Germany's first title came courtesy of Andrea Eskau as the Sochi 2014 biathlon champion added to her biathlon bronze from yesterday to take top spot in the women's long distance cross-country race with a time of 40min 14.9sec.

Russia's Marta Zaynullina claimed her second silver in as many days as she finished runner-up, seven seconds shy of Eskau, while Norway's Mariann Marthinsen was third.

"The temperature was not really a problem because it is not that cold yet," Eskau said.

"The course was a little bit slower than yesterday and my strategy was not to push too hard on the first run."

Brian McKeever claimed the first Canadian gold of the contest in his one and only race of the Championships.

Guided by Eric Carleton, the Sochi 2014 gold medallist skied to victory in the men's visually impaired in 43:44.5, a world away from second placed French pairing Thomas Clarion and guide Julien Bourla, who clocked 45:29.8.

Russian duo Stanislav Chokhlaev and guide Evgenii Fatkhullin picked up the bronze.

"It is nice to be on fast snow," McKeever said.

"[The] staff were absolutely instrumental, skis were amazing and that makes our job far easier when all that stuff comes together."

Brian McKeever claimed the first Canadian gold of the contest in his one and only race of the championships - the men's long distance cross-country standing event ©Getty Images



The women's equivalent saw Russia's Iuliia Budaleeva and Tatiana Maltseva capture gold in 46:49.3, while team mates Elena Remizova and guide Maksim Pirogov took silver.

Ukraine's Olga Prylutska and guide Borys Babar sealed bronze in 49:00.9.

The Russians also struck gold in the men's sitting race where Aleksandr Davidovich took top spot in 44:06.2.

Ukraine's Maksym Yarovyi, yesterday's short distance biathlon gold winner, took silver ahead of Andrew Soule of the United States, who claimed his second medal of the competition.

More golds were to fall into the hands of Russian athletes in the men's standing contest where Rushan Minnegulov skied to the top of the podium in 43:43.6.

More than 30 seconds further adrift came Frenchman Benjamin Daviet, who picked up his second silver in cable, while Ukrainian Ihor Reptyukh tied up bronze with his time of 44:53.7.

Oleksandra Kononova led her second Ukrainian one-two in the women's standing as she once again beat team mate Liiudmyia Liashenko to the top spot.

Her time of 43.42.8 was more than two minutes faster than that of Liashenko, with Russia's Ekaterina Rumyantseva a further minute of the pace in third.

Athletes will have a rest day in Cable tomorrow before competition is due to continue on Tuesday (January 27) with the biathlon middle distance races.

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