- They gave me an absolutely fantastic starting position.

I felt like a hunted prey and didn't really take the chance on the last shot, says Femling to SVT Sport.

- But we come fourth and it's really good, there are mixed feelings, says Femling.

Femling applauded the crowd when he entered the race.

Femling was directly overtaken by the German Benedikt Doll on the final lap, but it was a big surprise that Sweden, without Covid-sick Sebastian Samuelsson, finished fourth - even though there were plenty of fire-taxed teams.

Five with three bars on the last

Femling failed to keep up with Norway's finisher Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen for the first shot and also had to take an extra shot.

France and Fabien Claude slipped past but Femling held third place – 36 seconds ahead of Germany's Benedikt Doll who was fourth.

At the second shoot, Femling had three misses, but managed to make it through one round and went out in third place.

However, Doll was just two seconds behind in fourth. 

Ponsiluoma satisfied

Martin Ponsiluoma did a great third leg.

He went out in twelfth place, 39 seconds from the lead, and replaced Peppe Femling as first in front of the large home crowd as the sun was about to set in Östersund.

- I am extremely satisfied.

Shooting zero zero was a long time ago at a competition, had a great focus, says Ponsiluoma.

Nelin fast in the track

Jesper Nelin came in for his second shoot in third but left it in ninth after two extra shots that took time.

However, he was quick in the track and sent out Malte Stefansson in seventh - 13 seconds from the lead.

Stefansson had to take four extra shots but made it out of the round.

Norway, which had the underdogs Endre Strömsheim and Vebjörn Sörum on the first two legs, was then in the lead.

- The shooting was stable, but the riding, wow, it burned in the legs, says Stefansson, who, however, only lost 21 seconds to the Frenchman Antonin Guigonnat, who was the fastest in the track on the stretch.

Norway was missing three of its regular skaters: Bröderna Bö and Sturla Holm Lägreid, who all had covid.

Läreid is on site in Östersund and will run Sunday's mass start.