Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Libertine Seguros]

Why not Slesinger?

If you look at the finish-line photo, Fillon-Maillet had his body furthest forward; he was the one that had got himself ahead, but he mistimed his lunge, so that Schempp was able to get a ski just in front of the Frenchman. Šlesingr probably had the best sprint of the 3, but he started it from a worse position, the course was just a bit too short for him to bridge the gap to the other two. As Fillon-Maillet had led out and was still the one furthest forward at the line, I felt like it was him that almost gave away a victory he should have had, whereas Šlesingr maximized his chances to win on the final straight, but was just unfortunate that he had just too much ground to make up.

 

[Kokoso]

If you look at the finish-line photo, Fillon-Maillet had his body furthest forward; he was the one that had got himself ahead, but he mistimed his lunge, so that Schempp was able to get a ski just in front of the Frenchman. Šlesingr probably had the best sprint of the 3, but he started it from a worse position, the course was just a bit too short for him to bridge the gap to the other two. As Fillon-Maillet had led out and was still the one furthest forward at the line, I felt like it was him that almost gave away a victory he should have had, whereas Šlesingr maximized his chances to win on the final straight, but was just unfortunate that he had just too much ground to make up.

True that.
Slesinger lost it before finish on the penultimate hill I think where he pushed and got to second place but in the next picture under hill he was miraculously fourth or fifth If the finish straight wasl ten metres longer he'd win it but...but Anyway I hope Slesinger's huge dose of bad luck ended. He deserves some win very much and he's very likeable character. I'd say I like him more than Moravec.

 

[Kokoso]

I'm reading here and there how altitude in Antholz influences performance (especially of some athletes). But I've always thought that 1300, or 1400 metres is no height which could possibly really change something. I'm interested in your opinions on this topic, thank you.

 

[python]

the rybinsk 15 k free was quite interesting.

other than justyna's backward sliding setting new records, cologna's is very impressive. if he continues to beat the russians with such regularity on their own soil (i mean snow), they will put him on the eu banned-entry list his personal race against ustiugov in the final kilometers was fun to watch. the sprinter wunderkind started 30 sec in front of cologna and was caught by dario perhaps after 12k. the youngster then stubbornly refused to let dario pass him accelerating each time the swiss tried...dario had to keep up b/c the runner up belov was only within 10 seconds, while they played, dario increased his gap to belov and the stubborn youngster collected so many seconds that he even passed legkov for the bronze by 8 after being behind 7 sec. (lego started way earlier)

the moral of the story i drew was that ustiugov clearly did not pace right and is so freakishly strong it is scary. i wonder if he could pass belov, the tds new discovery, if he was pacing right ? what else was interesting ? the norwegians sent the contingent out of which i recognized only sveen... a rare sight of their non-performance..that legkov, after being absent for a month is back with the bang.

except for a few norwegians and sweeds, most of the very best skaters were there (magnificat clara, harvey...). thus, the lego-man is likely going to improve all the way into falun. i must say,though, he does not look healthy - either too thin or still recovering from his colds...

 

[Kokoso]

the rybinsk 15 k free was quite interesting.

other than justyna's backward sliding setting new records, cologna's is very impressive. if he continues to beat the russians with such regularity on their own soil (i mean snow), they will put him on the eu banned-entry list his personal race against ustiugov in the final kilometers was fun to watch. the sprinter wunderkind started 30 sec in front of cologna and was caught by dario perhaps after 12k. the youngster then stubbornly refused to let dario pass him accelerating each time the swiss tried...dario had to keep up b/c the runner up belov was only within 10 seconds, while they played, dario increased his gap to belov and the stubborn youngster collected so many seconds that he even passed legkov for the bronze by 8 after being behind 7 sec. (lego started way earlier)

the moral of the story i drew was that ustiugov clearly did not pace right and is so freakishly strong it is scary. i wonder if he could pass belov, the tds new discovery, if he was pacing right ? what else was interesting ? the norwegians sent the contingent out of which i recognized only sveen... a rare sight of their non-performance..that legkov, after being absent for a month is back with the bang.

except for a few norwegians and sweeds, most of the very best skaters were there (magnificat clara, harvey...). thus, the lego-man is likely going to improve all the way into falun. i must say,though, he does not look healthy - either too thin or still recovering from his colds...

b/c is before christ or base camp?

I agree it's really strange that Norwegians who are borned with ski on their feet didn't perform well.

Anyway it's Legkov is no bang...I've heard that name before he's quite good, this is Rybinsk and he Ustuygov beat him.

 

[python]

Anyway it's Legkov is no bang...I've heard that name before he's quite good, this is Rybinsk and he Ustuygov beat him.

the 2 reasons i called it that way are: b/c he started way ahead of his rivals with no one to gauge the effort against. he started 4th whilst his rivals started 30 minutes later chasing each others back. the 2nd reason is b/c he's coming back from a real flue/cold that hit him just prior to the tds. thus, being 4th under the circumstances is easily his best result of the wc events to date.

ustiugov was very impressive. it was his 1st distance podium ever. if he sleeps well tonight, he should destroy everyone tomorrow in a skating sprint. except pehaps pellegrino amd petuchov.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'm reading here and there how altitude in Antholz influences performance (especially of some athletes). But I've always thought that 1300, or 1400 metres is no height which could possibly really change something. I'm interested in your opinions on this topic, thank you.

With biathlon it probably has more of an effect when it comes to managing breathing at the shooting range, I'd think. Also, a lot of athletes use that time for recovery, and if they're not able to get as much oxygen as usual that can have an effect, even if it's not like they're holding the event at, say, Portillo de los Andes.

 

[python]

rybinsk skiathlon just ended in a surprise..of course, one cant call vyleg's victory a huge surprise but he barely was heard of all season (well, top 10 in the tds aain't bad). even in rybinsk his placing in the 15k itt was more than modest...

but lets look at the race as it developed. in the classic leg, bessmernych took the lead and soon stretched the peloton to the point of fragmenting. this was promising an exciting race b/c usually they congregate as a big boring mass till 1 km to ski change. behind, something hard to explain was going on...the potential favorites legkov, chernousov, even the eventual victor vyleg were yo-yoing between 10 to 25 seconds..sure enough, cologna and belov were watching each other not far from the front...then, as if the spring was released, just before the ski change, the huge group was back together. all the faves changed the skis more or less together. of all the leaders, cologna loooked the sharpest. i would even say ELEGANT, his V2 being a candy. legkov, though mostly in top 10 all the time, looked stressed as was the hero of the previous 2 days ustiugov, who suddenly was even leading with 7k to go.

the long story short, the tv camera only rarely saw vyleg, he did not take part in any of the 4 bonus sprints, then suddenly when cologna attacked past the last bonus pole, he was the only one able to get glued behind. cologna's attack was long and furious...excepting his dentist, the WORLD rarely saw his perfect teeth for so long. once vyleg survived, it was a technicality to relegate dario to the second pos. the lego man was 10 sec behind in 7th. but i think he will be unhappy...vyleg, though, has again proved himself one of the smartest tacticians in the sport.

 

[python]

just saw live something one does not get to see often - petter northug was handled like a mere amateur in a 1/4 final classic sprint. barely 3d ...

and this is after the big noise that he had to interrupt his altitude stay to claim a personal sprint ticket to falun.

bravo to the norwegian head coaches who learned the sochi lesson. the spot will go to someone who earned it. not petter it seems.

 

[python]

..30 minutes ago i posted that northug did not make it into the norge falun team. then, i though, it was a premature conclusion as the sprints just started and i deleted my own post.

glad to report, that my hunch was correct. both northug brothers were last in the final of a classic sprint that caused so much noise, as if petter deserved the falun ticket b/c he's northug.

so, petter had to interrupt his altitude stay for nothing as he most likely wont be in the classic sprint in 3 weeks. sochi no more and i commend their head coach for having the balls.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Is it so wrong to be rather smugly pleased about this?

 

[python]

a bunch of winter sports are being broadcast at this very moment, including the universiad skiing and biathlon..

the candy event - the norwegian 30 k skiathlon will be starting at 12:30 cet(in about one 1hr)

http://tv.nrk.no/direkte/nrk1
(not sure if its geo restricted)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Usually it is. But if somebody Norwegian, Sweden or Germa won his first WC I'm almost sure it'd be discussed. I may be patriotic...but I'm sure about this one as well.

You posted your complaint that nobody had commented on Vitkov?'s win on the evening of the race. Laura Dahlmeier (who was a huge prospect as a junior) won her first race nearly 36 hours ago, no comments at all. I'm the first to comment on it, and you'll say that that validates your point, but it's taken more than 24 hours more than it took you to complain that nobody had mentioned Vitkov?'s

Speaking of Vitkov?, she got unlucky today with Hildebrand firing in her lane, but do you know if something's wrong with Soukalov?? Over a minute down yesterday and losing an entire penalty loop to Vitkov? on the first lap (same time after 1 lap though she shot clear and Vitkov? missed a target), and losing time hand over fist today and needing to take a drink in a 10km race... with only one more WC before the Worlds that must be a concern for her form, because she's usually better than that. Then again, Šlesingr took a drink too at the same point in the men's race, so maybe this was a pre-planned thing? Just quite unusual in such a short race.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Speaking of Vitkov?, she got unlucky today with Hildebrand firing in her lane, but do you know if something's wrong with Soukalov?? Over a minute down yesterday and losing an entire penalty loop to Vitkov? on the first lap (same time after 1 lap though she shot clear and Vitkov? missed a target), and losing time hand over fist today and needing to take a drink in a 10km race... with only one more WC before the Worlds that must be a concern for her form, because she's usually better than that. Then again, ?lesingr took a drink too at the same point in the men's race, so maybe this was a pre-planned thing? Just quite unusual in such a short race.

Well some race last year Siggi Heinrich blamed Soukalovas form and her always being late and confused on her new boyfriend.

Btw: was that the 8th podium in a row for Schempp? That's sureley the best performance since Sven Fischer by a german Biathlete?

Also speaking of form: what's wrong with Martin Fourcarde?

 

[Kokoso]

You posted your complaint that nobody had commented on Vitkov?'s win on the evening of the race. Laura Dahlmeier (who was a huge prospect as a junior) won her first race nearly 36 hours ago, no comments at all. I'm the first to comment on it, and you'll say that that validates your point, but it's taken more than 24 hours more than it took you to complain that nobody had mentioned Vitkov?'s

Speaking of Vitkov?, she got unlucky today with Hildebrand firing in her lane, but do you know if something's wrong with Soukalov?? Over a minute down yesterday and losing an entire penalty loop to Vitkov? on the first lap (same time after 1 lap though she shot clear and Vitkov? missed a target), and losing time hand over fist today and needing to take a drink in a 10km race... with only one more WC before the Worlds that must be a concern for her form, because she's usually better than that. Then again, ?lesingr took a drink too at the same point in the men's race, so maybe this was a pre-planned thing? Just quite unusual in such a short race.

Regarding Dahlmeier it was already said quite a lot by the way even before she won her first race. Yes I'll say it and it changes nothing that it's more than 24 hours and it's true you've called it Maybe that's because it was some race on far east country called Czech republic about which nobody cares.

I don't know, in mass start dinking is quite regular isn't it? And it's only 2.5 km more so why not, it can be another step to better performance. I think it was said before here, simply she hasn't trained enough. You have "only" one WC before Worlds? Then look at Dahlmeier. She was ****ty runner two weeks ago and look at her this weekend. You can do a lot in two weeks.

 

[python]

the oestersund circus sprint

the alex harvey's second was the only thing worth watching. how the muscle woman is able to win after getting through as a lucky loser, only the skiing gods know

 

[frenchfry]

the oestersund circus sprint

the alex harvey's second was the only thing worth watching. how the muscle woman is able to win after getting through as a lucky loser, only the skiing gods know

Richard Jouve is only 20 and finished 19th after being delayed by his ski being stepped on. Look for him in the future. He also finished 4th at the U23 worlds.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Also speaking of form: what's wrong with Martin Fourcarde?

Nothing lasting, if Holmenkollen is anything to go by.

Regarding Dahlmeier it was already said quite a lot by the way even before she won her first race. Yes I'll say it and it changes nothing that it's more than 24 hours and it's true you've called it Maybe that's because it was some race on far east country called Czech republic about which nobody cares.

Now I'm confused. You specifically talked of comments about people's first victories, and now say it was said quite a lot about Dahlmeier before she won her first race... people talked about Dahlmeier having won her first race before she won her first race?

My point on the timing was that it took 36 hours for anybody to post about Dahlmeier's win, yet you are "proved correct" because they did, but you complained less than 10 hours after Vitkov?'s win that nobody had commented about Vitkov?'s win and this was clearly some disrespect to the Czech Republic. How do you know nobody would say anything in the next 24 hours? I hadn't even been online in that time and I'm arguably the most likely to post biathlon-related stuff on this forum. I actually quite like Vitkov?, but you seem to have some chip on your shoulder about seeing your country being disrespected when nobody intends that.

You were right on Soukalov?'s form though, her skiing was much improved yesterday.

 

[python]

...kalla just raced like possessed by a devil. when i saw her beating the 1st check at 1.8 km by a whopping 18 seconds, it was clear she was on a mission...

this was NOT an advantage attributable to waxing, NOR was this some special course profile that favoured her only. in fact, johaug would have been expected to do well on the very hilly profile, but she was almost a minute back...even the female hunk was over 1/2 min back...

me ?, i will just enjoy the sweden 1st blow and wait for the 2nd one coming in 2 hours

will be interesting to see if sundby's blues from the national skiathlon are behind him, if hellner is worth kalla and where is legkov...another surprize may be waiting for us....

 

[Kokoso]

Nothing lasting, if Holmenkollen is anything to go by.

Now I'm confused. You specifically talked of comments about people's first victories, and now say it was said quite a lot about Dahlmeier before she won her first race... people talked about Dahlmeier having won her first race before she won her first race?

You really are confused.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You really are confused.

Can you clarify for me?

You complained nobody praised Vitkova's first win shortly after the race, and said people WOULD comment if a Norwegian or German won their first race.

And when I commented on Dahlmeier winning her first race - the first to do so - you commented that it had already been talked about before she won her first race.

Have you moved the goalposts from "talking specifically about first victories" to "hyping athletes in a more general sense" or am I missing something?

And if I am missing something, can you explain what it is, because this is getting very circular.

 

[mihhint]

I found this recent marathon clip of few(hundred) skiers falling rather amusing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgDZWNv5N7I#t=405

 

[search]

so, the world championships are starting today with the sprint in the classical technique. Beating Bj?rgen will be tough - but the men's race looks fairly open to me

 

[python]

indeed, the individual sprints qualifiers started 10 min ago, 28 ladies of 70 something already finished and i see some pleasant surprises - justyna is so far the fastest with several of the very fast norges, including marit substantially behind...justyna is making a strong bid for a medal as she promised.

 

[search]

the whole qualification also is live on Eurosport, only showing pictures from the finish though...