Biathlon IBU World Cup 2019 - 2020

[Wumo 3,001]

A lot of changes in the  team for this week's WC in Pokljuka:

 

Women:

Hanna Oeberg
Anna Magnusson
Johanna Skottheim
Anna Hedstroem
Emma Nilsson
Elisabeth Hoegberg

 

Men:

Jesper Nelin
Torstein Stenersen
Peppe Femling
Oskar Brandt
Gabriel Stegmayr

 

Mona Brorsson, Elvira Oeberg, Linn Persson, Martin Ponsiluoma and Sebastian Samuelsson are all in Ostersund to train towards the WCHs.

[RobtheAggie 340]

On 18/01/2020 at 10:46, Monzanator said:

 

Nozawa Onsen was only the back-up biathlon venue for 1998 OG and it's a ski resort first and foremost. I don't think the range is still there, the official site shows all kinds of skiing slopes and half-pipe which is far more popular in Japan than biathlon.

 

The "A' license is up for renewal every 8 years at most. I doubt whether third string US venues still have the 'A' license when for example the second Norwegian venue in Sjusjoen only has a "B" license. Presque Isle has probably rendered Lake Placid pretty moot in the NE area. Local events can be hosted at "C" license venues tbh.

 

There are some new venues in Latvia (Madona) and Estonia (Haasja) that are on the "B" license as well. Duszniki Arena in Poland have been upgraded to "B" in 2017.

 

 

Well, it will obviously get one but probably on a temporary basis. I seriously doubt IBU stages a World Cup round there except for the pre-Olympic test and the WOG.

 

I did not know all of this, thanks.  Fort Kent hosted a WC stop a few years ago, there is some interesting footage of NBA star Scottie Pippen (think 2nd fiddle to Michael Jordan) walking around looking really cold available on Youtube of the event.  

 

Lake Placid is hosting the World University Games in a few years, so I wonder if an A is required for that, I doubt it.    I have contacted the IBU to see if they will release a list and requirements.  It does not hurt to ask.  I will let everyone know what the results are.

 

I did find this feasibility study of Mammoth, CA looking into building a Biathlon and Nordic Skiing arena.  The biathlon information starts on page 20. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by RobtheAggie

[Monzanator 4,502]

5 hours ago, RobtheAggie said:

 

I did not know all of this, thanks.  Fort Kent hosted a WC stop a few years ago, there is some interesting footage of NBA star Scottie Pippen (think 2nd fiddle to Michael Jordan) walking around looking really cold available on Youtube of the event.  

 

Lake Placid is hosting the World University Games in a few years, so I wonder if an A is required for that, I doubt it.    I have contacted the IBU to see if they will release a list and requirements.  It does not hurt to ask.  I will let everyone know what the results are.

 

I did find this feasibility study of Mammoth, CA looking into building a Biathlon and Nordic Skiing arena.  The biathlon information starts on page 20. 

 

I know who Scottie Pippen is, thanks

 

Well, you don't have to be a junior to compete in the University Games but the "B" license is sufficient to hold every youth/junior IBU event so Lake Placid doesn't really have to hold an "A" licence here.

 

Those licenses come & go and it's not set in stone, I read somewhere about the 8 year period that is the maximum for any "A" license. Sjusjoen received the "B" license in November 2015 and it expires at the end of 2021. Like someone mentioned earlier Osrblie in Slovakia lost the "A" license after 2009 and it's been downgraded to "B" ever since. I seriously doubt Fort Kent is anywhere near the "A" license these days. It hosted the World Cup in 2011 but Presque Isle probably took over all the funding neccessary for "A" license IMO.

[heywoodu 15,140]

I'm surprised to read Duszniki only got upgraded to B in 2017. I've never been there, but @brunamoura told me it's a very good venue, I kinda thought they had at least B status for a while longer.

[Monzanator 4,502]

6 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

I'm surprised to read Duszniki only got upgraded to B in 2017. I've never been there, but @brunamoura told me it's a very good venue, I kinda thought they had at least B status for a while longer.

 

Nope, the European Championships in January 2017 was the grand opening of the upgraded Duszniki Arena under the "B" license. It's a miracle the funding came through since we did NOTHING to upgrade the cross country courses during the Justyna Kowalczyk golden era. Thankfully biathlon was more lucky and Duszniki can host IBU Cup & Euro Champs now.

[RobtheAggie 340]

2 hours ago, heywoodu said:

I'm surprised to read Duszniki only got upgraded to B in 2017. I've never been there, but @brunamoura told me it's a very good venue, I kinda thought they had at least B status for a while longer.

From what I have been able to glean from the document I linked, there looks to be non biathlon things at play as well.  Hotels seem to matter.  So the A is not just do you have all of your competition ducks in a row, but can your community host the event.  Is there a plan to host all the spectators, as well as staff and athletes.

[Monzanator 4,502]

14 minutes ago, RobtheAggie said:

From what I have been able to glean from the document I linked, there looks to be non biathlon things at play as well.  Hotels seem to matter.  So the A is not just do you have all of your competition ducks in a row, but can your community host the event.  Is there a plan to host all the spectators, as well as staff and athletes.

 

The upgrade cost for Duszniki was 20 million PLN (ca. 6 million USD). The town itself had to provide 5 millions PLN. It's a mountain village aimed at tourism 12 months per year so they have enough hotels over here   There's more than biathlon here, the Zieleniec skiing slope is kinda well known and also popular among the Czechs since Duszniki Zdroj is a border town with Czech Republic.

 

The IBU Cup scheduled for last week was cancelled due to lack of snow but this is a picture taken earlier today (from their FB page):

 

 

 

[RobtheAggie 340]

Thanks for the update, that picture looks great.  Too bad the snow did not work out.  As an aside, the Eurosport announcers apologized for misspeaking about not enough snow and the WC being moved.  I think that they read this thread 

[Monzanator 4,502]

3 minutes ago, RobtheAggie said:

Thanks for the update, that picture looks great.  Too bad the snow did not work out.  As an aside, the Eurosport announcers apologized for misspeaking about not enough snow and the WC being moved.  I think that they read this thread 

 

There's a general lack of snow in Poland for the past 10-15 years. The last really snowy winter I recall was 2006 IIRC. Other than that it's basically only frost and like two weeks of partial snowfall in January or February. And I don't live in the lowlands myself (but not in the mountains either). Back in my childhood there was snow in October. Impossible to have that anymore.

[RobtheAggie 340]

One more thing that I found.  The IBU has a document that mentions dates for bids to host events.  It is right here.