Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Mayomaniac]

Goms decided against organizing a Tour de Ski stage. FIS is working on an Italian replacement venue so it will be an all Italian Giro di Ski next year.

You could also just cross the border near Toblach and use the Biathlon and training infrastructure in Obertilliach.
Altitude and they do have some demanding laps.
But I guess starting the Tour in Livigno and then going to Toblach before Val di Fiemme is the obvious call.

 

[OJRvE]

Oberstdorf withdrew their WC application for next season and are replaced by Pontresina. Hopefully it means they will use some of the longer loops in the Engadin valley.

But not good for the sport that Germany cannot afford a World Cup. There are also reports of downsizing in the finnish NSA. It seems they will not support athletes in Jumping and Combined anymore.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Oberstdorf withdrew their WC application for next season and are replaced by Pontresina. Hopefully it means they will use some of the longer loops in the Engadin valley.

But not good for the sport that Germany cannot afford a World Cup. There are also reports of downsizing in the finnish NSA. It seems they will not support athletes in Jumping and Combined anymore.

It's not that they can't afford it - it's that it's just not worth it. Better to protect the far more profitable Vierschanzentournee.

 

[OJRvE]

It's not that they can't afford it - it's that it's just not worth it. Better to protect the far more profitable Vierschanzentournee.

Yes obviously the issue is that’s it not generating any positive cash flow. And if they liked they could have taken money from the ski jumping side.

 

[ron122003]

fis ski WORLD CUP 2024/25: https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/4f4220d9a1/draft_wc_calendar_cc_2024-25_may_8_2024.pdf

Period I
29.11. Fri Ruka FIN 10 km C
30.11. Sat Ruka FIN Sprint C
01.12. Sun Ruka FIN 20 km Mass Start F
06.12. Fri Lillehammer NOR 10 km F
07.12. Sat Lillehammer NOR Sprint F
08.12. Sun Lillehammer NOR 20 km Skiathlon
13.12. Fri Davos SUI Team Sprint F
14.12. Sat Davos SUI Sprint F
15.12. Sun Davos SUI 20 km Interval C
Period II
Tour de Ski
28.12. Sat Toblach ITA Sprint F
29.12. Sun Toblach ITA 15 km Mass Start C
31.12. Tue Toblach ITA 20 km Interval F
01.01. Wed Toblach ITA 15 km Pursuit C
03.01. Fri Val di Fiemme ITA Sprint C
04.01. Sat Val di Fiemme ITA 20 km Skiathlon
05.01. Sun Val di Fiemme ITA Final Climb
Period III
17.01. Fri Les Rousses FRA 10 km F
18.01. Sat Les Rousses FRA Sprint C
19.01. Sun Les Rousses FRA 20 km Mass Start C
24.01. Fri Engadin SUI Mixed Relay
25.01. Sat Engadin SUI Sprint F
26.01. Sun Engadin SUI 20 km Interval F
31.01. Fri Nove Mesto CZE Team Sprint C
01.02 Sat Nove Mesto CZE Sprint C
02.02 Sun Nove Mesto CZE 10 km F
14.02. Fri Falun SWE Sprint C
15.02. Sat Falun SWE 10 km C
16.02. Sun Falun SWE 20 km Mass Start F
Period IV
15.03 Sat Oslo NOR 10 km Interval F
16.03. Sun Oslo NOR 20 km Mass Start C
19.03 Wed Tallinn EST Sprint F
21.03. Fri Lahti FIN Team Sprint F
22.03. Sat Lahti FIN Sprint F
23.03. Sun Lahti FIN 50 km Mass Start C

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So... not only is Holmenkollen gone, but they wouldn't let the Finns get their way and they've made the Lahti 50 a Mass Start.

No actual relays, one mixed relay, and three grotesque abominations that are the Team Sprint.

A Lahti calendar that is 2/3 FREESTYLE SPRINTS.

Switzerland getting two interval start 20ks is about the only positive I can take out of this.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So... not only is Holmenkollen gone, but they wouldn't let the Finns get their way and they've made the Lahti 50 a Mass Start.

No actual relays, one mixed relay, and three grotesque abominations that are the Team Sprint.

A Lahti calendar that is 2/3 FREESTYLE SPRINTS.

Switzerland getting two interval start 20ks is about the only positive I can take out of this.

Also a 20km interval start in Toblach during the TdS.
But yeah, Fis is good at ruining everything good.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I'll say this, the French races being back and Val di Fiemme hosting a Skiathlon instead of a classic mass start (to lure more people in as a prep for the Olympics, maybe also on the proper tracks?) is nice.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Also a 20km interval start in Toblach during the TdS.
But yeah, Fis is good at ruining everything good.

Yea, but it's in freestyle, and they've put all the Classic stages in the formats designed to not create gaps. We don't even get the distance classic in Val di Fiemme now, instead a **** sprint which will probably have the biggest time gaps of all the classic stages thanks to the joke time bonuses.

The skiathlon is likely to render the classic part of the race irrelevant seeing as it's a day before the Alpe so nobody's going to want to go all out from distance, and given the course gives almost no opportunity for classic to make a difference, none of the athletes likely to want to do so in the Classic portion of the race are likely to be relevant enough to the GC to bother with it. I can't imagine male Niskanen bothers even entering, female Niskanen at least will.

I'll say this, the French races being back and Val di Fiemme hosting a Skiathlon instead of a classic mass start (to lure more people in as a prep for the Olympics, maybe also on the proper tracks?) is nice.

This is a positive point, I will agree, Les Rousses was a very pleasant surprise before so it is good to have it back.

 

[BullsFan22]

And likely no Russians next season, again, by far FIS’s number 1 tv audience. Good luck trying to revive this sport.

 

[kingjr]

And likely no Russians next season, again, by far FIS’s number 1 tv audience. Good luck trying to revive this sport.

"The sport" will be fine, people will continue to race each other on skis for some time.

 

[BullsFan22]

"The sport" will be fine, people will continue to race each other on skis for some time.

Sure, the sport on the amateur and citizen level will be fine (look at Germany, plenty of recreational skiers and the marathon races get a lot of participants) but on the professional level it is diminishing. Germany keeps shooting itself in the foot economically and for the first time in 24 years, no German World Cup in xc skiing on the calendar. Plus, only Italy will host TDS stages next season. You think that’s moving things forward?

 

[Bavarianrider]

Well 3 20km intervall starts. I guess that is the best we can hope for these days. Without the Russians it is another pointless season anyway, so who the hell really cares.

 

[OJRvE]

So apparently Julia Simon was found guilty of the credit card fraud and had to pay a fine.

 

[OJRvE]

Italian cross country team has signed ”star waxer” Perry Olsson. The last years he worked for Sweden and took care of the skis for Sundling, Poromaa , Burman and Kalla while she still competed. Before that he worked with Northug and Björgen. Swedish pundits are very upset he wasn’t retained. Italy has also bought the wax trailer from Sweden (Sweden will get a brand new one from Scania though)

 

[Mayomaniac]

Italian cross country team has signed ”star waxer” Perry Olsson. The last years he worked for Sweden and took care of the skis for Sundling, Poromaa , Burman and Kalla while she still competed. Before that he worked with Northug and Björgen. Swedish pundits are very upset he wasn’t retained. Italy has also bought the wax trailer from Sweden (Sweden will get a brand new one from Scania though)

I was going to post the same. Could be a big deal for the Italians, just like when the Austrian team signed the Finnish team's waxer, the Estonian Are Mets (who also worked with Justina before) last year.

Looks like Italy is investing big time to have more competitive skis.

 

[DenisMenchov]

fis ski WORLD CUP 2024/25: https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/4f4220d9a1/draft_wc_calendar_cc_2024-25_may_8_2024.pdf

Period I
29.11. Fri Ruka FIN 10 km C
30.11. Sat Ruka FIN Sprint C
01.12. Sun Ruka FIN 20 km Mass Start F
06.12. Fri Lillehammer NOR 10 km F
07.12. Sat Lillehammer NOR Sprint F
08.12. Sun Lillehammer NOR 20 km Skiathlon
13.12. Fri Davos SUI Team Sprint F
14.12. Sat Davos SUI Sprint F
15.12. Sun Davos SUI 20 km Interval C
Period II
Tour de Ski
28.12. Sat Toblach ITA Sprint F
29.12. Sun Toblach ITA 15 km Mass Start C
31.12. Tue Toblach ITA 20 km Interval F
01.01. Wed Toblach ITA 15 km Pursuit C
03.01. Fri Val di Fiemme ITA Sprint C
04.01. Sat Val di Fiemme ITA 20 km Skiathlon
05.01. Sun Val di Fiemme ITA Final Climb
Period III
17.01. Fri Les Rousses FRA 10 km F
18.01. Sat Les Rousses FRA Sprint C
19.01. Sun Les Rousses FRA 20 km Mass Start C
24.01. Fri Engadin SUI Mixed Relay
25.01. Sat Engadin SUI Sprint F
26.01. Sun Engadin SUI 20 km Interval F
31.01. Fri Nove Mesto CZE Team Sprint C
01.02 Sat Nove Mesto CZE Sprint C
02.02 Sun Nove Mesto CZE 10 km F
14.02. Fri Falun SWE Sprint C
15.02. Sat Falun SWE 10 km C
16.02. Sun Falun SWE 20 km Mass Start F
Period IV
15.03 Sat Oslo NOR 10 km Interval F
16.03. Sun Oslo NOR 20 km Mass Start C
19.03 Wed Tallinn EST Sprint F
21.03. Fri Lahti FIN Team Sprint F
22.03. Sat Lahti FIN Sprint F
23.03. Sun Lahti FIN 50 km Mass Start C

My God they've really put a sprint in EVERY weekend bar Oslo...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

And a sprint AND a team sprint in two weekends.

I'm also pretty sure that that Lahti weekend is just to troll the Finns as well. "Yes, you can have your damned 50k classic, but only if you let us have both a team sprint and a sprint... in freestyle!"

FIS are the final boss of running your existing audience off in the pursuit of a hypothetical one.

 

[BullsFan22]

And a sprint AND a team sprint in two weekends.

I'm also pretty sure that that Lahti weekend is just to troll the Finns as well. "Yes, you can have your damned 50k classic, but only if you let us have both a team sprint and a sprint... in freestyle!"

FIS are the final boss of running your existing audience off in the pursuit of a hypothetical one.

If I had a dollar for every time you mentioned the Finns and classic skiing, I’d be a multi billionaire right now.

 

[DenisMenchov]

FIS posted an instagram reel with a caption Guess who ? And a video of Johaug saying is back. Now it's deleted, but I guess Lipstick Therese really wants that 50km crown at the Olympics.

 

[OJRvE]

Yes Johaug went public today that she is returning something everyone basically know already.

 

[KZD]

The worst kept secret in cross-country skiing.

Johaug returning will probably save the Norwegians from being humiliated at home ground in all distance races in next year's World Championships and then in the Olympics the year after.

 

[OJRvE]

Tonight there will be a rollerski race on the Trondheim WHC course with a decent start field in both men and women’s division. It will be streamed on NRK and hopefully without geobanning if someone wanna watch.

Klaebo looked out of shape yesterday in the sprint so mens race will be open. On the women’s side I”ll bet my money on Linn Svahn.

Toppidrettsveka - NRK TV

Toppidrettsveka er en av de største og viktigste sommerskikonkurransene i verden. I løpet av de siste årene har små og store steder som Aure, Hitra, Orkdal, Kristiansund og Trondheim hatt besøk av langrennseliten.

tv.nrk.no

 

[ron122003]

https://www.fis-ski.com/cross-country/news/2023-24/fis-cross-country-world-cup-nove-mesto-czk
The Czech Republic has withdrawn from hosting the ski world Cup for economic reasons. FIS is currently looking for a replacement.

 

[ron122003]

Sci di fondo - Anche Ulricehamn e Gällivare tra i nomi fatti per sostituire Nove Mesto. Ma dalla Svezia confermano: Cogne in pole position

La rinuncia da parte di Nove Mesto na Morave a ospitare la tappa di Coppa del Mondo di sci di fondo, porta alla ribalta la località di Cogne, che ora si trova in pole position per l’assegnazione delle gare previste per il weekend...

www.fondoitalia.it

Italy will replace the Czech Republic