Norway also celebrated the men's relay victory, Seppälä's top success is the biggest reason for the Finnish team's joy

The extent of the level of the Norwegian men's team is indicated by the fact that the victory of the relay this time came without the Bön brothers. Guttorm Sivert Bakken, Filip Fjelp Andersen, Sturla Holm Lägreid and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen ski in the team.

Norway also won the relay cup. It celebrated first place in the World Cup in four of the season's five relays.

Christiansen experienced familiar atmospheres from the Olympics at the last shooting location, when four countries fought for the podium positions.

– Someone would have to be the fourth. Again, I tried not to think too much about the podium place and that unlucky fourth place. I heard Sebe (Swedish anchor Samuelsson) take his first shot and miss, so I thought "just take your time and shoot clean". In total, our fifth relay win this season and without the brothers from Stryn (Böt). I'm really happy, Christiansen said on the IBU website.

The public loved Seppälä

Finland was finally ninth with the team Heikki Laitinen, Tero Seppälä, Olli Hiidensalo and Jaakko Ranta. Seppälä's performance in particular excited the home crowd and delighted the athlete himself: fast, good shooting without a single spare cartridge and a strong skiing raise expectations for the weekend.

Seppälä was the seventh fastest of the day.

- It was a good performance that I managed to shoot both shots from the magazine and quite quickly. A good start to the Games, he said.

The Finnish success of the day was also happy with the participation of the audience during his part.

- It was nice to hear your name being shouted at Seinänousu and cheers when shooting after all the boards fell. It was nice to compete. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the weekend trips, Seppälä said happily.

Good skiing on the beach

Ranta was also satisfied with his own share. He cleared the firing positions with one spare cartridge, when the last shots fired from the magazine slipped by.

- Skiing was good today. On the bench, I tried with a little risk to take it lying down and standing up. Good performance on the shooting bench, though. As a team as a whole, the season's best ranking in the men's relay, a perfectly balanced performance, although there was certainly room for improvement, Ranta summed up.

On Saturday, Kontiolahti will have a busy race day, as both women's and men's speed races are on the program.