Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Val Martello, Italy
The second competition of the ISMF World Cup in Val Martello took place this morning: it was a Mixed Relay, the format that will be on the program of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
36 teams from 22 nations were present for the competition, which took place around the Biathlon Center of Val Martello, offering a unique venue with a beautiful and original course.
The tension was high, as every result could be crucial for Olympic qualification (except for France and Spain, who have already secured their spots through the 2025 World Championships in Morgins).
Switzerland claimed victory today, with Thomas Bussard and Caroline Ulrich. A major disappointment for Spain, who missed out on victory due to a penalty.Discover the race recap, along with photos, new cuts, and detailed results.
Final Highlights
Teams qualified for Final A: Austria, Italy, Norway, France, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Spain, Slovakia, USA, Poland, and Sweden.
The women set off first, with Tove Alexandersson (SWE) taking the lead from the start, followed by Caroline Ulrich (SUI), Emma Coork (CAN), Giulia Murada (ITA), Ana Alonso (ESP), Emily Harrop (FRA), and Johanna Hiemer (AUT).
At the first handover, Ana Alonso had moved into second place, but she missed a gate on the downhill, incurring a one-minute penalty for her team.
Behind them, France and Switzerland were neck-and-neck, followed closely by Austria, Canada, and Italy.
In the first men’s loop, Oriol Cardona reached the transition in first place, creating a significant gap over the rest. However, to secure the win, a gap of more than a minute was needed. Thomas Bussard claimed second at the handover, very closely followed by France’s Pablo Giner. Right behind them were Paul Verbjnack (AUT) and Lysell Jerker (SWE).
After the second women’s loop, Spain was still leading (27:42) but without the gap necessary to claim the win. In second position, Switzerland (28:20), third France (28:35), and fourth Austria (29:01).
Oriol Cardona crossed the finish line first, but the expression of his teammate Ana Alonso said it all—it was not enough. Due to this penalty, Spain slipped to second place, allowing Switzerland to claim victory for their second win of the season after Boí Taüll. The French team completed the podium in third.
Winners’ Reactions:
Caroline:
“It was a really tough race from the beginning, but I tried to catch up with the other girls, and Thomas did really well, so I tried to gain every second for him. To get the win here, even with a penalty, is really cool!”
Thomas:
“I was focused on the front of the race. My main goal was to maintain the gap with Oriol because we knew they had a penalty. So I tried to maintain the gap and secure the win. It’s a back-to-back win, and it feels great for us.”
Final Results:
- ULRICH CAROLINE / BUSSARD THOMAS (36:19.1)
- ALONSO RODRIGUEZ ANA / CARDONA COLL ORIOL (36:38.5)
- HARROP EMILY / GINER DALMASSO PABLO (37:02.2)
- HIEMER JOHANNA / VERBNJAK PAUL (37:13.4)
- WALDAL IDA / KLETTE HANS-INGE (38:06.6)
- ALEXANDERSSON TOVE / LYSELL JERKER (38:12.6)
- PALLER TATJANA / HÖSCH FINN (38:26.1)
- JAGERCIKOVA MARIANNA / SIARNIK JAKUB (38:40.0)
- MURADA GIULIA / CANCLINI NICOLO ERNESTO (38:43.8)
- COOK-CLARKE EMMA / ROBSON AARON (38:45.6)
- JANUSZYK IWONA / ELANTKOWSKI JAN (39:58.5)
- YOUNG JESSIE / BRILEY GRIFFIN (40:13.1)
