Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[YavorD]

Apparently Sivert Bakken passed away. while in Trentino with team mates.
Honestly hope this is some kind of a horrible joke, but I read it even in NRK.

Edit: Now it's on more and more sources.
Absolutely horrible news, shocking.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Apparently he was found in his hotel room after he didn't show up to a planned skiing session with Tommaso Giacomel. The IBU's official statement mentions that he was diagnosed with myocarditis after his first breakthrough at the World Cup level in 2022 which seems to tilt the balance of probability towards some kind of cardiac issue. Very sudden and unexpected, of course (these things tend to be, when they hit professional athletes in their physical primes like this). I mean, he was only in the flower ceremony of the Le Grand Bornand sprint this time last week and now he's gone. Life is an often frighteningly fragile thing.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

That's very tragic. The other day while watching the German Sports Personality of the Year Awards I went from being happy that Preuß won to sobbing when they did an in memoriam piece for Dahlmeier shortly after, and now this happens. Thankfully for Bakken the athlete he managed to make it back to the World Cup after his health issues, which hopefully means he was generally in a happy state of mind, but even if that hadn't happened he should still have had a lot more living left to do outside of the sport.

 

[Silhouette]

I didn't know him personally but he represented the tiny local club where I live. He was by all accounts a very nice guy. I didn't think he'd be competing again after his heart issues but he worked hard and this year he was back among the best, and now this. Just tragic.

 

[search]

I honestly find it a bit odd that the IBU statement highlights his great comeback, while it's probably the most likely cause for this death. And if so, they are among the ones to blame for it.

But regardless, very sad to read, of course.

 

[BigCoward]

I honestly find it a bit odd that the IBU statement highlights his great comeback, while it's probably the most likely cause for this death. And if so, they are among the ones to blame for it.

But regardless, very sad to read, of course.

Also odd language used in the statement 'he will forever remain in our heart'.

 

[meat puppet]

Sad case.

Sivert Guttorm Bakken (27) funnet med høydemaske

Skiskytteren hadde på seg en høydemaske da han ble funnet død lille julaften i Italia, melder Norges skiskytterforbund.

www.vg.no

 

[Rob5091]

Found dead with one of those so called elevation or training masks to simulate high altitude. An obduction is supposed to be done in Italy, so hopefully case of death will be decided. Condolences to family and friends.
English report -
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...ion-training-maek-when-found-dead/ar-AA1SYxvp

 

[Sciatic]

Found dead with one of those so called elevation or training masks to simulate high altitude. An obduction is supposed to be done in Italy, so hopefully case of death will be decided. Condolences to family and friends.
English report -
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...ion-training-maek-when-found-dead/ar-AA1SYxvp

Makes me wonder whether Aron D'Souza is looking for a very special insurance policy for the Enhanced Games. If an athlete died or permanently disabled just before or during the games due to something like a bad blood bag, EPO induced cardiac stoppage, amphetamine overdose, etc., he will be sure to get sued for "promoting" those activities.

 

[Rob5091]

Makes me wonder whether Aron D'Souza is looking for a very special insurance policy for the Enhanced Games. If an athlete died or permanently disabled just before or during the games due to something like a bad blood bag, EPO induced cardiac stoppage, amphetamine overdose, etc., he will be sure to get sued for "promoting" those activities.

Yeah, competitors dropping dead on the track or floating face down in the pool will not be "good optics". Then again, it might be what's needed to stop this crazy circus idea.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Gismondi out of the TdS because she had fever the ladt 2 days

 

[Discgear]

Bakkens death is such as tragedy. In Norwegian newspaper VG some disturbing facts were pronounced. According to VG Bakken was sleeping with the High Altitude mask set at 7000 m above sea level. Not sure how it works, but he was already at high altitude. The combined effect? (pushing Everest summit) would be equal to the so called death zone. Is the use of High altitude masks widespread, or yet another example of the Norwegians pushing every parameter to the limits or beyond...

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Bakkens death is such as tragedy. In Norwegian newspaper VG some disturbing facts was pronounced. According to VG Bakken was sleaping with the High Altitude mask set at 7000 m above sea level. Not sure how it works, but he was already at high altitude. The combined effect? (pushing Everest summit) would be equal to the so called death zone. Is the use of High altitude masks widespread, or yet another example of the Norwegians pushing every parameter to the limits or Beyonce...

Well, 7000 meters sounds a bit too risky but you can’t talk about a combined effect: breathing 7000 meter air at 1800 meters is maybe even slightly better than breathing 7000 Meter air at 7000 meters. Still having a 5000 meter altitude difference between what you breathe during day and night sounds like a real issue: almost certain to give you brain edema.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Bakkens death is such as tragedy. In Norwegian newspaper VG some disturbing facts was pronounced. According to VG Bakken was sleaping with the High Altitude mask set at 7000 m above sea level. Not sure how it works, but he was already at high altitude. The combined effect? (pushing Everest summit) would be equal to the so called death zone. Is the use of High altitude masks widespread, or yet another example of the Norwegians pushing every parameter to the limits or Beyonce...

This is the kind of stupid *** you'd expect from someone like Campenaerts who doesn't seem to understand that therd is a point of diminishing return and things like stimulus to fatigue ration.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Back to skiing, Anger looks like he has slimmed down. Still big arms, but his chest and back are slimmer, he niw actually looks lanky.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Rydzek is in great shape but her skis are also gliding better than anybody else there by a mile, catching and passing Diggins on the short downhill still in glide, which is usually where Diggins excels in this kind of format. Häggström falling at the start line rather hurt the tension in the final and Skyscraper was still too strong for anybody else, but Rydzek taking 2nd is a great performance.

And the annual argument about the stupid subscribing of eleventy billion bonus seconds for the sprints for the GC can begin. Like I've always said, give a fairly nominal amount for QFs and SFs to add jeopardy and I would want 30" max for winning the sprints. I don't mind giving bonuses for finalists, but getting 30"+ without even making the final is just way beyond too much for me. Turns it into something completely artificial.

Skistad's interviews are as good as ever. Intensely shy though she is, you'd think she'd at least look like she's used to being in front of the camera by now and not seem so terrified by it, even if she isn't especially comfortable with giving lengthy discussion.

 

[KZD]

This Tour de Ski route is absolute garbage, quite possibly the worst ever.

I have got to say though that I am becoming really impressed with Lars Heggen, he is quickly becoming one of the best sprinters and he is a decent distance skier with a margin to improve, espcially if one looks at his results in junior rankings.

 

[OJRvE]

Myhrvolds discolated her shoulder during the fall and the season is probably over for her. What a shame

 

[Mayomaniac]

Anger had bad skis yesterday, on the downhills Pellegrino was closing the distance when both of them were not in the wind.
That said, he looks a few kg lighter than last year, he could durprise people in the "distance" races

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Korostelev much more behind than I expected in 10k in Classic. Also Niskanen was disappointingly far behind.

 

[BullsFan22]

Korostelev much duetter behind than I expected in 10k in Classic. Also Niskanen was disappointingly far behind.

He'll only get better as the tour and season go on. Individual classic races are where he is usually at his strongest. He's not even the best Russian at the moment, that would be Ardashev.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Amundsen lost 18km on the final 2 kms that are false flat and downhill. It's a power course for good descenders and double polers, not so much diagonsl stride specialists.
I mean, Benji Moser was 11th. On the other hand, Pellegrino being so good on a double poling heavy course is surprising, I guess hd had great skis.

 

[sworks]

Rydzek is in great shape but her skis are also gliding better than anybody else there by a mile, catching and passing Diggins on the short downhill still in glide, which is usually where Diggins excels in this kind of format. Häggström falling at the start line rather hurt the tension in the final and Skyscraper was still too strong for anybody else, but Rydzek taking 2nd is a great performance.

And the annual argument about the stupid subscribing of eleventy billion bonus seconds for the sprints for the GC can begin. Like I've always said, give a fairly nominal amount for QFs and SFs to add jeopardy and I would want 30" max for winning the sprints. I don't mind giving bonuses for finalists, but getting 30"+ without even making the final is just way beyond too much for me. Turns it into something completely artificial.

Skistad's interviews are as good as ever. Intensely shy though she is, you'd think she'd at least look like she's used to being in front of the camera by now and not seem so terrified by it, even if she isn't especially comfortable with giving lengthy discussion.

You mean Hagström, Häggström (Johan) is a male skier...

 

[KZD]

Surprised to see Stadlober getting second today, she seems to be back to her best. Diggins with a great race, she has to be the favourite to win another Tour as the Swedes are not in great shape and Slind is not a good climber.

 

[BullsFan22]

Surprised to see Stadlober getting second today, she seems to be back to her best. Diggins with a great race, she has to be the favourite to win another Tour as the Swedes are not in great shape and Slind is not a good climber.

Yep, the Scandinavians (and a lot of others) are not taking the Tour seriously, so she’ll be the favorite. The Olympics will be a different story, just as Trondheim was last season.