Biathlon · International
Finland wins first Biathlon World Cup relay as Minkkinen seals Oberhof victory
Seppala and Minkkinen won the single mixed relay on 12 January, giving Finland its first World Cup relay victory.
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A new first for Finnish biathlon
Tero Seppala and Suvi Minkkinen delivered Finland's first Biathlon World Cup relay victory in the single mixed race at Oberhof on 12 January 2025. Minkkinen's clean anchor shooting transformed a deficit at the final exchange into a winning position, and she protected that position on the last loop. The Finnish pair used five spare rounds over the race and avoided the penalty loop. The success was also Finland's first World Cup win since Kaisa Makarainen's Oberhof mass-start victory exactly five years earlier. Seppala reached his first podium after more than 200 IBU races, while Minkkinen credited the calm shooting she had watched from Lou Jeanmonnot in the previous day's pursuit as an inspiration. The result linked sustained teamwork with a decisive final individual contribution. Minkkinen also emphasised how long she and Seppala had been teammates.
The official splits show how the race changed
Finland's winning time was 39:17.1. France, represented by Quentin Fillon Maillet and Paula Botet, finished 5.8 seconds back with eight spare rounds. Germany's Justus Strelow and Selina Grotian took third, 24.9 seconds behind, after needing eleven spares. The split table captures Finland's changing position: Seppala completed the opening leg 19.1 seconds behind, Minkkinen put the team ahead at halfway, and Seppala handed over for the last time 12.9 seconds off the lead. The final Finnish leg required no extra shots at either shooting visit. That sequence explains why a race still open at the last exchange ended in a clear Finnish success. Switzerland finished fourth at 46.4 seconds, Austria fifth at 52.1 and Slovenia sixth at 55.3. France also avoided penalties, so Finland's advantage came from the complete combination of range efficiency, timing and skiing rather than a rival's penalty-loop disaster.
Minkkinen keeps the final leg under control
The Finnish federation's account records a team that remained in the podium battle throughout. Seppala used one spare round on the opening prone and none in standing. Minkkinen then hit prone cleanly and needed one extra standing shot during her first leg. On his return, Seppala used two prone spares and one standing spare, keeping Finland close enough for the anchor to contend. He felt that his skiing, shooting and skis had all worked well and praised Minkkinen's final contribution. She explained that arriving in contention made the last leg a mental test as much as a physical one. After controlling her final standing series, she committed fully on the last climb and knew that a strong finish beyond the crest would matter. She even had time to celebrate before crossing the line. The federation confirmed the precise national milestone: Finland had never previously won a single mixed relay. Sharing the win gave the day a collective meaning, while Seppala's first and third legs supplied the platform that made the flawless anchor leg decisive rather than merely fast.
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