| | Event type
4 × 7.5 kilometres Relay, Men
| Date | 16 February 1992 — 9:30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Olympic | |
| Location | Les Saisies | |
| Participants | 84 from 21 countries | |
| Format | Eight shots for each group of five targets. Penalty loop (150 metres) skied for each missed target. | |
| Details | Course Length: 7,425 m Height Differential: 57 m Maximum Climb: 39 m Shooting 1: Prone at 2.5 km, 50 m range Shooting 2: Standing at 5.0 km, 50 m range Total Climbing: 268 m | |
Germany was the favorite, although the event had known only one champion since it had first been contested at the Winter Olympics in 1968, and that was the Soviet Union. They had been 1-2 at the 1991 World Championships and although the Soviet Union no longer existed, the Unified Team was expected to challenge the Germans, although they were no longer favored. But on the first leg a disaster almost befell the Germans when Ricco Groß collided with France’s Xavier Blond. Groß fell and lost a lot of time, finishing his leg in only 12th place, with the lead held by Finland, followed by Sweden and the Unified Team. Germany moved up to fifth after the second leg, with Sweden leading the Unified Team. But on the third leg Mark Kirchner had the fastest leg of the event, 20:17.5, almost a minute ahead of the Unified’s third skier, and it pulled Germany into a lead they would hold to the line to win the gold medal. Although Sergey Chepikov was skiing the last leg for the Unified Team, he lost more ground to Fritz Fischer, who was comfortably ahead at the end, and skied the last 50 metres carrying a German flag. Germany was the first nation other than the Soviet Union to the win the men’s biathlon relay at the Olympics. Sweden was fourth after three legs, trailing Norway, but Mikael Löfgren outskied and outshot Eirik Kvalfoss by almost two minutes, with the second best leg of the event, to bring his team a bronze medal. The three medal-winning teams had no shooting penalties.
| Pos | 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 | Germany |  GER | 1-24:43.5 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | Gold | ||
| Lead-Off | Ricco Groß | 22:37.4 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:37.4 (12) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Jens Steinigen | 21:00.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 43:38.3 (5) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Mark Kirchner | 20:17.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-03:55.8 (1) | ||||
| Anchor | Fritz Fischer | 20:47.7 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-24:43.5 (1) | ||||
| 2 | Unified Team |  EUN | 1-25:06.3 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | Silver | ||
| Lead-Off | Valery Medvedtsev | 21:56.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 21:56.3 (3) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Aliaksandr Papou | 21:01.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 42:57.5 (2) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Valery Kiriyenko | 21:11.7 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-04:09.2 (2) | ||||
| Anchor | Sergey Chepikov | 20:57.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-25:06.3 (2) | ||||
| 3 | Sweden |  SWE | 1-25:38.2 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | Bronze | ||
| Lead-Off | Ulf Johansson | 21:53.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 21:53.3 (2) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Leif Andersson | 21:03.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 42:56.4 (1) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Tord Wiksten | 22:05.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-05:01.9 (4) | ||||
| Anchor | Mikael Löfgren | 20:36.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-25:38.2 (3) | ||||
| 4 | Italy |  ITA | 1-26:18.1 | 2 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Hubert Leitgeb | 22:01.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:01.6 (8) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Johann Passler | 21:37.8 | 2 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 2 | – | – (–) | 43:39.4 (6) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Pieralberto Carrara | 21:24.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-05:04.0 (5) | ||||
| Anchor | Andreas Zingerle | 21:14.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-26:18.1 (4) | ||||
| 5 | Norway |  NOR | 1-26:32.4 | 1 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Geir Einang | 22:07.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:07.5 (9) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Frode Løberg | 21:01.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 43:09.1 (3) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Gisle Fenne | 21:00.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-04:09.6 (3) | ||||
| Anchor | Eirik Kvalfoss | 22:22.8 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 1-26:32.4 (5) | ||||
| 6 | France |  FRA | 1-27:13.3 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Xavier Blond | 23:07.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 23:07.6 (15) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Thierry Gerbier | 21:26.4 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 44:34.0 (8) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Christian Dumont | 21:41.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-06:15.1 (7) | ||||
| Anchor | Hervé Flandin | 20:58.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-27:13.3 (6) | ||||
| 7 | Czechoslovakia |  TCH | 1-27:15.7 | 1 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Martin Rypl | 22:00.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:00.5 (7) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Tomáš Kos | 21:10.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 43:10.7 (4) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Jiří Holubec | 22:22.6 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 1-05:33.3 (6) | ||||
| Anchor | Ivan Masařík | 21:42.4 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-27:15.7 (7) | ||||
| 8 | Finland |  FIN | 1-27:39.5 | 1 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Vesa Hietalahti | 21:36.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 21:36.9 (1) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Jaakko Niemi | 23:17.1 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 44:54.0 (11) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Harri Eloranta | 21:24.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-06:18.9 (9) | ||||
| Anchor | Kari Kataja | 21:20.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-27:39.5 (8) | ||||
| 9 | Poland |  POL | 1-27:56.7 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Dariusz Kozłowski | 22:45.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:45.6 (13) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Jan Ziemianin | 21:21.0 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 44:06.6 (7) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Jan Wojtas | 22:11.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-06:17.8 (8) | ||||
| Anchor | Krzysztof Sosna | 21:38.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-27:56.7 (9) | ||||
| 10 | Canada |  CAN | 1-29:37.3 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Glenn Rupertus | 21:58.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 21:58.8 (6) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Jean Paquet | 22:49.7 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 44:48.5 (10) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Tony Fiala | 22:00.0 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-06:48.5 (10) | ||||
| Anchor | Steve Cyr | 22:48.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-29:37.3 (10) | ||||
| 11 | Estonia |  EST | 1-29:46.1 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Hillar Zahkna | 22:34.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:34.3 (11) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Aivo Udras | 22:02.0 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 44:36.3 (9) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Kalju Ojaste | 22:26.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-07:02.9 (11) | ||||
| Anchor | Urmas Kaldvee | 22:43.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-29:46.1 (11) | ||||
| 12 | Austria |  AUT | 1-30:40.7 | 2 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Bruno Hofstätter | 22:22.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:22.8 (10) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Egon Leitner | 23:46.9 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 46:09.7 (14) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Ludwig Gredler | 21:37.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-07:47.6 (12) | ||||
| Anchor | Franz Schuler | 22:53.1 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 1-30:40.7 (12) | ||||
| 13 | United States |  USA | 1-30:44.0 | 1 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Jon Engen | 22:55.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 22:55.1 (14) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Duncan Douglas | 23:21.2 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 46:16.3 (15) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Josh Thompson | 22:12.0 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-08:28.3 (13) | ||||
| Anchor | Curt Schreiner | 22:15.7 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-30:44.0 (13) | ||||
| 14 | Bulgaria |  BUL | 1-31:49.6 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Krasimir Videnov | 21:57.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 21:57.1 (4) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Hristo Vodenicharov | 23:53.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 45:50.6 (13) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Spas Gulev | 22:58.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-08:49.4 (14) | ||||
| Anchor | Spas Zlatev | 23:00.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-31:49.6 (14) | ||||
| 15 | Hungary |  HUN | 1-32:50.7 | 2 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | János Panyik | 21:57.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 21:57.8 (5) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | László Farkas | 23:51.1 | 2 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 2 | – | – (–) | 45:48.9 (12) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Gábor Mayer | 24:35.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-10:24.2 (16) | ||||
| Anchor | Tibor Géczi | 22:26.5 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-32:50.7 (15) | ||||
| 16 | Latvia |  LAT | 1-33:31.1 | 3 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Oļegs Maļuhins | 24:47.4 | 2 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 2 | – | – (–) | 24:47.4 (19) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Aivars Bogdanovs | 22:29.4 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 47:16.8 (16) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Ilmārs Bricis | 23:46.7 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 1-11:03.5 (17) | ||||
| Anchor | Gundars Upenieks | 22:27.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-33:31.1 (16) | ||||
| 17 | People's Republic of China |  CHN | 1-33:52.4 | 1 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Tan Hongbin | 23:39.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 23:39.2 (17) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Tang Guoliang | 23:42.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 47:22.1 (17) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Wang Weiyi | 22:11.0 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-09:33.1 (15) | ||||
| Anchor | Song Wenbin | 24:19.3 | 1 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 1 | – | – (–) | 1-33:52.4 (17) | ||||
| 18 | Great Britain |  GBR | 1-34:10.5 | 2 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Mike Dixon | 24:16.8 | 2 | – | 2 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 24:16.8 (18) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Paul Ryan | 23:53.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 48:10.6 (18) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Ken Rudd | 23:06.1 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-11:16.7 (18) | ||||
| Anchor | Ian Woods | 22:53.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-34:10.5 (18) | ||||
| 19 | Yugoslavia |  YUG | 1-38:40.2 | 0 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Mladen Grujić | 23:30.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 23:30.2 (16) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Tomislav Lopatić | 25:23.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 48:53.5 (19) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Zoran Ćosić | 24:03.9 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-12:57.4 (19) | ||||
| Anchor | Admir Jamak | 25:42.8 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-38:40.2 (19) | ||||
| 20 | Slovenia |  SLO | 1-39:03.2 | 6 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Uroš Velepec | 32:15.5 | 5 | – | 5 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 32:15.5 (21) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Sašo Grajf | 22:26.9 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 54:42.4 (21) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Jure Velepec | 22:05.2 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-16:47.6 (20) | ||||
| Anchor | Janez Ožbolt | 22:15.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-39:03.2 (20) | ||||
| 21 | Republic of Korea |  KOR | 1-47:24.4 | 1 | – | – | – | – (–) | – | – | – (–) | – (–) | |||
| Lead-Off | Kim Woon-Ki | 27:16.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 27:16.6 (20) | ||||
| 2nd Leg | Hong Byung-Sik | 25:26.3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 52:42.9 (20) | ||||
| 3rd Leg | Jang Dong-Lin | 27:44.9 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-20:27.8 (21) | ||||
| Anchor | Han Myung-Hee | 26:56.6 | 0 | – | 0 | – | – (–) | 0 | – | – (–) | 1-47:24.4 (21) |