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Germany take women's relay win in Ruhpolding
The German women's quartet claimed their second biathlon World Cup relay win of the season as they held off Italy in a thriller in Ruhpolding.
The German team of Franziska Preuss, Denise Herrmann, Franziska Hildebrand and Laura Dahlmeier stopped the clock on home soil in a time of 1:08.47.
That was 2.9 seconds clear of the Italians but it was a thrilling race that saw as many as five teams in contention heading into the fourth and final leg before Dahlmeier put the hammer down.
Third in the end went to Sweden, 17.2 seconds down, while the Norwegians were not able to replicate their men's relay victory from 24 hours earlier as they had to settle for fourth.
Sixth were the Czech Republic and they were without Gabriela Koukalova who this weekend it was also revealed will miss the Pyeongchang Olympics.
A two-time Olympic medallist, Koukalova has been hit by calf and leg issues this season and eventually admitted defeat in her race to be fit for the Games.
"I tried to do my best to return but during the training there were a lot of problems," the 2017 IBU Sprint World Champion said.
"I'm so sorry that I cannot compete at the Olympic Winter Games since they are a highlight for every sportsman."