| Date | 22 February 1980 — 9:00 | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Olympic | |
| Location | Mt. Van Hoevenberg Recreation Area, Lake Placid | |
| Participants | 60 from 15 countries | |
| Format | Eight shots for each group of five targets. Penalty loop (150 metres) skied for each missed target. | |
| Details | Course Length: ? Height Differential: 42 m Maximum Climb: 33 m Shooting 1: Prone at 2.5 km, 50 m range Shooting 2: Standing at 5.0 km, 50 m range Total Climbing: 152 m | |
As expected, the 1980 Biathlon relay became a duel between the defending Olympic Champion Soviet Union and East Germany, World Champion in 1978 and 1979. At the first leg, the Soviet Union’s Vladimir Alikin took a 23-second lead over East Germany’s 21-year-old Mathias Jung, who was making his international championship début. France was in third, followed by Austria and Finland, all well behind the two leading teams. At the second leg, Aleksandr Tikhonov, the 33-year old Soviet veteran, already with three Olympic relay gold medals and six World Championships relay gold medals in his pocket, expanded the Soviet lead to almost 1½ minutes over East Germany’s Klaus Siebert, who had to ski two penalty laps. Despite Frank Ullrich’s superb third leg, gaining 47 seconds on the Soviet Union’s Vladimir Barnashov, anchor skier Anatoly Alyabyev had no problems in securing another relay gold medal for the Soviet team, their fourth out of four possible so far at the Olympics. And Tikhonov had been a team-member on all four occasions!
Eberhard Rösch secured East Germany’s first Olympic biathlon relay silver medal, having won bronze medals in both 1972 and 1976. The fight for the bronze medal was close. West Germany’s 20-year-old Peter Angerer had a solid third leg for his team, advancing from seventh to third, closely followed by Norway and France. On the anchor leg, Gerd Winkler went away from his contenders and clinched the first ever international relay medal for West Germany.
| Pos | Number | Competitors | NOC | Time | Misses | Extra Shots | Shooting 1 Misses | Shooting 1 Extra Shots | Shooting 1 | Shooting 2 Misses | Shooting 2 Extra Shots | Shooting 2 | Exchange | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | Soviet Union |  URS | 1-34:03.27 | 0 | 12 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | Gold | ||
| Lead-Off | 13-1 | Vladimir Alikin | 22:40.71 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 22:40.71 (1) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 13-2 | Aleksandr Tikhonov | 23:44.60 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 46:25.31 (1) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 13-3 | Vladimir Barnashov | 23:48.36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 1-10:13.67 (1) | ||||
| Anchor | 13-4 | Anatoly Alyabyev | 23:49.60 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-34:03.27 (1) | ||||
| 2 | 11 | East Germany |  GDR | 1-34:56.99 | 3 | 18 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | Silver | ||
| Lead-Off | 11-1 | Mathias Jung | 23:03.85 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 23:03.85 (2) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 11-2 | Klaus Siebert | 24:47.64 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 47:51.49 (2) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 11-3 | Frank Ullrich | 23:01.26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 1-10:52.75 (2) | ||||
| Anchor | 11-4 | Eberhard Rösch | 24:04.24 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 1-34:56.99 (2) | ||||
| 3 | 14 | West Germany |  FRG | 1-37:30.26 | 2 | 15 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | Bronze | ||
| Lead-Off | 14-1 | Franz Bernreiter | 24:53.58 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 24:53.58 (11) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 14-2 | Hans Estner | 24:31.97 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 49:25.55 (8) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 14-3 | Peter Angerer | 23:31.20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1-12:56.75 (3) | ||||
| Anchor | 14-4 | Gerd Winkler | 24:33.51 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 1-37:30.26 (3) | ||||
| 4 | 8 | Norway |  NOR | 1-38:11.76 | 3 | 17 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 8-1 | Svein Engen | 24:52.10 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 24:52.10 (10) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 8-2 | Kjell Søbak | 24:03.15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 48:55.25 (5) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 8-3 | Odd Lirhus | 24:08.66 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 1-13:03.91 (4) | ||||
| Anchor | 8-4 | Sigleif Johansen | 25:07.85 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-38:11.76 (4) | ||||
| 5 | 1 | France |  FRA | 1-38:23.36 | 0 | 15 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 1-1 | Yvon Mougel | 23:30.07 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 23:30.07 (3) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 1-2 | Denis Sandona | 25:14.71 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 48:44.78 (4) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 1-3 | André Geourjon | 24:44.46 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1-13:29.24 (5) | ||||
| Anchor | 1-4 | Christian Poirot | 24:54.12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 1-38:23.36 (5) | ||||
| 6 | 10 | Austria |  AUT | 1-38:32.02 | 4 | 11 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 10-1 | Rudi Horn | 23:59.95 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 23:59.95 (4) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 10-2 | Franz-Josef Weber | 25:56.99 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 4 | 3 | – (–) | 49:56.94 (9) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 10-3 | Josef Koll | 24:37.12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-14:34.06 (9) | ||||
| Anchor | 10-4 | Alfred Eder | 23:57.96 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-38:32.02 (6) | ||||
| 7 | 7 | Finland |  FIN | 1-38:50.84 | 6 | 15 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 7-1 | Keijo Kuntola | 24:18.98 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 24:18.98 (6) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 7-2 | Erkki Antila | 25:04.17 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 3 | 3 | – (–) | 49:23.15 (7) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 7-3 | Kari Saarela | 24:14.45 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-13:37.60 (6) | ||||
| Anchor | 7-4 | Raimo Seppänen | 25:13.24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 1-38:50.84 (7) | ||||
| 8 | 4 | United States |  USA | 1-39:24.29 | 0 | 13 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 4-1 | Martin Hagen | 24:25.46 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 24:25.46 (7) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 4-2 | Lyle Nelson | 24:43.61 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 49:09.07 (6) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 4-3 | Don Nielsen, Jr. | 24:31.29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-13:40.36 (7) | ||||
| Anchor | 4-4 | Peter Hoag, Jr. | 25:43.93 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1-39:24.29 (8) | ||||
| 9 | 9 | Italy |  ITA | 1-40:20.79 | 2 | 15 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 9-1 | Arduino Tiraboschi | 24:15.71 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 24:15.71 (5) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 9-2 | Adriano Darioli | 24:27.55 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 48:43.26 (3) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 9-3 | Celestino Midali | 25:45.94 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-14:29.20 (8) | ||||
| Anchor | 9-4 | Luigi Weiss | 25:51.59 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1-40:20.79 (9) | ||||
| 10 | 6 | Sweden |  SWE | 1-40:44.62 | 6 | 16 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 6-1 | Sven Fahlén | 25:46.60 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 3 | 3 | – (–) | 25:46.60 (13) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 6-2 | Per Andersson | 25:06.56 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 50:53.16 (12) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 6-3 | Sören Wikström | 24:11.80 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 1-15:04.96 (10) | ||||
| Anchor | 6-4 | Ronnie Adolfsson | 25:39.66 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 1-40:44.62 (10) | ||||
| 11 | 3 | Czechoslovakia |  TCH | 1-41:48.62 | 4 | 10 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 3-1 | Josef Skalník | 24:31.88 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 24:31.88 (8) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 3-2 | Jaromír Šimůnek | 29:37.41 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 3 | 2 | – (–) | 54:09.29 (13) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 3-3 | Peter Zelinka | 23:55.70 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 1-18:04.99 (12) | ||||
| Anchor | 3-4 | Zdeněk Hák | 23:43.63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 1-41:48.62 (11) | ||||
| 12 | 5 | Great Britain |  GBR | 1-42:10.59 | 2 | 14 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 5-1 | Graeme Ferguson | 24:43.63 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 24:43.63 (9) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 5-2 | Keith Oliver | 25:39.61 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 50:23.24 (10) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 5-3 | Jim Wood | 26:47.14 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 1-17:10.38 (11) | ||||
| Anchor | 5-4 | Paul Gibbins | 25:00.21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 1-42:10.59 (12) | ||||
| 13 | 2 | Japan |  JPN | 1-45:53.98 | 7 | 16 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 2-1 | Hiroyuki Deguchi | 25:22.57 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 25:22.57 (12) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 2-2 | Masaichi Kinoshita | 25:22.90 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 50:45.47 (11) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 2-3 | Takashi Shibata | 28:07.32 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – (–) | 5 | 3 | – (–) | 1-18:52.79 (13) | ||||
| Anchor | 2-4 | Tsusumisa Kikuchi | 27:01.19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – (–) | 1 | 3 | – (–) | 1-45:53.98 (13) | ||||
| 14 | 15 | People's Republic of China |  CHN | 2-01:33.36 | 18 | 22 | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | 15-1 | Song Yongjun | 27:06.27 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | – (–) | 0 | 3 | – (–) | 27:06.27 (14) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 15-2 | Ying Zhenshan | 29:22.07 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | – (–) | 3 | 3 | – (–) | 56:28.34 (14) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 15-3 | Li Xiaoming | 30:39.59 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 2 | 3 | – (–) | 1-27:07.93 (14) | ||||
| Anchor | 15-4 | Wang Yumjie | 34:25.43 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | – (–) | 3 | 3 | – (–) | 2-01:33.36 (14) | ||||
| 12 | Argentina |  ARG | – | – | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | ||||
| Lead-Off | 12-1 | Luis Ríos | – | – | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | 12-2 | Jorge Salas | – | – | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | 12-3 | Raúl Abella | – | – | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | ||||
| Anchor | 12-4 | Demetrio Velázquez | – | – | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | 1 |
