Lars Helge Birkeland and Kaia Nicolaisen stand on top of the podium after an opening IBU World Cup win in Sweden ©Getty Images

Norway enjoyed the perfect start to the International Biathlon Union (IBU) World Cup season by winning both the mixed relay and single mixed relay on day one in Östersund, Sweden.

Lars Helge Birkeland and Kaia Nicolaisen won the single mixed event in 36min 27.3sec with just one penalty and seven spare rounds. 

Fanny Birkeland - Lars Helge's wife - then teamed up with Tiril Eckhoff, Johannes Thingnes Boe and Tarjei Boe to secure the second Norwegian win of the day, clinching the mixed relay crown in 1:11:42.6 with nine spare rounds.

A cloudy sky and heavy winds made shooting a challenge with heavy snow also challenging the competitors.

"I was not nervous even though it was my first World Cup start," said Nicolaisen.

"My goal was just to shoot good and ski fast."

Lars Helge Birkeland added: "I love the last shooting so I just decided to attack.

"I was hoping for a win but it is never easy.

"In the other competitions, I have a good chance in all of them."

Kaia Nicolaisen takes off her gun in Östersund ©Getty Images
Kaia Nicolaisen takes off her gun in Östersund ©Getty Images

Canada's duo of Rosanna Crawford and Nathan Smith came home second with Germany's Marin Hammerschmidt and Daniel Boehm finishing third.

The French team of Marie Habert-Dorin and Simon Fourcade had been the Norwegian team's main rivals for the victory but they finished 21st after the latter failed to do a penalty loop after not using all of his spare rounds.

This meant that four minutes were added to their time and they tumbled back down the field.

In the mixed relay, Norway's quartet came home ahead of teams from Germany and the Czech Republic respectively.

"I had to rely on my team to help me today," said Fanny Birkeland.

"I tried not to stress after I broke a pole in the first 200 metres.

"I did not want to do worse than my husband did."

The Östersund World Cup is due to continue on Wednesday (December 2) with the men's individual 20 kilometres competition, and continues through to Sunday (December 6).


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