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Svendsen wins men's mass start race in Ostersund

Germany's Andrea Henkel, left, and Magdalena Neuner celebrate with elk horns after the women's 4x6km relay biathlon race in Ostersund, Sweden, on Sunday. PHOTO: AP

Emil Hegle Svendsen edged fellow Norwegian Ole Einar Bjorndalen by 0.4 seconds to win the men's mass start race on Sunday for his second gold medal at the World Biathlon Championships.

Defending champion Germany won the women's 4x6km relay, beating Ukraine by 30.9 seconds.

Svendsen covered the 15km race in 36 minutes, 18.4 seconds. Both he and Bjorndalen missed one target each.

"I never thought I would beat him because I'm not known for having a great finishing kick," Svendsen said. "I haven't practiced much on my finishing kick."

Svendsen, 22, also won the 20km event on Thursday. Bjorndalen finished the championships with four medals -- one gold, two silver and one bronze.

Maxim Tchoudov of Russia finished third in the last individual race, 24.9 seconds behind, after three misses.

Germany, unbeaten in four World Cup relays this season, finished in 1:10.12.6. Martina Glagow, Andrea Henkel, Magdalena Neuner and Kati Wilhelm competed for Germany.

France finished third, 1:35.7 behind.

Thomas Morgenstern ended a drought of 12 years for Austrian ski jumping on Sunday when he assured himself of winning the World Cup crystal globe.

The 21-year-old finished fifth in the event in Willingen on Sunday behind Norway's Bjorn Einar Romoeren, but holds an insurmountable 601 point lead over compatriot Gregor Schlierenzauer with six legs remaining.

Morgenstern has dominated the campaign, winning on no less than 10 occasions, but failed to land the prestigious Four Hills competition where he finished second.

Romoeren won Sunday's event ahead of Slovenia's Jernej Damjan while another Norwegian Anders Bardal was third.
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