Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[BigCoward]

The margin was bigger but other than I can’t see any difference. They are individual athletes and ofcourse they should do their best. If Persson had been aware it’s possible she wouldn’t have overtaken Öberg but they should focus on their own race instead of what points their teammates needs.

I agree, that being said it's easier to justify if you are going for the win or podium rather than scrapping over the minor placings.

Also what is the likelihood she even knew at that point?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Wierer isn't sure if she'll still be competing next season, lots of guys on the Italian team are leaving.
My guess is that she'll keep going for one more season (there is a world championship after all) and retire then. She always wanted to get out of the sport at a rather young age because she still wants to start a family.

 

[BullsFan22]

Charlotte Kalla to finish her career at the Swedish Nationals. I think that was expected. She hasn’t had much to cheer about since helping Sweden win gold in the relay in Seefeld 2019, but obviously an excellent career.

 

[BigCoward]

Charlotte Kalla to finish her career at the Swedish Nationals. I think that was expected. She hasn’t had much to cheer about since helping Sweden win gold in the relay in Seefeld 2019, but obviously an excellent career.

One of my 5 all time greatest performances was her relay leg in 2014. Absolutely ridiculous.
She will be missed, for a long time the only hope of someone other than a Norwegian being on the podium in freestyle (along with JK in classic) keeping it interesting.

 

[OJRvE]

Charlotte Kalla to finish her career at the Swedish Nationals. I think that was expected. She hasn’t had much to cheer about since helping Sweden win gold in the relay in Seefeld 2019, but obviously an excellent career.

Kalla won the national championship today beating Karlsson and Andersson in the finish over 15k Mass Start (F). Yesterday she finished third in the 10k classic interval. Nice way to end her career. Most likely she will win the relay on Sunday as well. Her final race will probably be 30k classic interval on Monday even if there will be less serious races in April.

Even if Karlsson is still affected by her messed-up Olympic preparation, Andersson regressed from before and Sundling had a reaction on her Covid-vaccination I am impressed by Kalla turning around after the awful first leg in Falun. Perhaps she was a bit blocked mentally and now when everyone knows she will retire she can fully enjoy without feeling pressure.

In other news the Norwegian biathletes (plus at least Jacquelin and Elvira Öberg) all are infected by Corona after last Sundays party in Holmenkollen. The Norwegian nationals this weekend will be vide open. Klaebo et al have not recovered so same goes for the CC nationals. Heidi Weng fell during training so she is out too with concussion.

 

[BullsFan22]

I watched some clips of the Russian and Swedish national championships today, was good to see so many spectators. I know that Covid has been a major factor, but it’s refreshing to see that.

Sundling continues her hot streak. Ervin Anger, in his final races as a junior, surprises the field.

In Russia, Nepryaeva takes control in the 2nd part of the race and wins. Terentjev beats Bolshunov. Another u23 skier, Denis Filimonov (finished in 2nd at the u23’s in Norway last month) close to beating Bolshunov as well. That was tight finish.

 

[BullsFan22]

Whether he is over rated is surely a matter of opinion. I think he is clearly superb, but not as good as everyone around here seems to.

In a word: no

 

[BigCoward]

In a word: no

That doesn't make sense. I don't even know if you are agreeing with me or not.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Can anyone here tell me more about Andreas Fjorden Ree, who won the 50km skating NC race in Norway? Only Holund came somewhat close to him.
You have to love the fact that the 50km race at their NC is still and individual start, more of that please!

 

[BullsFan22]

That doesn't make sense. I don't even know if you are agreeing with me or not.

Let me put it to you this way:
25 yeas old.
28 World Cup wins
59 World Cup podiums
5 globes: 2 for the overall, 3 for distance
2 TDS titles, 1 second place
8 world championships medals, 1 gold 6 silver 1 bronze, look how close he was in 2019 and 2021 to getting 4, 5 golds
9 Olympic medals, 3 gold (would have easily beaten Niskanen in the 50km in 2018 had he changed skis, and Chervotkin was sick after the TDS and only got good enough to race just before the relay, AND they effectively had a B team racing at those Olympics on the men’s side, no Ustiugov, no Legkov, no Vylegzhanin, no Belov, no Bessmertnykh, etc)

If that’s overrated than pretty much every skier is either overrated or just downright sucks.

 

[BigCoward]

Let me put it to you this way:
25 yeas old.
28 World Cup wins
59 World Cup podiums
5 globes: 2 for the overall, 3 for distance
2 TDS titles, 1 second place
8 world championships medals, 1 gold 6 silver 1 bronze, look how close he was in 2019 and 2021 to getting 4, 5 golds
9 Olympic medals, 3 gold (would have easily beaten Niskanen in the 50km in 2018 had he changed skis, and Chervotkin was sick after the TDS and only got good enough to race just before the relay, AND they effectively had a B team racing at those Olympics on the men’s side, no Ustiugov, no Legkov, no Vylegzhanin, no Belov, no Bessmertnykh, etc)

If that’s overrated than pretty much every skier is either overrated or just downright sucks.

I don't think you understand what over rated means. Whether someone's results are amazing (which they clearly are) is irrelevant to whether someone is over rated.

I clearly said he was superb. I just don't think he's as good as everyone thinks he is. He's about the same age as Klaebo with half as good a set of results. But he wins the races people like so he gets bonus points, and he isn't Norwegian.

Also, let's not beat about the Bush, he's suspect as *** and clearly a massive douchebag.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Basically, he's the same as Klæbo, only the current calendar with its infinite sprints and mass starts suits Klæbo better so Klæbo has the stronger palmarès. I have to be honest, I thought Niskanen was the guy that wins the races people like most, at least on this board, since there are a good few distance, individual start and classic technique purists, and Iivo is at his best in long individual start races in classic style. And then both are douchebags and, although clearly extremely talented, also extremely suspect.

Although I mean, yes, recent Bolshunov activity does rather put my issues with Klæbo's personality in perspective.

 

[BullsFan22]

I don't think you understand what over rated means. Whether someone's results are amazing (which they clearly are) is irrelevant to whether someone is over rated.

I clearly said he was superb. I just don't think he's as good as everyone thinks he is. He's about the same age as Klaebo with half as good a set of results. But he wins the races people like so he gets bonus points, and he isn't Norwegian.

Also, let's not beat about the Bush, he's suspect as *** and clearly a massive douchebag.

There’s so many sprints, that’s where Klæbo wins 99% of his medals. There’s more and more and more sprints.

You seem to be more concerned about his personality. Fine, Klæbo is also a douchebag, didn’t show up for the photo op after the men’s relay in China and he sometimes flip out when he doesn’t win.

As far as being ‘suspect’ we can debate that in the clinic. If Bolshunov is suspect, so are Klæbo and Niskanen.

 

[BullsFan22]

Basically, he's the same as Klæbo, only the current calendar with its infinite sprints and mass starts suits Klæbo better so Klæbo has the stronger palmarès. I have to be honest, I thought Niskanen was the guy that wins the races people like most, at least on this board, since there are a good few distance, individual start and classic technique purists, and Iivo is at his best in long individual start races in classic style. And then both are douchebags and, although clearly extremely talented, also extremely suspect.

Although I mean, yes, recent Bolshunov activity does rather put my issues with Klæbo's personality in perspective.

Niskanen can only do individual distance classic races, and more specifically 15km. After winning the 50km in Korea, he hasn’t made a single podium in a 50km. I know there’s not as many 50km’s as there used to be, but still.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Markus Cramer is now the official coach of the Italian elite training group, he's gonna train the following 9 athletes.

Women

• Anna Comarella
• Caterina Ganz
• Greta Laurent
• Lucia Scardoni

Men

• Francesco de Fabiani
• Frederico Pellegrino
• Davide Graz
• Giandomenico Salvadori
• Paolo Ventura

Source: https://www.proxcskiing.com/traditional-skiing/markus-cramer-is-the-new-italian-national-team-coach/
Great news for a young guy like Graz, who can now again train with the best after De Fa and Pellegrino were part of Cramer's training group last season.
I do wonder what will happen with Stadlober. She was part of the Cramer training group mainly to have good training partners (the Russian Women like Stupak), so I don't see her getting a lot out of this one. Maybe teaming up with the German Women could be the way to go for her.

 

[OJRvE]

Speaking of Germans, I saw they are bringing in Swede Per Nilsson. He has previously worked with American biathlon team and most recently worked at the famous Ski High School in Sollefteå tutoring Karlsson, Andersson and the Öberg-sisters among other. He has also been Frida Karlsson’s personal coach last there years, something he will continue doing. Last season he never saw her after season-start which probably played a role in her completely messed up preparation for the Olympics (seems like she don’t trust the Swedish management). He already talked about his new position will enable him to supervise Karlsson on season aswell. Lets see how this goes, I fear it could be conflict of interest here.

Also Linn Svahns coach Ola Rawald has joined the Swedish biathlon development team as Head Coach. He will also continue working with Svahn even if it is still uncertain whether she will able to ever compete. She has made progress but the injury was severe, and she can still not do things like double pooling.

Regarding Cramer, I saw that he will continue to work with Ustiugov in addition.

 

[roundabout]

Huh, Lampic is switching to biathlon?

Anamarija Lampic officialise son passage du ski de fond au biathlon | Nordic Mag | N°1 Biathlon | Ski nordique

Nordic Magazine, le numéro 1 du biathlon, ski de fond, saut à ski, combiné nordique, rollerski, ski nordique - Un magazine, un site web, une web-TV, une

www.nordicmag.info

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Fräbel too, although she's kind of in that lower end of the points kind of area where transferring athletes are usually drawn from. Lampič is a bit more surprising, but I guess they at least know her skiing will be competitive, while they wait to see if this generation of youngsters will be the ones that break through.

 

[BullsFan22]

Cross country is dying. Skiers switching to biathlon, Russians won’t be racing, it’ll be a borefest. Norwegian national championships every weekend on the mens side next season.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cross country is dying. Skiers switching to biathlon, Russians won’t be racing, it’ll be a borefest. Norwegian national championships every weekend on the mens side next season.

Save us, Iivo

 

[BullsFan22]

Save us, Iivo

In classic races, yes. In other races, not likely. Poromaa is equally proficient in classic and skate, but he lacks finishing speed. I wonder how he’ll fare after a strong second half of the season (if you can call it that, since it was another shortened season).

I don’t know if I see any other individuals that can challenge the Norwegians week in and week out.

 

[OJRvE]

Linn Svahn will not train with the Swedish team. She states it’s because of the rehab she can’t be at the training camps anyway. But roumor has it that she is unhappy with the team management (they didn’t treat her injury good and have thrown her under bus several time condemning her “bad behavior”), she also signed a big contract with RedBull which she can promote more freely now (guess it is worth more than the 15k euro + podium bonuses she would have gotten from the NSF) add to that her roumored boyfriend (Johan Häggström) is kicked out of the mens team.

Generally Swedish womens team have had problems, there of their biggest stars (Svahn, Karlsson and Dahlqvist) doesn’t trust the coaches. From start these coaches were brought in to convince Kalla joining the national team (she had been outside the team because of bad coaches), while she regressed, Ribom and especially Sundling have really excelled during the leadership of Ingesson and Thomsson. However, half the team speak very little to them on training, pre camps and during the season. Their personal coaches are back in Sweden unable to observe (pretty sure this is why Karlsson completely messed up her preparations)

I think Sweden would be better off having a more neutral leader talking to all athletes. Sundling and Ribom should obviously keep the coaches as personal trainers.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

FIS has approved a motion for equal distance between men's and women's races from 2025 onward.

If this means the women's races get longer and we get to see 50, 30, 15, sprint instead of 30, 15, 10, sprint then I am 100% for it.

If it means the men's calendar becomes a series of 10ks and sprints with an occasional 30, then the mob and their pitchforks need dispatching to FIS headquarters.

 

[DenisMenchov]

FIS has approved a motion for equal distance between men's and women's races from 2025 onward.

If this means the women's races get longer and we get to see 50, 30, 15, sprint instead of 30, 15, 10, sprint then I am 100% for it.

If it means the men's calendar becomes a series of 10ks and sprints with an occasional 30, then the mob and their pitchforks need dispatching to FIS headquarters.

I'm afraid this is really bad. Apparently the distances will look like this:

• Sprint
• 10km individual
• 20km skiathlon
• 50km marathon

I don't know about the Mass Starts.

 

[search]

FIS has approved a motion for equal distance between men's and women's races from 2025 onward.

If this means the women's races get longer and we get to see 50, 30, 15, sprint instead of 30, 15, 10, sprint then I am 100% for it.

If it means the men's calendar becomes a series of 10ks and sprints with an occasional 30, then the mob and their pitchforks need dispatching to FIS headquarters.

there are no 30k races anymore at all, but 10k, 20k and 50k. Skiathlon reduced to 10k+10k.

So yeah. most likely sprint + 10k every weekend