The team of Anais Bescond, Anais Chevalier, Celia Aymonier and Justine Braisaz completed the 4x6 kilometres course in foggy, windy and snowy conditions with just one penalty and 10 spares.

It was good enough for a time of 1 hour 12min 42.40sec. 

Vanessa Hinz, Denise Herrmann, Franziska Preuss and Maren Hammerschmidt of Germany could only finish second, 32.4 seconds back.

It ended a German run of six victories in the format stretching back to last season. 

Linn Persson, Anna Magnusson, Elisabeth Hoegberg and Mona Brorsson of Sweden secured a surprising bronze medal.

They finished 48.2 seconds behind in third.

Sweden enjoyed even better fortunes in the corresponding men's 4x7km relay with a first World Cup win since 2009.

Martin Ponsiluoma, Jesper Nelin, Sebastian Samuelsson and Fredrik Lindstroem combined for a time of 1:19:44.10.

This proved good enough for a 1:10.80 victory over an Italian quartet of Thomas Bormolini, Lukas Hofer, Dominik Windisch and Thierry Chenal.

Norway's Vetle Sjaastad, Henrik L'Abee-Lund, Lars Helge Birkeland and Tarjei Boe took third place, 2:04.60 behind.