Elvira Öberg, Martin Ponsiluma, Mona Brorsson and Sebastian Samuelsson were challenged by well-deserved teams from Norway, Germany, France, Austria, Czech Republic and Switzerland in a fast and varied single medley relay that began with a qualifier. The result there determined the starting order in the final where each skater completed two laps and shot four times – prone, standing, prone and standing. It was then followed by an extra final lap to decide which team took home the victory in the end.
Elvira Öberg and Martin Ponsiluma was at the top throughout the qualification and was the third team to finish without a penalty round, four seconds behind Norway.
In the final started Elvira Öberg with an extra shot in the prone, but took revenge with five full hits in the standing shot and switched to a narrow lead. However, went Martin Ponsiluma on a penalty round in the prone shooting and dropped to fifth place, but managed an extra shot in the standing and advanced to fourth place – 25 seconds behind leaders Germany.
On the third stretch was forced Elvira Öberg use an extra shot both in lying and standing and alternated as fifth. When Martin Ponsiluma went out on the final stretch, he had just over half a minute up to the lead, but was only four seconds from the podium before the last standing – despite an extra shot in the prone position. But after another extra shot, the distance grew slightly, so Martin had to settle for taking the Swedish first team to the finish as fourth – 19 seconds behind victorious Norway.
Mona Brorsson and Sebastian Samuelsson also managed without a penalty round in the qualifier and sprinted to the finish just behind the first team in fourth.
Despite a good start in the final competition with full in the horizontal shooting went Mona Brorsson on a standing penalty round and switched 12 seconds from the lead as the fourth team. Sebastian Samuelsson then lost time and places after two extra shots in the prone and another in the standing shooting and was in sixth place at the changeover, just over half a minute behind Germany.
When Mona Brorsson forced to use all three of her extra shots in prone, the distance grew to almost a minute and she also dropped one place. Mona, on the other hand, managed to get a zero in the standing shooting, but shifted as she remained seventh. On the final stretch caught Sebastian Samuelsson past the Czech Republic despite an extra shot in the prone shooting and then finished with full standing. He eventually led the Swedish second team to finish sixth, 1.04 from victory.
Big congratulations to the winners June Arnekleiv and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen and strongly fought by all eight teams in an exciting and very successful premiere for an event that will hopefully become an annual tradition at Stockholm’s stadium!
Text and analysis: LG Alsenius
