Penalty loop costs Germany a relay podium in Hochfilzen

Norway won the second men’s relay of the biathlon season in commanding fashion in Hochfilzen. With just three spares across 40 shots, the Norwegians pulled away after the halfway point and finished 43.1 seconds ahead of France, who used eight spares and avoided penalties. Sweden completed the podium, 1:05.7 behind.

Germany fielded David Zobel, Philipp Nawrath, Philipp Horn, and Justus Strelow, but an early penalty loop and additional spares proved too costly. Zobel, starting for Germany, shot clean prone to stay in the lead group, but incurred a standing penalty loop and handed over in 15th, 53 seconds behind Norway. He admitted afterwards that he lost focus amid the atmosphere and couldn’t steady his rifle.

Nawrath attacked on leg two, clawing back time on the tracks and leaving the range twice with a single spare each time. He moved Germany into fourth by the second exchange, handing to Horn. Horn needed spares in both bouts—surviving a scare with three standing spares—to keep Germany in podium contention, and he tagged off in fifth with the gap to the podium essentially closed by the changeover.

Anchoring for the first time in a men’s World Cup relay, Strelow fired an exceptionally fast prone string to gain a 16‑second advantage on his immediate rivals, but he lost that cushion on the tracks to Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson. With Norway and France clear in first and second, Strelow used two standing spares while Sweden and the USA shot clean, ending Germany’s podium hopes. He brought the team home in fifth, 1:20 off the win.

Post‑race, Zobel was self‑critical about his standing stage, and Strelow noted he needs to improve precision in standing while keeping his strong prone form. The piece highlights that Norway’s depth remains formidable despite the retirement of the Bö brothers.