing her lead to Öberg of Sweden.

Johannes Dale-Skjevdal struggled with four missed shots, which significantly set the team back, leaving Sørum with a challenging task ahead. Despite setbacks, the positioning shifted dramatically during the last prone shooting, with France and Sweden taking the lead.

Earlier on Saturday, Juni Arnekleiv and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen had placed Norway at a disappointing fifth in the men's relay. The competition continues with both men's and women's relay events scheduled for Sunday at the same location.