Biathlon 2019 - 2020 Discussion Thread

[heywoodu 15,141]

1 minute ago, Olympian1010 said:

Also, did anyone else put Asian Winter Games, Winter EYOF, and Winter Universaide for “other” under what competitions do you watch? 

 

I believe the question was what you follow, instead of specifically 'watch', so I also answered 'South American Championships' there 

[dcro 10,210]

What games do you play - Spectator Judging. I'm sure it's going to be a very common answer.

[heywoodu 15,141]

4 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

World cup atmosphere is awesome, fan zone should be like a little festival, and there should definitely be more screens.

 

I get jealous every time I watch the World Cup and see multiple screens there. I've been to Obertilliach, Lenzerheide, Martell, Obertilliach again, Arber and Arber again and only the latter has one screen showing only the standings  

[Monzanator 4,502]

I feel like super sprints will enter the WC frame sometime in this decade and maybe 60 athletes mass starts but that would obviously require some range developments.

 

Pursuits are the cheap fruit, they could be removed IMO. Individual has been downgraded to just three events per season so the next step is to remove it completely which would be horrible on all accounts.

[heywoodu 15,141]

Just now, Monzanator said:

I feel like super sprints will enter the WC frame sometime in this decade and maybe 60 athletes mass starts but that would obviously require some range developments.

 

Oh they will, don't you worry. The mass start 60 doesn't need range developments, because of the unfair format of the race.

[Monzanator 4,502]

18 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

Anyone get the impression that this was the IBU altering fans to the fact they have a video game in development? 

 

I wouldn’t mind a good live results, course map, shooting stats app as well.

 

Speaking of video games featuring biathlon I played this one on my Amiga over 25 years ago

 

Biathlon was only available in full Olympics mode IIRC and the other events were mixed in between the shootings, alpine skiing downhill, ski jumping, bobsleigh and short track. CPU results were fixed (there were three levels though) and I remember Norway and Spain always finished 1-2 in biathlon unless you chose one of these countries yourself. I believe you could choose max. 4 human players.

 

[Agger 1,663]

2 hours ago, Monzanator said:

 

Sadly the super sprints and stadium crap are upon us in biathlon. They got rid of the 50km in cross country and they will probably get rid of the individual which is a crying shame. Biathlon is losing importance when it comes to shooting, now individual is just about the only event where shooting 20/20 actually matters.

 

I won't even say a word about this being "too complicated". It's obviously a total BS.

 

To be fair, I would have to agree about individual being complicated to the spectator. If you don't have some live results, I would guess that it's pretty tough to follow it. You can see if a biathlete is fas, but you have no idea whether he/she has missed 0 or 7 shots making it a medal contender or somebody outside top 60.

 

Does't make me support cutting it, but I wouldn't discount that it may not be the most followable event for the spectators.

[Monzanator 4,502]

7 minutes ago, Agger said:

 

To be fair, I would have to agree about individual being complicated to the spectator. If you don't have some live results, I would guess that it's pretty tough to follow it. You can see if a biathlete is fas, but you have no idea whether he/she has missed 0 or 7 shots making it a medal contender or somebody outside top 60.

 

Does't make me support cutting it, but I wouldn't discount that it may not be the most followable event for the spectators.

 

This is the same BS excuse they used to get rid of time trial races in cross country. Now even 10km is a damn mass start there. Totally pathetic.

 

It's 21st century, you got big TV screens in the stadium where you can follow the live results PLUS everyone has a damn smartphone these days where you can follow the live results. IBU's live timing page is a work of art where you can check everything instantly. Don't sell me "people are confused" crap because it's a complete nonsense. It's not 1979 anymore.

[Olympian1010 7,976]

24 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

This is the same BS excuse they used to get rid of time trial races in cross country. Now even 10km is a damn mass start there. Totally pathetic.

 

It's 21st century, you got big TV screens in the stadium where you can follow the live results PLUS everyone has a damn smartphone these days where you can follow the live results. IBU's live timing page is a work of art where you can check everything instantly. Don't sell me "people are confused" crap because it's a complete nonsense. It's not 1979 anymore.

It’s more about having a tangible race. It’s not fin to watch something we’re bib 3 lays down the best time, and then isn’t reasonably challenged until bib 103. I love the individual because it makes places emphasis on the shooting for once, but people have a point. Time trial races are annoying to follow. 

[Monzanator 4,502]

25 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

It’s more about having a tangible race. It’s not fin to watch something we’re bib 3 lays down the best time, and then isn’t reasonably challenged until bib 103. I love the individual because it makes places emphasis on the shooting for once, but people have a point. Time trial races are annoying to follow. 

 

 

That's pure blasphemy.

 

Your age is showing. You were born in the mass start era so you don't know what excitement time trial brings. You'd probably hate the 1998 WOG individual where Pieralberto Carrara shot 20/20 with Bib #3 and it took Halvard Hanevold with Bib #68 IIRC to surpass him.

 

Biathlon is heading towards cross country skiing where the fastest skiers will win all the time regardless of missed shots. Slower skiers will have no chance to be rewarded for a perfect shooting. Even now Lisa Teresa Hauser has no chance of a podium finish even if she hits 20/20. Nadezhda Skardino was probably the last of Olympic medallists who was rewarded for her shooting skills while being a mediocre skier.