Sweden and Moa Olsson sprinted down Helene Marie Fossesholm, Norway had a team identical to the world champions last winter, but Russia won surprisingly.
Untested Veronika Stepanova led the team to victory.
The snowfall made it difficult to get loose on the stretches.
Not even Frida Karlsson on the second leg or Therese Johaug on the third succeeded.
Stepanova, 20, had a gap and won safely.
Olsson had a close battle with Fossesholm and was eventually one tenth ahead.
During the lap on the last stretch, the Russian Veronika Stepanova lost when Helene Marie Fossesholm grilled with Moa Olsson's glued in the back.
In the heavy uphill slope a few kilometers before the stadium, Fossesholm jerked and a tired Olsson could not catch up.
Stepanova also passed the Swede.
But on the downhill they could catch up with the Norwegian.
"Could not get loose"
Ebba Andersson had to go out first on the third leg with Therese Johaug and Russia's Tatjana Sorina notch in the heel.
After a few kilometers, Johaug got up and pulled hard to grill his competitors without being able to get a hatch.
They were gathered at the last exchange.
Frida Karlsson set hard speed on her second leg but after a while stepped in behind the Russian Natalija Neprjajeva in the snowfall.
Karlsson tried to jerk in the long uphill on the second lap and got rid of Germany and Finland.
Russia and Norway with Heidi Weng were present, however.
German Katarina Hennig, who was close to beating Therese Johaug in Ruka, pulled hard on the first leg but had a hard time getting a gap in the snowfall.
Five teams were gathered at the exchange where Emma Ribom and Norway's Tiril Udnes Weng were side by side.