Norway's Johannes Thingnes Bø and Marte Olsbu Røiseland celebrate victory for Norway in the first single mixed relay to be staged at the IBU World Championships ©IBU

Norway's Johannes Thingnes Bø and Marte Olsbu Røiseland teamed up today in Östersund in Sweden to take the first single mixed relay title raced at the International Biathlon Union World Championships.

Using just six spare rounds in their 35min 43.2sec victory, the Norwegian pair secured gold when Bø went 10-for-10 in a last leg duel with Italy's Lukas Hofer, who used a single spare.

Hofer and team-mate Dorothea Wierer needed five spares to secure the silver medal, 13.4 seconds back.

Sweden's Hanna Oeberg and Sebastian Samuelsson delighted the home crowd as they used eight spares to earn bronze, 20 seconds back.

Both Norwegians were part of the mixed relay quartet which had already won gold in Sweden.

Bø now boasts three world titles at the event after also winning the men's sprint.

"I feel really great," said Røiseland.

"It's super to be the first."

Bø added: "It is one for the history books."

Norway's Marte Olsbu Røiseland, left, en-route to earning gold with Johannes Thingnes Bø in Sweden in the first single mixed relay to be staged at the IBU World Championsihips ©IBU
Norway's Marte Olsbu Røiseland, left, en-route to earning gold with Johannes Thingnes Bø in Sweden in the first single mixed relay to be staged at the IBU World Championsihips ©IBU

Røiseland had tempered her pace in her second leg, which helped her tag Bø in first position.

"I just tried to do my own race and shoot good," she said.

"I opened the last leg more slowly and then had much more power at the end.

"It was so good that I was able to exchange with Johannes in the lead.

"I was confident he would do a great job for us and he did. 

"I am so happy."

Germany with six spares finished fourth, 30.5 seconds back.

Ukraine, with five spares, was fifth, 41.5 seconds back, while Russia finished sixth, with five spares, 52.7 back.