RobtheAggie

A little bit more about Andersen's retirement or firing, depending on whose side you are looking from. "Last winter in the IBU Cup, Andersen finished 17 times in the top 10. When he got the opportunity in the World Cup in Östersund, he decorated his nomination with, among other things, sixth place in the mass start. But in the end it is not even enough for a place in the Norwegian B-team for next season."

Alexander Fjeld Andersen has retired. I would love to do some genealogy work and find a US ancestor or relative.

Update about the disappearance of Eivind Sporaland. His parents have spoken about his challenges with mental sickness right before he went away.

From the press release: “The cooperation with the team, especially last season, was excellent and made the decision to resign very difficult for me. The framework conditions have never been as good as they are now. Unfortunately, I can no longer muster the inner motivation for the sport that would be necessary to take advantage of these conditions," says Fravi. “I will have very fond memories of the experiences I was able to have as a biathlete, the places I was able to explore and, above all, all the encounters with the people I was able to meet along the way. They will continue to shape me as a person." Fravi will move to Zurich in autumn and start studying architecture at the ETH. Not a bad backup plan, ETH is a great school.

Eva Bouvard switches from France to Belgium.

German Women's Team:

Slow news week, but it looks like the Swedish Biathlon Team has another couple. With Stina Nilsson and Emil Nykvist the newest to be dating.

Austrian Team is announced.

Norwegian B and U23 teams announced. Major news here. Alelsander Andersen and Sverre Aspenes were both dropped. Just a reminder Andersen was 4th in the IBU Cup and finished 10th and 6th at the Ostersund races and Aspenes finished in first at the Norwegian National Championships in the Sprint. Wow, Norway is strong, that is the message I hear from this. They both should find an ancestor that migrated to the US. We would take them! Or maybe they can race for Iceland or Denmark! Team B Women Maren Bakken (Os IL) Frida Tormodsgard Dokken (Svene IL) Marte Kråkstad Johansen (Bossmo & Ytteren IL) Emilie Kalkenberg (Skonseng UL) Åsne Skrede (Geilo IL) Tuva Aas Stræte (Hønefoss Skiskytterklubb) Team B Men Johan-Olav Smørdal Botn (Stårheim IL) Vetle Rype Paulsen (Lier IL) Endre Strømsheim (Bærums Skiklub) Vebjørn Sørum (Søndre Ål Sportsklubb) Martin Uldal (Birkenes IL) Mats Øverby (Lier IL) Team U23 Women Ragna Fodstad (Østre Toten Skilag) Maren Sofie Brännare-Gran (Bærums Skiklub) Eivor Melbybråten (Øystre Slidre IL) Gro Njølstad Randby (Ivrig IL) Kristiane Almeland Rolstad (Oslo Skiskytterlag) Emilie Flo Stavik (Markane IL) Team U23 Men Andreas Aas (Birkenes IL) Isak Leknes Frey (Bærums Skiklub) Sivert Silsand Gerhardsen (Tromsø Skiskytterlag) Einar Hedegart (Inderøy IL) Martin Nevland (Figgjo IL) Håvard Tosterud (Østre Toten Skilag)

Most of the FIS races are on Youtube.

The next nordic skier to switch to biathlon - Natalia Shevchenko (Mekryukova) of Russia.

Most of this information came out a few years ago, the major difference is that now he is being formally charged.

US Team: National A Team A1: Sean Doherty (Center Conway, NH / National Guard Biathlon) A2: Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI / National Guard Biathlon) A3: Joanne Reid (Grand Junction, CO) Jake Brown (St. Paul, MN / Craftsbury Green Racing Project) Maxime Germain (Anchorage, AK / National Guard Biathlon) Paul Schommer (Appleton, WI / Team Crosscut) National B Team Vincent Bonacci (Salt Lake City, UT / Team Crosscut) Chloe Levins (Rutland, VT) Vaclav Cervenka (Grand Rapids, MN / National Guard Biathlon) Bjorn Westervelt (Stowe, VT / University of Vermont)

Swiss team announced for the upcoming season.

Another retirement - German youth Luise Müller has retired. She is 22 years old.

Sporaland is still missing. The hope is that he is hiding out in a rural area.

Norwegian team has dropped: Elite Team Women Juni Arnekleiv, Dombås IL 🇳🇴 Ragnhild Femsteinevik, Hålandsdal IL 🇳🇴 Maren Kirkeeide, Markane IL 🇳🇴 Karoline Knotten, Vingrom IL 🇳🇴 Ida Lien, Simostranda IL 🇳🇴 Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Fossum IF 🇳🇴 Men Filip Fjeld Andersen, Geilo IL 🇳🇴 Johannes Thingnes Boe, Markane IL 🇳🇴 Tarjei Boe, Markane IL 🇳🇴 Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Geilo IL 🇳🇴 Johannes Dale, Fet IL 🇳🇴 Sturla Holm Lægreid, Bærums Skiklub 🇳🇴 Sivert Guttorm Bakken, Vingrom IL 🇳🇴 B Team Women Maren Bakken, Os IL 🇳🇴 Frida Dokken, Svene IL 🇳🇴 Marte Kraakstad Johansen, Bossmo & Ytteren IL 🇳🇴 Emilie Kalkenberg, Skonseng UL 🇳🇴 Aasne Skrede, Geilo IL 🇳🇴 Tuva Aas Stræte, Hønefoss Skiskytterklubb 🇳🇴 Men Johan-Olav Botn, Stårheim IL 🇳🇴 Vetle Rype Paulsen, Lier IL 🇳🇴 Endre Stroemsheim, Bærums Skiklub 🇳🇴 Vebjoern Soerum, Søndre Ål Sportsklubb 🇳🇴 Martin Uldal, Birkenes IL 🇳🇴 Mats Oeverby, Lier IL 🇳🇴 U23 Women Ragna Fodstad, Østre Toten Skilag 🇳🇴 Maren Brannare-Gran, Bærums Skiklub 🇳🇴 Eivor Melbybraaten, Øystre Slidre IL 🇳🇴 Gro Randby, Ivrig IL 🇳🇴 Kristiane Rolstad, Oslo Skiskytterlag 🇳🇴 Emilie Stavik, Markane IL 🇳🇴 Men Andreas Aas, Birkenes IL 🇳🇴 Isak Frey, Bærums Skiklub 🇳🇴 Sivert Gerhardsen, Tromsø Skiskytterlag 🇳🇴 Einar Hedegart, Inderøy IL 🇳🇴 Martin Nevland, Figgjo IL 🇳🇴 Haavard Tosterud Oestre, Toten Skilag 🇳🇴

A little more about him. It appears the official search has been called off.

I could not find anything more about him either. A sad story, but maybe not really related to biathlon.

Norwegian biathlete Eivind Sporaland has gone missing. He has not been seen since 19 March.

Bjontegaard has retired.

The US had a chance to keep their 5th spot for next season, but lots of illness and injuries limited Joanne Reid and Deedra Irwin to only a few starts. One question that remains to be seen is when Russia and Belarus finally do get a chance to race again, and I do not think that it will happen next season, where will they start? Will they start with 0 team points, thus only a few start spots? It will be interesting to see. I think that we will see a few more retirements prior to the end of the summer. There seem to always be a few that decide after the month of April where they all take a break that it is not worth it to go again.

Great championships. I enjoyed watching the races without commentary. Looking at this level is always hard. The way they develop from the youth to junior to IBU Cup to IBU WC can be a long and winding path.

I actually would love to see the WC stars deal with the wind and very interesting course. Not going to happen, but from what I have seen, I like the layout.

Sean Doherty with a really good day. Jake Brown with another DNS.