A golden Swedish ladies relay team
Feb 28, 2019·Cross-Country
17 ladies teams were fighting for the top spots at todays ladies relay. Team Sweden, Norway and Russia showed that their role as favourites was justified. In a spectacular sprint finish, Stina Nilsson outsprinted Therese Johaug and brought the gold medal home to Sweden.
14'900 spectators followed the relay along the race course in Seefeld. The atmosphere was truly phenomenal as also a strong German team mixed up the leading group until the last exchange.
After the second exchange, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (NOR) and Charlotte Kalla (SWE) set off for the fight of the World Champion title. Sandra Ringwald (GER) and Anna Nechaevskays (RUS) reminded in a fetching position of the leaders but also had to fight hard against the sun and the soft snow conditions.
As the ace in the teams and positions that needed to decide the race, team Sweden played Stina Nilsson and the Norwegians Therese Johaug. Both had already proven themselves and won Gold at the Team Sprint C (Nilsson) and in Skiathlon as well as in the 10km C (Johaug). The Norwegian was on the hunt for Nilsson but the young Swede knew that she had to fight hard. She saved her last gear for the final sprint before the finish line and managed to stay in front, winning Gold for Sweden.
Natalia Nepryaeva had in the meantime taken over the last exchange for team Russia and ensured the Russian ladies team the spot on the podium. With a +2:03.8 minute gap to the winning team, Russia ends up with bronce before team Germany.
