Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[jmdirt]

The mass start events are so cool! Not that the sprint and pursuit races aren't also.

 

[Norbea]

And of course, Fis being Fis did not hesitate at all. Guys Like Jörg Capol and company hate the 50km Race anyway. So obviously they did Not hesitate for a Split second when they could get rid of it.

I guess part of the problem is that the sport is just moving too far away from its roots. It is dominated by shorter races. They don't compete very often in the 50km distance and naturally everyone gets nervous whenever it comes up. Even the coaches and the skiers don't really feel well prepared enough for the distance.

 

[Norbea]

Well, I read Dagbladet and unlike the German Translation is totally off, Norwegians officials we're absolutely in support of shortening the race.

I dont know enough about it, but Holund didn't seem happy about the decision prosess and complained why the jury hadn't considered the forecast more in advance.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I dont know enough about it, but Holund didn't seem happy about the decision prosess and complained why the jury hadn't considered the forecast more in advance.

Yeah, Holund is one of those guys that can ski for an eternity, so it doesn't surprise me.
I don't get why FIS still thinks that all those races on short laps are the best way to go.
Long races from a to b, actual cross country skiing, in a winter landscape looks so much better, you have great TV pictures and it's a great way to promote tourism. The best thing that we got in the last few years was probably the Ski Tour in Scandinavia.

 

[roundabout]

I think shorter laps are easier to cover by TV in a mass start race. A to B race covered by snowmobiles and helicopters is probably somewhat more difficult to follow in the sense of catching the moves as they happen and identifying people (at least for me personally).

I think there is nothing inherently wrong with a shorter lap as long as sufficient difficulty is there.

Out of curiosity I had a quick look at the Lahti 50K from 2001 on youtube and it was 4x12.5 km back then, but obviously in an interval start format.

 

[Norbea]

At least in Norway the Visma Ski Classics program is growing in popularity. Now the main national broadcaster, NRK, has also lost the rights on both World Cup races and the olympics to more commercial channels. So NRK are now focusing more on long classic races.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I think shorter laps are easier to cover by TV in a mass start race. A to B race covered by snowmobiles and helicopters is probably somewhat more difficult to follow in the sense of catching the moves as they happen and identifying people (at least for me personally).

I think there is nothing inherently wrong with a shorter lap as long as sufficient difficulty is there.

Out of curiosity I had a quick look at the Lahti 50K from 2001 on youtube and it was 4x12.5 km back then, but obviously in an interval start format.

Obviously, no one realistically calls for point A to B races. Though he works pretty well in cycling, doesnT IT? But to often we get to see really short loops. The loops were pretty solid in Bejing. If it was like that all the time, it would be accepatble obviously.

 

[roundabout]

Obviously, no one realistically calls for point A to B races. Though he works pretty well in cycling, doesnT IT? But to often we get to see really short loops. The loops were pretty solid in Bejing. If it was like that all the time, it would be accepatble obviously.

I am just looking at it from a perspective of TV coverage, that's all. I remember Transjurassienne, Vasaloppet and Marcialonga included in the World Cup and the coverage was not great, although admittedly that was almost 20 years ago and more in the case of Transjurassienne.

 

[Norbea]

The 2x25km loop used in Holmenkollen from 1967-1997 was brilliant and it was great to watch on TV. It was especially great because it was individual starts. So whenever there was a new passing point shown on TV you had a feeling you were traveling along to the next iconic passing station which of course had its own name, not just some km mark, so you can recognize it year by year. And then came the suspense in guessing who had gained momentum since the last point and who was about to get cooked. As the 2x25 km loop always had someone underestimating how hard the hills would get, there was always a lot of skiers cracking. Only the really hard ones would make it to the end.

 

[Bavarianrider]

The 2x25km loop used in Holmenkollen from 1967-1997 was brilliant and it was great to watch on TV. It was especially great because it was individual starts. So whenever there was a new passing point shown on TV you had a feeling you were traveling along to the next iconic passing station which of course had its own name, not just some km mark, so you can recognize it year by year. And then came the suspense in guessing who had gained momentum since the last point and who was about to get cooked. As the 2x25 km loop always had someone underestimating how hard the hills would get, there was always a lot of skiers cracking. Only the really hard ones would make it to the end.

So true, but in a world where Björn Daheli himself calls for a ban of the Classic technique, WE will Most likely never even der anything remotely Close

 

[Discgear]

The 2x25km loop used in Holmenkollen from 1967-1997 was brilliant and it was great to watch on TV. It was especially great because it was individual starts. So whenever there was a new passing point shown on TV you had a feeling you were traveling along to the next iconic passing station which of course had its own name, not just some km mark, so you can recognize it year by year. And then came the suspense in guessing who had gained momentum since the last point and who was about to get cooked. As the 2x25 km loop always had someone underestimating how hard the hills would get, there was always a lot of skiers cracking. Only the really hard ones would make it to the end.

The ski-heros of the past winning the Holmenkollen 50k. Today Ivo carries the heritage. Very, very far away from Klaebo. I hope Ivo wins this year

1973	Juha Mieto
1974	Magne Myrmo
1975	Oddvar Brå
1976	Sven Åke Lundbäck
1977	Thomas Magnuson
1978	Matti Pitkänen
1979	Oddvar Brå
1980	Thomas Wassberg

 

[titan31]

Whilst I don't particularly agree with the FIS decision, I honestly don't think the result changed that much. Maybe Kruger would have fallen off but then Spitsov and Maltsev likely do as well. Bolshunov still wins it no matter whether it was 30 or 50.

I'd also have to assume the condition of the athletes played a part too. We've seen likes of Tandrevold and Cadurisch collapse in biathlon, or the scenes with Karlsson in cross country, and even outside of then there's a lot who've been suffering. Add in the weather being rough, erring on the side of caution isn't that bad.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Why not then do something akin to what we see in cycling but just not point to point? If the point is to have the fans see the skiers more often, why not have, say, 4x10km then 4x2,5km on a shorter circuit at the end?

That way you get a more complex, winding, more distant course which feels more like actual cross-country skiing, then a shorter, more explosive course which means the fans in the stadium get a regular shot of the crucial parts of the race, plus if you have it somewhere like Holmenkollen or Falun where there are serious obstacles in short order from the stadium it makes it harder to recover between times up those obstacles.

 

[BigCoward]

I see I wasn't the only one that couldn't be arsed to get up at that time to see a procession.

 

[Discgear]

In my book. Diggins well deserved win. Niskanen runner upp and Sundling surprise 3rd after a hyper dramatic finish. Feel sorry for Ebba though, who once again lost at the end. She seemed to have horrendous material. Don't think it is the waxing team since Sundlings skis were good.

 

[BigCoward]

In my book. Diggins well deserved win. Niskanen runner upp and Sundling surprise 3rd after a hyper dramatic finish. Feel sorry for Ebba though, who once again lost at the end. She seemed to have horrendous material. Don't think it is the waxing team since Sundlings skis were good.

What do you mean?

 

[Discgear]

As I said, in my book.

 

[BigCoward]

As I said, in my book.

Just the way you said it implied that Diggins had won. I thought maybe there had been a disqual or something.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Just the way you said it implied that Diggins had won. I thought maybe there had been a disqual or something.

I haven't said this since about 2012, but thank the Lord for Therese Johaug.

 

[search]

Just the way you said it implied that Diggins had won. I thought maybe there had been a disqual or something.

I guess same as in cycling, there's no written rule which prevents you from attacking in the feed zone?! .

The battle for Bronze was a thrilling one btw, especially inside that final K, with basically three women looking like "she'll take it for sure" at some point. If anyone missed it, it's definitely worth to have another look into it.

 

[BigCoward]

I guess same as in cycling, there's no written rule which prevents you from attacking in the feed zone?! .

The battle for Bronze was a thrilling one btw, especially inside that final K, with basically three women looking like "she'll take it for sure" at some point. If anyone missed it, it's definitely worth to have another look into it.

It's on eurosport at 0930. I'm on call at work. Door locked, do not disturb sign hung outside my office.

 

[KZD]

Johaug was the favourite for this race and she didn't disappoint. Since Kowalczyk in Vancouver that no one is able to beat the Norwegians in this distance but that could change in Cortina as Johaug plans to retire in the meantime. A bit surprised to see Niskanen with bronze but she nailed the preparation for this Olympics like her brother, a shame she was beaten in the individual race. Sundling was only one place away of getting a medal in this race like Nilsson in Pyongchang but great race from her nonetheless.

 

[BigCoward]

Since Kowalczyk in Vancouver that no one is able to beat the Norwegians in this distance but that could change in Cortina as Johaug plans to retire in the meantime.

Has she given an exact date? Be nice to go into a distance event with some degree of uncertainty. How many races of 10km + has anyone other than Johaug, Bjoergen or Kowalczyk won, where they were competing, in the last 15 years? Probably less than 10%.

 

[Silhouette]

Has she given an exact date? Be nice to go into a distance event with some degree of uncertainty. How many races of 10km + has anyone other than Johaug, Bjoergen or Kowalczyk won, where they were competing, in the last 15 years? Probably less than 10%.

No, she said she will see if she has the necessary motivation after the season.

 

[titan31]

Usual result from Johaug and keeps Diggins from winning so that's good.

I can't imagine Johaug being there in 4 years, she'd be 37 then so be surprised.

If there was any change in the cross country program though, I could easily see these two races being dropped. If they ever start looking at mixed relays, it'll be gone.