Saturday, December 6, 2025 – Solitude (USA)
The first Mixed Relay race of the 2025/26 season – and the last qualifier – took place in Solitude. With true winter conditions after a 30-cm snowfall during the night, the organizer had to work hard to prepare the track in time for the race.
There were plenty of nerves between the teams. The USA and Canada were fighting for the Americas continental quota for the Olympics, while Sweden and Poland were chasing valuable Olympic ranking points. With France and Spain not competing, the race offered a strong opportunity for several teams to gain positions in the standings.
Gibson & Smith Lead USA to Convincing Victory in Mixed Relay Final
The Mixed Relay Final A unfolded with high intensity from the opening leg, as the USA duo Anna Gibson and Cameron Smith (1st, 32:17.6) immediately took control of the race and never looked back, delivering a dominant wire-to-wire victory on home snow. Italy’s Alba De Silvestro and Michele Boscacci (2nd, +51.1) produced a composed and steady performance, securing second place with a clean, well-managed race. Switzerland’s Thibe Deseyn and Arno Lietha (3rd, +1:03.8) followed closely to complete the podium, benefitting from the German team’s 30-second penalty for losing a skin.
A key storyline emerged in the mid-pack battle between Poland (7th, +1:35.1) and Sweden (8th, +1:57.6): the Polish team held a stable and confident pace throughout the entire race, while Sweden—usually a standout in the relay—showed strong moments but lacked their traditional sharpness. Canada (6th, +1:31.7) executed clean changes but lost crucial seconds across the legs, finishing just outside the top five.
With France and Spain absent from the start line, the field was more open than usual, creating new opportunities and delivering an exciting, unpredictable spectacle that kept the crowd fully engaged in Solitude.
Final Results – Mixed Relay
1. (Bib 8) – USA – Anna Gibson / Cameron Smith
Time: 32:17.6 Diff: –
2. (Bib 2) – Italy – Alba De Silvestro / Michele Boscacci
Time: 33:08.7 Diff: +51.1
3. (Bib 1) – Switzerland – Thibe Deseyn / Arno Lietha
Time: 33:21.4 Diff: +1:03.8
4. (Bib 3) – Germany – Tatjana Paller / Finn Hösch
Time: 33:26.2 Diff: +1:08.6 Penalty: +0:30
5. (Bib 5) – Norway – Ida Waldal / Hans-Inge Klette
Time: 33:39.0 Diff: +1:21.4
6. (Bib 10) – Canada – Emma Cook-Clarke / Aaron Robson
Time: 33:49.3 Diff: +1:31.7
7. (Bib 6) – Poland – Iwona Januszyk / Jan Elantkowski
Time: 33:52.7 Diff: +1:35.1
8. (Bib 9) – Sweden – Tove Alexandersson / Jerker Lysell
Time: 34:15.2 Diff: +1:57.6
9. (Bib 7) – Slovakia – Marianna Jagerčíková / Jakub Siarnik
Time: 34:21.0 Diff: +2:03.4
10. (Bib 4) – China – Suolangquzhen / Gongsong Langjia
Time: 34:23.4 Diff: +2:05.8
11. (Bib 11) – Japan – Ayaka Ueda / Tokutaro Shima
Time: 35:14.9 Diff: +2:57.3
12. (Bib 12) – Slovenia – Ana Cufer / Maj Pritrznik
Time: 37:40.8 Diff: +5:23.2
