Werloc

Something that Germany desperately needed, because they're getting destroyed by Norway and France. Sweden is also moving ahead with capable athletes like the Oebergs, Samuelsson, Ponsi and new Swedish improvements like Halvarsson, Heijdenberg, plus it's probable that Andersson comes through next year as well.
 
With the level that Norwegian men and French women have, I don't really see Germany being ready to challenge next year. 
 
Have a feeling it's gonna be Perrot, Giacomel and a handful of Norwegians battling it out next year. 
 
As for the women, I think it looks like a French year, with Jeanmonnot + Michelon and Richard getting more time to get better, it's tough to see who could be consistent enough to challenge. Although, I would love for the Oeberg sisters to have a season where they're both healthy throughout. It's also uncertain what kind of Vittozzi we're getting, if Grotian has enough time to become a challenger and in what kind of form will Preuss come back to, after her first ever season with no health issues.

So, JTB and Tarjei had 19 podium finishes in 2024/25, seeing as they're retired and won't be competing next season, thought it would be fun to do a completely unnecessary and inaccurate simulation of what breakthroughs next season might have:
 
The most decorated biathletes of this season without Boes would be as follows:
 
Laegreid: 6-6-3
Perrot: 4-2-2
Jacquelin: 3-1-1
Samuelsson: 2-2-2
Stroemsheim: 2-0-2
Wright: 2-0-1
Fillon-Mallet: 1-5-2
Giacomel: 1-5-1
Uldal: 1-0-3
Soerum: 1-0-2
 
Some interesting things happen, for example, Wright becomes sprint and pursuit world champion, Mandzyn gets a very rare podium for Ukraine at the start of the season. Horn and Frey get their first ever podium in world cup and Riethmueller gets a world cup victory.
 
For the nation medal table, Norway still convincingly takes first place:
 
Norway: 10-7-11
France: 8-11-5
 
And then everybody else fighting for scraps:
 
Sweden: 2-2-3
United States: 2-0-1
Italy: 1-5-1
Germany: 1-0-2
Slovenia: 1-0-0
 
Even without the Boes, only 9 countries on the podium, but Pidruchnyi for Ukraine comes in 4th for three times, other than that, only Finland and Switzerland were close to getting onto the podium. With how things are going, seems like it's going to be Norway's year next year too with all the hungry youngsters with two extra spots on the Norwegian team. 

Something that Germany desperately needed, because they're getting destroyed by Norway and France. Sweden is also moving ahead with capable athletes like the Oebergs, Samuelsson, Ponsi and new Swedish improvements like Halvarsson, Heijdenberg, plus it's probable that Andersson comes through next year as well.
 
With the level that Norwegian men and French women have, I don't really see Germany being ready to challenge next year. 
 
Have a feeling it's gonna be Perrot, Giacomel and a handful of Norwegians battling it out next year. 
 
As for the women, I think it looks like a French year, with Jeanmonnot + Michelon and Richard getting more time to get better, it's tough to see who could be consistent enough to challenge. Although, I would love for the Oeberg sisters to have a season where they're both healthy throughout. It's also uncertain what kind of Vittozzi we're getting, if Grotian has enough time to become a challenger and in what kind of form will Preuss come back to, after her first ever season with no health issues.

So, JTB and Tarjei had 19 podium finishes in 2024/25, seeing as they're retired and won't be competing next season, thought it would be fun to do a completely unnecessary and inaccurate simulation of what breakthroughs next season might have:
 
The most decorated biathletes of this season without Boes would be as follows:
 
Laegreid: 6-6-3
Perrot: 4-2-2
Jacquelin: 3-1-1
Samuelsson: 2-2-2
Stroemsheim: 2-0-2
Wright: 2-0-1
Fillon-Mallet: 1-5-2
Giacomel: 1-5-1
Uldal: 1-0-3
Soerum: 1-0-2
 
Some interesting things happen, for example, Wright becomes sprint and pursuit world champion, Mandzyn gets a very rare podium for Ukraine at the start of the season. Horn and Frey get their first ever podium in world cup and Riethmueller gets a world cup victory.
 
For the nation medal table, Norway still convincingly takes first place:
 
Norway: 10-7-11
France: 8-11-5
 
And then everybody else fighting for scraps:
 
Sweden: 2-2-3
United States: 2-0-1
Italy: 1-5-1
Germany: 1-0-2
Slovenia: 1-0-0
 
Even without the Boes, only 9 countries on the podium, but Pidruchnyi for Ukraine comes in 4th for three times, other than that, only Finland and Switzerland were close to getting onto the podium. With how things are going, seems like it's going to be Norway's year next year too with all the hungry youngsters with two extra spots on the Norwegian team. 

So, JTB and Tarjei had 19 podium finishes in 2024/25, seeing as they're retired and won't be competing next season, thought it would be fun to do a completely unnecessary and inaccurate simulation of what breakthroughs next season might have:
 
The most decorated biathletes of this season without Boes would be as follows:
 
Laegreid: 6-6-3
Perrot: 4-2-2
Jacquelin: 3-1-1
Samuelsson: 2-2-2
Stroemsheim: 2-0-2
Wright: 2-0-1
Fillon-Mallet: 1-5-2
Giacomel: 1-5-1
Uldal: 1-0-3
Soerum: 1-0-2
 
Some interesting things happen, for example, Wright becomes sprint and pursuit world champion, Mandzyn gets a very rare podium for Ukraine at the start of the season. Horn and Frey get their first ever podium in world cup and Riethmueller gets a world cup victory.
 
For the nation medal table, Norway still convincingly takes first place:
 
Norway: 10-7-11
France: 8-11-5
 
And then everybody else fighting for scraps:
 
Sweden: 2-2-3
United States: 2-0-1
Italy: 1-5-1
Germany: 1-0-2
Slovenia: 1-0-0
 
Even without the Boes, only 9 countries on the podium, but Pidruchnyi for Ukraine comes in 4th for three times, other than that, only Finland and Switzerland were close to getting onto the podium. With how things are going, seems like it's going to be Norway's year next year too with all the hungry youngsters with two extra spots on the Norwegian team. 

Not only a new PB for our resident 39yo grandma (who would have guessed it, in a sprint even), but also the third best performance for Žurauskaitė.
 
The first ever time that two Lithuanian women get points in the same race.
 
The first time that three Lithuanian women qualify for a pursuit.
 
Nations cup record for women as well.
 
And mostly this result happened, because yesterday they got the news that Sara Urumova made world cup qualification at the IBU, we will have a women's relay after a 5 year hiatus and our chances to qualify our first historical women's relay squad to the Olympics is looking much much more likely now.
 
The men might struggle to keep their 20th place a bit more tbh  

Not only a new PB for our resident 39yo grandma (who would have guessed it, in a sprint even), but also the third best performance for Žurauskaitė.
 
The first ever time that two Lithuanian women get points in the same race.
 
The first time that three Lithuanian women qualify for a pursuit.
 
Nations cup record for women as well.
 
And mostly this result happened, because yesterday they got the news that Sara Urumova made world cup qualification at the IBU, we will have a women's relay after a 5 year hiatus and our chances to qualify our first historical women's relay squad to the Olympics is looking much much more likely now.
 
The men might struggle to keep their 20th place a bit more tbh  

Perrot was 11th, a mere 60 points behind Giacomel and he won a race as well.
 
It was already kinda clear he was aiming to be a world class athlete.
 
What's stopping Giacomel right now? He's missing targets, just like Ponsiluoma. If they shoot well, they're definitely podium material, so I really don't understand your negativity  

Ingrid Tandrevold skips mass start and Hochfilzen due to her heart issues. 

Yup, very nice to see Finland on the podium after so many years since Makarainen's retirement
 
Thought this would happen, just didn't expect it so soon and kinda leaned more towards the men's team.
 
On the other hand, it feels like Preuss is one of the unluckiest biathletes of all time. Not to mention the fact that she is sick every season, she might be up there for most 4th and 5th place finishes of all time and I can guarantee that many of them were lost podiums by just a second  

Ingrid Tandrevold skips mass start and Hochfilzen due to her heart issues. 

Ingrid Tandrevold skips mass start and Hochfilzen due to her heart issues. 

Yup, very nice to see Finland on the podium after so many years since Makarainen's retirement
 
Thought this would happen, just didn't expect it so soon and kinda leaned more towards the men's team.
 
On the other hand, it feels like Preuss is one of the unluckiest biathletes of all time. Not to mention the fact that she is sick every season, she might be up there for most 4th and 5th place finishes of all time and I can guarantee that many of them were lost podiums by just a second  

I think you're doom spiraling too hard after just a few races...
 
Giacomel is very strong and I think that he might definitely land on a podium this season. The Italian women's team has a lot of very talented juniors that just need some time to grow. Dorothea Wierer also took her time to grow into her best form, so why is it not possible to give some time to the other talented athletes? Not everyone is bound to crush it at 21-23 y. o. 

I think you're doom spiraling too hard after just a few races...
 
Giacomel is very strong and I think that he might definitely land on a podium this season. The Italian women's team has a lot of very talented juniors that just need some time to grow. Dorothea Wierer also took her time to grow into her best form, so why is it not possible to give some time to the other talented athletes? Not everyone is bound to crush it at 21-23 y. o. 

How many more years will I have to give you points for it to become expected???  

How many more years will I have to give you points for it to become expected???  

How many more years will I have to give you points for it to become expected???  

I ended up doing it in the end, what's your excuse now?  

Well, probably not the greatest, but Lithuanian votes were officially sent 

I ended up doing it in the end, what's your excuse now?  

I ended up doing it in the end, what's your excuse now?  

I ended up doing it in the end, what's your excuse now?  

I'm honestly struggling to find the time or motivation to vote responsibly this year.
 
I feel like I've put a lot of myself into this contest, but I haven't been enjoying it as much lately.
 
I'm not as active on the forum, a lot of users that I knew before are not really around anymore & didn't think that people were particularly enjoying the Lithuanian entries that I was selecting lately as well. 
 
I used to put a lot of effort into my voting, I'm not sure if I can match that this time. 
 
 

LITHUANIA 
 
GJan - Neleisk Man Užmigt
 

 
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Kai tu šnabždi plaukai pakilę šoka
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Tobulai tobula akimirka

Bet principai užgriūna…
Ir visa tai primirštam
Kai pasidaro bloga
Žiūrint viens į kitą

Prašau neleisk man užmigt
Kol dar tarp mūsų atvira ugnis dega, dega
Neleisk man pamiršt
Jog tyla gali pražudyt
Ir kur ji veda
Neleisk man užmigt
Kol dar atvira ugnis dega, dega
Neleisk man užmigt
Kol dar atvira ugnis dega, dega

Tarp mūsų nežemiška trauka laužo gravitaciją
Tarp mūsų ledynai ištirptų greičiau nei žmonės šneka
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Prašau tada Neleisk man užmigt
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Jog tyla pražudys

Neleisk man užmigt
Kol dar atvira ugnis dega, dega
Neleisk man pamiršt
Jog tyla gali pražudyt
Ir kur ji veda
Neleisk man užmigt
Kol dar atvira ugnis dega, dega
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Kol dar atvira ugnis dega, dega
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