US Team 12th in Mixed-Relay in Kontiolahti, Finland

Today the Pre-Test for the Mixed-Relay World Championships in Russia took place in Kontiolahti, Finland. For the athletes it was the first race of the three last World Cups of the season.

The US Team started with Sara Studebaker (Boise, Idaho), Lanny Barnes (Durango, Co.), Lowell Bailey (Lake Placid, N.Y.) and Leif Nordgren (Marine-on-St. Croix, MN), wearing start bib 11. In a competition that was mainly seen as yet another training competition before the upcoming important individual races the US Team ranked 12th in the end with +4:35.3 minutes behind the winner Norway. The Norwegian started with some of their best athletes, among them Olympic Champions Tora Berger, Halvard Hanevold and Tarjei Boe.

Studebaker placed the US team in a solid position with a clean prone standing, whereas she struggled a bit at standing. Still, she managed to stay out of the penalty loop with three extras needed. Lanny Barnes showed an incredible shooting performance as she was one of only few athletes today who did not need any extras to clean all ten targets. Lowell Bailey on the other hand needed three extras in standing but showed the sixth best loop time of the men before he handed over to Nordgren who finished just seconds after the 2007 Mixed-Relay World Champion Sweden.

Results: