Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Kokoso]

Re:

Krogh finishing 2nd was also nice, he's my favourite Norwegian Skier

Probably because he is only half Norwegian, isn't he?

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Krogh finishing 2nd was also nice, he's my favourite Norwegian Skier

Probably because he is only half Norwegian, isn't he?

He was really nice when I talked to him in after his win in Toblach and seems to be a nice guy.
I knew that he has Sami ancestry, but that's not the main reason for liking him.

 

[BullsFan22]

The beauty (and the beast) of sprints is the unpredictability. The tactics, the course, the close racing, the physical nature of them, falls, broken poles, sometimes broken skis and bindings...That's precisely why a lot of people have negative views. Why should some of these races be decided by a fall, or broken equipment, or a disqualification or relegation?

Sometimes the sprints don't even look like real cross country skiing. I actually don't mind team sprints too much, but now that it's been well over a decade that they've been in the WC, WCS, and OLY programs, they are here to stay.

 

[BullsFan22]

Anyone know what's up with Poltoranin? I haven't really seen any news on him so far this season. He must be sick or dealing with an injury. I can't believe that he would miss the first three weeks of the season just for training and trying to peak solely for Lahti.

 

[search]

The Kazakh Ski Federation listed him as a starter for both Ruka and Lillehammer, but he had to skip those race because of a cold.

(that's what they said after Lillehammer at least: http://nflg.kz/novosti/04-12-2016_2wc_lill_itogi/ - for Davos he was not nominated, probably still due to health issues, but there was nothing mentioned in the race report)

 

[python]

wow. all runner-ups seem to suffer the same thing - it is called the fourcade syndrome...shipulin with a respectable leg speed, fast, clean shooting and one fourcade miss, still just lost a sprint.

i did not look=up the speed of others in the top 10, but not many seem to have shut clean.

 

[kingjr]

I just love this Sport. Would have rpeferred Shipulin or Iliev but still, what a race. Great crowd, too.

Eberhard decimating the field on the tracks again.

The directing left much to be desired though, they didn't show Boe, Iliev or Moravec's standing shooting.

 

[BullsFan22]

Fourcade is something else. I didn't watch the race, but under normal circumstances, Shipulin is good enough to hold off anyone, including Fourcade when he hits clean and Fourcade (or anyone else, be it the Boe brothers, Svendsen, etc) miss even just one target. Maybe Shipulin isn't in the best shape, maybe was to cautious on the trails, or simply Fourcade is too good and is just unstoppable.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Making up that kind of time at Nové Město as well, which has the least selective trails of the 3 venues we've seen so far.

I still can't fathom why anybody would actually cheer for him, though. He's literally won every race but one that he's entered this season. At least with Sundby and Johaug last season there were sprints they wouldn't be competitive in. If he is going to stick around and try to break Bjørndalen's records, we could be in for a pretty dull few years.

 

[May0maniac]

If Julian Eberhard ever becomes more consistent with his shooting it's gonna be trouble for all the top guys.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

I just love this Sport. Would have rpeferred Shipulin or Iliev but still, what a race. Great crowd, too.

Eberhard decimating the field on the tracks again.

The directing left much to be desired though, they didn't show Boe, Iliev or Moravec's standing shooting.

The crowds are always awesome in Nove Mesto. Sadly, Fourcade won again. At least the women's races are still worth watching

 

[kingjr]

Re:

Making up that kind of time at Nové Město as well, which has the least selective trails of the 3 venues we've seen so far.

I still can't fathom why anybody would actually cheer for him, though. He's literally won every race but one that he's entered this season. At least with Sundby and Johaug last season there were sprints they wouldn't be competitive in. If he is going to stick around and try to break Bjørndalen's records, we could be in for a pretty dull few years.

Libertine you saw Simon at his prone shooting today? That's the reason why I want him to win a WC race. Just one.

The race today was not boring by any stretch of the imagination btw.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Making up that kind of time at Nové Město as well, which has the least selective trails of the 3 venues we've seen so far.

I still can't fathom why anybody would actually cheer for him, though. He's literally won every race but one that he's entered this season. At least with Sundby and Johaug last season there were sprints they wouldn't be competitive in. If he is going to stick around and try to break Bjørndalen's records, we could be in for a pretty dull few years.

Libertine you saw Simon at his prone shooting today? That's the reason why I want him to win a WC race. Just one.

The race today was not boring by any stretch of the imagination btw.

Simon desperately tries to compensate for his failed career with his modelling. I don't mind him winning, actually, but I also sense that he's got the wrong attitude, when things don't go his way. He needs to change that or he should just retire and pursue his modelling career

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

Making up that kind of time at Nové Město as well, which has the least selective trails of the 3 venues we've seen so far.

I still can't fathom why anybody would actually cheer for him, though. He's literally won every race but one that he's entered this season. At least with Sundby and Johaug last season there were sprints they wouldn't be competitive in. If he is going to stick around and try to break Bjørndalen's records, we could be in for a pretty dull few years.

Well Sundby and Johaug aren't sprinters. Sundby has one world cup sprint podium, and that was two years ago in the tour de ski (the one where he was busted), and Johaug has none. I am not sure if she's even made a final. So that comparison is a little different. There are more variables in biathlon than xc, even though ski preparation, particularly for classic races and grip is very important. It's not a surprise to see them not contending in sprints. Sundby has actually made big gains since 2013, and I don't need to speculate here as to some of the reasons for that, but he's certainly improved to where he can be very competitive. Not just qualifying for them, but doing well. The problem is 99% of the sprint races he will do will be at the tour stages.

 

[Brullnux]

Koukalova implodes slightly, missing three in admittedly fairly difficult conditions, with only a few going 0+0 so far

 

[python]

Re:

Koukalova implodes slightly, missing three in admittedly fairly difficult conditions, with only a few going 0+0 so far

was that missing 3 or 2 ? whatever, i was kinda expecting one of the -'ova's winning...certainly did not expect akimova. good shooting, solid skiing, particularly on a 3d lap where many faded. congrats.

 

[kingjr]

Re: Re:

Koukalova implodes slightly, missing three in admittedly fairly difficult conditions, with only a few going 0+0 so far

was that missing 3 or 2 ? whatever, i was kinda expecting one of the -'ova's winning...certainly did not expect akimova. good shooting, solid skiing, particularly on a 3d lap where many faded. congrats.

Koukalova had 3, so she ran together with Akimova on her last lap, to the benefit of the latter =)

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Koukalova implodes slightly, missing three in admittedly fairly difficult conditions, with only a few going 0+0 so far

was that missing 3 or 2 ? whatever, i was kinda expecting one of the -'ova's winning...certainly did not expect akimova. good shooting, solid skiing, particularly on a 3d lap where many faded. congrats.

She managed to miss three, somehow. Braisaz is seriously fast, too. Almost as fast as Dahlmeier today, in fact probably faster as she was seriously slow in the first shoot too.

 

[BullsFan22]

Good to see three unlikely podium racers. Unlikely as far as their history is concerned but in a day where many faltered, it was extremely fair to see all podium racers hit clean.

Great to see Akimova winning and giving the Russians something to cheer about (for many reasons). Their women haven't had the results these past couple seasons and even though her win was pretty much due to great shooting, it's still a win. Her final lap was skied smart as well. She saved something for that final lap. Obviously it helps when you don't have to ski an extra 20+ seconds on the penalty loop. The Americans rarely get on the podium and it's good to see it happen when they do.

I hope the Russians are enjoying these wins/podiums from the likes of Akimova, Shipulin, Babikov and Tsvetkov because it might be some of their very last. I think it's also a nice big F U to Besseberg, McLaren, Pound and Rodchenkov.

Last weekend Ustiugov skied a fantastic sprint race in Davos. I hope for similar results tomorrow in the La Clusaz 15km mass start. The Norwegians aren't happy about the course, which probably means that's a good course and the organizers are doing the best they can considering the warm weather and lack of snow. A 2 or 3 km look tomorrow. Should be some very tight and tense racing.

 

[Kokoso]

Nice podium yesterday. Koukalova was very nervous on the second shooting and managed to miss three. Home venue is doing no good to Czech biathletes. On the other hand she fly on the ski, fastest time even despite she fell which is pretty impressive. She could have lose up to ten seconds in that fall. Atmosphere in Nove Mesto is great, probably best of all venues, but some fans cheering for Dahlmeier miss was pretty disgusting...but they will learn not to do that with time I guess.

Comforting is, that Dahlmeier thinks Koukalova is prettist athlete overall

 

[python]

a total borefest if not for stina. and of course, heidi is much preferred to the muscle woman. my time was wasted, but only 80%. next to men shortly...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Stina is becoming increasingly adept at the races over 10k or so. Wouldn't be surprised to see her follow a similar trajectory to Østberg.

As for the biathlon, pretty weird podium, helped by Nové Město's combination of fairly light trails so that the likes of Dahlmeier, Mäkäräinen and Koukalová can't just compensate their misses by owning the slower skiers, and immense pressure in the range because of the loud and passionate crowd. If they do find themselves having to reschedule the Junior Worlds in Ostrov, they could do a LOT worse than coming back here.

As for potentially moving Tyumen', since they've had to fly away for Pyeongchang it makes more sense to have another Eastern round to replace it, so maybe Almaty (which will be fresh from the Universiade) would be best, to avoid doing one week in the Far East and then the next week all the way back in somewhere like Kontiolahti or duplicating a previously-used WC venue straight after the World Championships, which will play havoc with athletes' fatigue.

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

a total borefest if not for stina. and of course, heidi is much preferred to the muscle woman. my time was wasted, but only 80%. next to men shortly...

I missed the race, but looking at the results right now. Obviously a great distance result for Stina, but did she just not have it at the end to beat the asthmatics? I know Bjoergen and Oestberg are excellent sprinters with good closing speed at the end of distance races, but still. They were just better/faster/better tactically in the end?

 

[python]

Re: Re:

a total borefest if not for stina. and of course, heidi is much preferred to the muscle woman. my time was wasted, but only 80%. next to men shortly...

I missed the race, but looking at the results right now. Obviously a great distance result for Stina, but did she just not have it at the end to beat the asthmatics? I know Bjoergen and Oestberg are excellent sprinters with good closing speed at the end of distance races, but still. They were just better/faster/better tactically in the end?

stina was almost 99% of time just behind the treo. the 3 norges broke off immediately at the start but stina joined them rather soon. she was slightly troubled on one of the climbs but never dropping back more that 2-3 seconds to quickly rejoin the norges. at the finish she was more or less in the same 4th position within a couple of seconds but never having the strength to completely close up for a good sprint. it was surprising as it was to see her matching the weng, bjoergen and oestberg step for step in 10K race. she was of course the only one. perhaps parmakoski would have been able to compete for the podium but she dns. diggins also was in the start list but hasn't started..a relatively good performance from a young sedova..she was moving consistently forward from way back and may have had the top 5 time in the last 5 km.

anyway, looking forward to the men's 15k. it will be certainly more competitive with manificat, legkov, ustiugov, chervotkin, harvey all in agood position. no steep hils on a 2km loop...

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

As for the biathlon, pretty weird podium, helped by Nové Město's combination of fairly light trails so that the likes of Dahlmeier, Mäkäräinen and Koukalová can't just compensate their misses by owning the slower skiers

Actually it arguably looks that it's pretty demanding course in Nove Mesto, favouring fast skiers, if you take those three you've mentioned. Dahlmeier, Kaisa and Koukalova were actually a lot faster. First three had decent times standing-wise, 8th, 13th d 15th, but their loss was huge - Akimova loss was 36, Chevalier 49 and Dunklee 52 - that's bigger difference than in other venues for such placing. But they had two, respectively three misses and podium athletes shoot clean and, most importantly, faster, especially Chevalier and Dunklee. Still they've placed 4th, 5th and 13th (but Koukalova would be in top ten if not for the fall and that's rather unusual, to get in top ten with three misses), only ones who beat Laura and Kaisa, who were mere 11 respectively 13 seconds from the podium, were shooting clean. Chevalier and Dunklee gained a lot in a range, 13.8 and 14.4 and 18.2 and 18.8 seconds respectively. That's a lot. If not for shooting, Kaisa and Laura would be 2nd and 3rd, when you compare times. Also overall time is slowest of all. Actually it looks that Nove Mesto course isn't easy one at all. Though I am not saying it's toughest out there (IDK), certainly taking in consideration written above, it looks that it quite the other way round favours fast skiers more than some other venues.

I am adding one thing more - Koukalova would be some 43, 56 and 59 seconds faster than 8th, 13th and 18th time - that's a HUGE! time difference between fastest skier and this placings.