Czech Relay Team: Last Shot Dashes Medal Hopes

The Czech relay, just like a fortnight ago, was started by Hornig, who was delayed by one charge at the first shooting, but managed to make the repair and left in contact with the best. Shooting while standing, it looked like Hornig would be able to white out all the targets in quick succession, but the last shot missed. But the Czech number one managed to recharge quickly and left the range tenth.

However, with a quality run in the last lap, Hornig pulled out the Czech relay and passed Krčmář in third place with a loss of half a minute to the Norwegian-French pair. “It’s a shame about those two mistakes. I think we had excellent skis, I had a great ride in those turns and descents, whatever I lost on the range, I was able to finish. So a great race for me,” assessed Hornig in an interview with Czech Television.

The German Zobel had to take a penalty lap in the very first section and created a loss of 53 seconds for his colleagues. The Swedes were even worse off after the first section, Nelin needed all three extra rounds in both shootings. His loss on the handover amounted to more than a minute.

Krčmář came to the layup in a group of eleven relays and whitewashed the targets in quick succession, the Czech representative did not need a single extra charge. He continued with six other rivals in the group for third place. Unexpectedly, the Slovenian relay team was eliminated in the first shooting, when the experienced Fak did not manage his item and had to take two penalty rounds.

In the second shootout, Krčmář was already delayed with one charge, and so four relays missed him. The Czech competitor left seventh with a loss of thirteen seconds to the third Italo Hofer. The fight for the gold was won by the first and second relay teams from Östersund in the middle of the race, the Norwegian-French pair had a lead of more than a minute at the handover.

The third section for the Czech colors was provided by Mareček, for whom it was the first start in the men’s relay this season. Krčmář passed the baton to him in sixth place in contact with third place, when he erased a double-digit loss. “The last lap was the best I’ve had in the whole season so far. I really feel that it’s going up. I was a little nervous because the Canadian was jumping from one track to another, but now I’ve cooled down,” explained Krčmář.

The Norwegian-French duo was separated by shooting lying down in the third section, when Laegreid hit all the targets and Fillon-Maillet had to recharge, then left the shooting range with a loss of half a minute.

Mareček arrived at the shooting range at the tail end of the group for bronze and used up two spare cartridges for one mistake, yet he still left in contact with the sixth Swiss Finell, whom he even overtook on the track. But Mareček’s stand went great, he didn’t stay too long on the shooting range and after the sixth shot, the Czech relay left fourth with a loss of ten seconds to the third Americans. The Germans returned to the fight for the best positions, with Horn breathing on Mareček’s back.

“I’m certainly satisfied, because the start of the season was disastrous for me. I didn’t have the ideal finish, but I’m glad I made it through,” said Marečka.

On the pass for the last section, Laegreid brought a luxurious lead to Christians, the French passed with a loss of over fifty seconds. The Germans moved up to third place, the Americans took fourth. Mareček sent Karlík to the last section in fifth place, in close contact with the sixth Swedes. However, a one-minute gap had already formed behind them and the fight for the premier podium in the season was real.

The last prone shooting brought extreme rapid fire by the German Strelow, who thus became independent in third place. Karlík had to recharge once and lay on the carpet for a long time, which tore up the starting field. When he left the shooting range in sixth place, he lost eight seconds to the fifth American Wright.

The Norwegian triumph was clearly decided after the last shot, which Christiansen saved and did not give Perrot a chance. The Frenchman needed all three extra rounds, but still left with a comfortable lead in second. The fight for third place on the shooting range was between the Germans and the Swedes, Samuelsson managed the shooting better and took his relay to the bronze. The American and the German also left, and Karlík only had to shoot.

But the Czech competitor absolutely did not manage the handstand. Out of the five targets, he hit only one and, evidently knocked out, he left three unshot targets in the end. Karlík thus lost the possibility of an extended podium, he left the shooting range ninth in contact with Ukraine and Estonia and theoretically fighting for seventh place. With a final finish, Karlík tried to get ahead of the Estonians, but in the end he had to accept the final ninth place.