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I recall they had a guy at the 2013 and 2015 WCH, and was always over a minute off the pace in each race. Never say never?? It would be pretty awesome if they did make it

Will definitely be rooting for them. Maybe they will become a member, who knows. Shame about the ISU. I don't know what motive they would have to block those athletes..

I think Vrabcova is going to return at some point, she did say that the Olympics 'might' be a motive for her to put the skis back on, so to speak. I certainly hope so, although I doubt she would be able to repeat the 5th place from Sochi with the lack of training.

Let's hope she can get a wildcard for the WCH! Her and Tsakiri. Under-19s can compete there, I'm pretty sure, because one of the criteria is that you finish in the top half of the Junior WCH, which I'm sure she can do.

Wow! Is Sri Lanka a member of IBU? Because Cambodia got blocked in skating disciplines for not being an ISU member.

Oh no You did say Slovak cross-country was going downhill... total embodiment of that... Don't worry we're not doing so great either, I think we will be lucky to qualify both relay teams for the Olympics

True, it's very telling when Gerekova misses 4 and Poliakova misses 1 and yet they have almost the same time in the sprint. But perhaps it's best for her to go into the IBU Cup to regain her form. We are doing the same with Soukup, he's not had very good results in Ostersund but the coach has said we are counting on him for Nove Mesto, and so they are putting him into the IBU Cup to relieve the pressure. I do think it will be an interesting IBU Cup. On a side note I'm kind of rooting for Latvia this year... I think that they can get 25th in the women's Nations Cup with Bendika alone, Romania's women are imploding without Tofalvi even though they have 3 starters. Do you have any other favourites besides CZ/SK?

Yeah we had a few club hockey players called Holub I think and a biathlete called Holubec, which I guess kind of means 'Pigeon person'?

Amazing!

She was born in the Ukraine apparently. I was hoping she was of Czech origin. Haha

I wonder what's happened to the Chinese. They've apparently pulled out of Nove Mesto as well, and I don't see them travelling to Europe for one WC stage.

That is a shame The races were very windy, surely it's not the most accurate measure of her strength. I'm sure she'll come back.

If the list is to believed and the athletes are decent this could mean either in 2018 or 2022 athletes from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, UAE and Gambia debuting. Also Madagascar would have a shot at a return, and Uganda I guess would count as a debut because they have only participated in the winter Paralympics. Nice to see Nepal, South Africa, and Tajikistan there as well.

She was apparently 80th or something last year. Pretty amazing.

Aaaaagh Anna Magnussen so close

My money's actually on Makarainen at this point. By the way a bit off topic, whatever happened to Elisa Gasparin? We always see Selina and Aita but not Elisa.

Aaaaargh that standing shoot Again

Glad to see Pavlina's back. Charvatova's prone shoot

Yep!

Finally at the time of day when I can watch... I live in New Zealand. Hahaha

I'm glad at least he has SOME connection to Ireland, and not just a Norwegian switching to Ireland for no reason other than to have an easier time. So yeah it looks better for you!

Interesting, by the way, that FIS are now organizing a junior WC of sorts for women. I heard they hope to put a women's Nordic Combined event at the 2022 Olympics. About time! Hopefully the level of competition will be decent and they can follow the example of women's ski jumping.

Speaking of Ireland, it appears they've just acquired a Norwegian cross-country skiier. Apparently he had 'Irish origins'? http://www.t-a.no/sport/2016/11/29/Thomas-fra-Leka-går-verdenscup-i-helga-–-for-Irland-13859582.ece And he's competing in the WC sprint qualification today.

Ski Sports Alpine Skiing (4-7) - We've had quite a few retirements with Bank, Vrablik, Trejbal but we still have almost certainly Strachova in slalom, Kryzl in Giant Slalom, Krizova in downhill, Hudec just switched nationality, so hopefully medal chance in downhill and Super-G! Also chances for Dubovska, Berndt, Paulathova and the like, who are competing at WC level. Cross Country Skiing (4-8) - It would be a success if we could qualify both relay teams. Bauer is retiring (for good this time :P) and Magal has, too, and so for the men it will probably be Jaks, Kozisek and Razym, we have a lot of young skiiers as well, like Michal Novak, Knop or Graef, who are improving their results in the WC, and if all else fails we could always ask a long distance skiier to join the team like Petr Novak did for Sochi. For the women, great news is that Katerina Smutna has rejoined the Czech team from Austria, and with Novakova and Grohova and hopefully Vrabcova, assuming she starts skiing in time for Pyongchang, we could have four women. Ski Jumping (4-6) - Surely we will qualify 4 or 5 men, my guess is Koudelka, Hlava, Matura and young athletes like Vancura or Stursa. As for women possibly Blazkova has a chance, she is young, if she can improve into the top 30 in the world she could qualify. We used to have Dolezalova who was close to Sochi but it seems she's stopped racing for some reason. Nordic Combined (2-4) - Portyk and Dvorak for sure. Also potential for a team relay, young athletes Pazout and Danek look promising. Freestyle Skiing (1-4) - In moguls we have Honzig for the men's, though he isn't at WC level yet. Skicross hopefully Zemanova and Kucerova, maybe Kasparkova who won a bronze at the YOG, for the men possibly Jiri Cech but he's been out of the WC for awhile. Small chance in slopestyle men. Other disciplines practically no chance. Snowboarding (3-8) - In snowboardcross obviously Samkova and possibly another man and woman (Hopjakova, Kubicik). Slopestyle Pancochova for sure, possibly Vojackova or one of the men. Parallel slalom probably only Ledecka. Big air could also be Pancochova and we have a chance in the men's as well (Horak). Halfpipe I don't see happening unless, again, Pancochova. Biathlon (10) - Anything less than 10 is a catastrophe. I predict Slesingr, Moravec, Krcmar, Vaclavik, Soukup, Koukalova, Vitkova, Charvatova, Jislova, Puskarcikova. Skating Sports Speed Skating (2-4) - I guess the goal here is to qualify a team pursuit. Sablikova and Erbanova will qualify, and could be accompanied by Zdrahalova or Kerschbaummayrova. For men Durkiewicz has a very small chance. Short Track Speed Skating (0-2) - Novotna has said she wants to try for her 5th Olympics, and we also have a talented junior in Sejpalova who could make it. With men we don't have practically any chance. Figure Skating (4-6) - Brezina and Brezinova are practically certain unless something happens, I'm also counting on the junior world champions in the pair skate Duskova and Bidar. Also think we can qualify an ice dancing pair, either Mansour/Ceska or Sinicyn/Kuzmichova, so hoping for a spot in the team event? Sleigh Sports Luge (3-6) - Lukas and Antonin Broz will make it in the doubles. Kvicala/Kundera also have a chance. Hyman will probably make it in men's singles and Noskova in women's singles. Skeleton (0-1) - Very obscure sport in Czech Republic. We have one guy, Philip Moelter, who finished 29th at the last WCH, and he's still a junior, so he could improve and qualify. We have a woman on the European Cup circuit as well (Glaesser) but I don't think she really has a chance. Bobsleigh (4-6) - Fairly certain we can qualify a four-man, and hoping for a two-man as well. Quite a few athletes who could be in these teams. We don't have any females at the moment. Team Sports Curling (0-10) - Both men and women are eligible for the Olympic Qualifying Event but I think the women have a far greater chance, they made it to the WCH, whereas the men are stuck in Division B of Europe ever since Snitil retired. Anything could happen, though. Ice Hockey (25-50) - Men obviously already qualified. With the women, it really comes down to whether we can beat Switzerland. We have been improving quite a bit recently so I think we can do it, but it won't be easy. Would be amazing to finally see the women's team at the Olympics! Total Optimistic Prediction - (132) (which would be amazing, given for the first time we would have representation in all events) Total Pessimistic Prediction - (66) Total Realistic Prediction - (86)

What is Pavlina doing in Tjumen? It will get better, Slovakia, it will get better