E.ON IBU 2011 World Cup Biathlon #7 @ Nordic Heritage Ski Center, Presque Isle, Maine. One of the most exciting race – the Mixed Relay. Each team consists of two women and two men, with the women leading off the event. The team member skis the course twice, shooting once from the prone position and once from the standing position. The race begins with a simultaneous start by each team’s first competitor. Usually the teams arrive “en masse” at the firing range for the first prone position.

Some of the fastest shooting occurs during the relay, as the competitors know they have extra rounds in case of a miss. There are no penalty loops in the relay. In the hand over zone, the next leg of the Relay team is sent on his way with a tag from his teammate. This head to head competition is one of the spectator favorites; with the best teams finishing in about an hour and twenty minutes.