The ladies' from Norway (Weng, Johaug, Jacobsen, Bjoergen) have repeated as FIS Nordic World Ski Champions in the 4 x 5 km relay. Never far from the lead during the first leg of the relay the Norwegian team began to do it's damage on the second leg with Therese Johaug opening up a strong lead. The team's from Sweden (Bleckur, Kalla, Rydqvist, Nilsson) and Finland (Saarinen, Niskanen, Roponen, Parmakoski) each benefited from strong legs from their biggest stars. Sweden's Charlotte Kalla closed the gap to Finland for second place on the second leg and brought her team closer to Norway. With one of the fastest skate legs Astrid Jacobsen for Norway stretched the lead back out and Roponen for Finland brought them back into the hunt for the silver. On the final leg of the relay it was clear Norway would ski to victory and Sweden and Finland battled until the final 100 meters with Sweden taking the silver and Finland the bronze.
Marit Bjoergen NOR

Marit Bjoergen has now tied Russia's Elena Valbe for 14 Championship gold medals.

The ladies’ relay turned into a truly Nordic experience.

The favourites, Norway stood up to the pressure and won gold while Sweden defeated Finland in the sprint for silver.

“It was great to take revenge for Sochi last year and after Tuesday’s contest where we missed out a bit with the skis,” says Therese Johaug to SVT.
It was hard skiing right from the start of the ladies’ relay on Thursday. Four teams left the field behind on the first leg and when Russia let go in the second stretch it became an exclusively Nordic battle for medals.

Charlotte Kalla chased up successfully for Sweden on the second leg, but in the second half of the race Therese Johaug delivered what would prove to be the decisive blow.
“It was quite amazing to ski today. There’s been a great atmosphere all day, and we’ve been really courageous in our skiing,” says Kalla to SVT.

Kalla had almost caught up by the exchange, but early in the third leg Maria Rydqvist fell and Norwegian Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen could ski off with a 17-second lead.
And Marit Björgen used that advantage in the best possible way of course. She could ski the last lap with a smile on her face and walk home the Norwegian gold.

“The girls did a fantastic job and I created a gap so that Stina couldn’t ski in my wake. I had fantastic skis and could go well. I felt after only one kilometer when I learned that the gap had increased that things were going our way,” says Björgen.
Behind her there was a battle waging between Swedish Stina Nilsson and Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski for the silver. The Finn pulled almost all the way, but on their way into the stadium Nilsson put in a spurt and could deliver a Swedish silver.

“I’d been given clear instructions about the tactical set-up and I managed to follow them,” says Nilsson, who has now won three silver medals in this World Championships.
Finland took the bronze medal and their first cross-country medal of the Championships.

“My tactic was to ski off fast after one kilometre, but Stina hung on. Then I changed my mind and wanted to be behind her into the stadium. But it wasn’t good enough and Stina was stronger,” says Pärmäkoski.

Source: Falun2015

OFFICIAL RESULTS - Ladies' 4 x 5 km relay

1 NORWAY 49:04.7
WENG Heidi 1991 14:20.1
JOHAUG Therese 1988 14:06.7
JACOBSEN Astrid Uhrenholdt 1987 10:17.0
BJOERGEN Marit 1980 10:20.9

2 SWEDEN +29.2
BLECKUR Sofia 1984 14:31.6
KALLA Charlotte 1987 13:56.8
RYDQVIST Maria 1983 10:33.2
NILSSON Stina 1993 10:32.3

3. FINLAND +30.9
SAARINEN Aino-Kaisa 1979 14:19.3
NISKANEN Kerttu 1988 14:23.5
ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa 1978 10:18.8
PARMAKOSKI Krista 1990 10:34.0

4. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA +1:49.9
BJORNSEN Sadie 1989 15:09.7
BRENNAN Rosie 1988 14:57.3
STEPHEN Elizabeth 1987 10:14.4
DIGGINS Jessica 1991 10:33.2

5. POLAND +1:52.3
KUBINSKA Kornelia 1985 15:00.8
KOWALCZYK Justyna 1983 14:28.5
MARCISZ Ewelina 1991 10:45.7
JASKOWIEC Sylwia 1986 10:42.0