Women's Biathlon | Golden Skate

Women's Biathlon

CaroLiza_fan

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I was dithering for a week or so about whether to start this thread, as I have not been watching biathlon for very long. Hence, I do not actually know that much about the sport (some would say the same about me and figure skating...! :laugh: )

But, the past few days there has been a major story breaking, and it had to be brought up.


Two Female Russian Biathletes And A Male Lithuanian Biathlete Under Investigation For Doping

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/sports/olympics/two-russian-biathletes-fail-doping-tests.html

During commentary of the European Championships at the weekend, Patrick Winterton told us that this was an important event for the Russians, as there was now a slot available in the Olympic team.

He explained that three biathletes, including one of the women selected for the Russian team, had recently failed a drugs test. They have been suspended until their “B” samples have been tested, to double-check whether what had been found in their “A” samples was correct.

Patrick did not name the biathletes concerned, as their names have not been officially released. But, he did cheekily comment that if you look at the results and find somebody who has been performing a lot better than they ever had before, then you will not be too far out!


However, Irina Starykh (née Maximova) has identified herself as one of the biathletes under investigation. Starykh is currently lying 6th in the World Cup.

http://uk.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=UKBREA0T17B20140130

In an open letter to the Russian federation, she has said that it was all a misunderstanding. Nevertheless, she has stood down from the Olympic team as she felt it would be inappropriate to compete in the Olympics while this is hanging over her.


The other biathlete is believed to be Ekaterina Iourieva… who was given a 2-year ban for doping in 2009.

Now, if this is right and it was Iourieva, you would have thought that she would have had the gumption to realise that the authorities would have been keeping a very close eye on her after her previous indiscretion.


The interesting thing is that both these Russian women only came back to the World Cup towards the end of last season after long spells away from the sport.

After competing Junior Worlds in 2005 (mid-field) and 2006 (two 2nds and a 5th), Irina Maximova won all competitions at the Summer World Championships in 2007 and 2008. But then she disappeared from the sport for 5 years, during which time she got married.

She made her comeback (as Irina Starykh) towards the end of last season at the Holmenkollen, where she finished mid-field. But, that was the only meeting she did last season. Until her suspension, she had done the whole of this season, with a string of podium finishes before the New Year putting her towards the top of the World Cup rankings. However, since the New Year, she has been back in the mid-field.

Iourieva was largely a mid- to lower-field competitor up until the 2007 World Championships. Apart from the odd blip here and there, she was a top-10 finisher from then onwards. However, during the 2008/09 season, she failed a drugs test. She was disqualified from all the races that season, and given a 2-year ban.

At the end of her ban in 2011, she did a couple of World Cup meetings in America, but only finished mid-field, and she disappeared for another couple of years.

Iourieva made another comeback last season (one meeting before Starykh) and finished 92nd! She did the rest of the season, finishing in the mid-field each time. At the opening meeting of this season at Oestersund, she came in as a replacement for somebody who was injured, and got a 4th and a 7th (her best results since her ban). But, in the few meetings she has done since then, she has been in the mid-field or lower.


Normally, I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt until we have proof that says otherwise. But, there seems to be a pattern here:

Mid-field competitor disappears for a long number of years...
said competitor comes back, and is still mid-field...
said competitor suddenly starts getting good results…
said competitor then drops back into the mid-field…
we then hear that said competitor has failed a drugs test...

Mmmm. I wonder are these events are connected… :think:

Maybe I’m being too cynical in this case. It could all just be a big misunderstanding, just like as Irina Starykh has said.

But when it involves somebody that has been done for doping before, along with one of her team-mates, it is very hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Whatever the case is, this is just what you don't want coming into the Olympics - a doping scandal.

CaroLiza_fan


BBC (all times GMT)

Sunday 9th February 2014
14:30 – 15:40 BI Women’s 7.5km Sprint

Tuesday 11th February 2014
15:00 – 15:40 BI Women’s 10km Pursuit

Friday 14th February 2014
14:00 – 15:45 BI Women’s 15km Individual

Monday 17th February 2014
15:00 – 15:45 BI Women’s 12.5km Mass Start

Wednesday 19th February 2014
14:30 – 15:50 BI 2x6km Women + 2x7.5km Men Mixed Relay
 

Alex D

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Sep 23, 2013
Miri Gössner wont compete at Sochi for Germany, which is such a sad story as she is so in pain right now due her back injury from cycling in Norway early 2013 :(

I hope Kaisa can medal, she really deserves it!
 

CaroLiza_fan

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CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
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Sorry, I made a mess things. I put the Sprint down in the Cross Country list instead of the Biathlon list! :eek::

(I've fixed both lists now)

So, the Biathlon Sprint is just starting NOW.

Unfortunately, the BBC is not showing it on the TV LIVE (it will be repeated at 18:00 GMT on BBCi2). So if you want to watch it LIVE, you'll have do it on their website.

Official BBC Livestream Channel

BBCi2 is available via:

Digital terrestrial (UK only): Ch. 302 on Freeview
Digital cable (UK only): Ch. 992 on Virgin Media
Digital satellite (Europe): Ch. 978 on SkyDigital
Astra 28.2E, Transponder 76 (12.551V. MBaud 22,000. FEC 5/6).
NOTE: The channel you want for the biathlon is labelled “BBC RB 2”​

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Well, Mr Putin will be happy! Russian women first and second in the Biathlon Sprint! :biggrin:

Unfortunately for the medal count, the Russian that won the gold was representing Slovakia. :eek::

Does anybody know what Anastasiya Kuzmina's connection to Slovakia is, because I can't find out. My first thought was that she was maybe using her husband's nationality. Daniel Kuzmin represents Israel in Cross Country, but they take in lots of people, so he might have been Slovak. But when I looked Daniel up, I found out that he is also Russian... and from about as far from Slovakia as you can get!

But I don't know anything about Anastasiya's own family except that her brother, Anton Shipulin, finished 4th in the Men's Biathlon Sprint the day before. And he was representing Russia.

Anyway, congratulations to Anastasiya Kuzmina for sucessfully defending her Olympic Biathlon Sprint title!!!

And boys did she do it in style, winning by nearly 20 seconds from Olga Vilukhina!

As for the other Russians, it was very disappointing. The next one was Romanova in 18th, and Zaitseva only managed 28th (but with 1 penalty loop).

The fourth Russian, Ekaterina Shumilova, finished down in 60th. But that was largely due to colliding with somebody in the cross-country section, and breaking her rifle in the process.

As for other notable names, the Ukraine's Vita Semerenko was 3rd (twin sister Valj was 12th). Daria Domracheva was 30 seconds down in 9th, with Tora Berger 2 seconds further back in 10th, and recent Cross Country convert Evi Sachenbacher another 0.2 seconds back in 11th.

Gabriela Soukalova was right up at the front going into the first (prone) shooting, but made a right mess of it, missing THREE of the five targets, which dropped her down to 29th at the end. Finland's Kaisa Makarainen was looking in contention for a podium finish coming into the second (standing) shoot, but missed two targets, and finished just behind the Czech in 30th.

The sole British representative, Amanda Lightfoot, was 75th out of the 84 finishers. But, she should be happy to have just been at the Olympics, given the funding issues that British Biathlon has been having.

The next Women's Biathlon event is the Pursuit, which is tomorrow afternoon.

CaroLiza_fan
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Houston, we have a problem.

The Women's Pursuit starts in around 30 minutes time. The same time as the Pairs Short. And neither of them are going to have LIVE coverage on BBC TV at the start time.

So, for LIVE coverage of the Biathlon, you will have to use the website

Official BBC Livestreaming Channel

This is NOT the same livestreaming channel that was used for the Sprint on Sunday

Fortunately for us that want to watch the start of the Pairs Short, the BBC will be showing 40 minutes of highlights of the Pursuit tonight at 19:20 GMT on BBCi2.

Details on how to receive BBCi2 are above

CaroLiza_fan
 

Near

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CaroLiza_fan

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Just a wee reminder that the 15km Individual will be starting in around 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, the BBC is not showing it on the TV LIVE (highlights are on at 19:30 GMT on BBCi1). So if you want to watch it LIVE, you'll have do it on their website.

Official BBC Livestream Channel

BBCi1 is available via:

Digital terrestrial (UK only): Ch. 301 on Freeview
Digital cable (UK only): Ch. 991 on Virgin Media
Digital satellite (Europe): Ch. 977 on SkyDigital
Astra 28.2E, Transponder 45 (10.773H. MBaud 22,000. FEC 5/6).
NOTE: The channel you want for the biathlon is labelled “BBC RB 1

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Just a wee reminder that the 12.5km Mass Start will be starting in around 1 hour, i.e. the same time as the Free Dance.

Unfortunately, the BBC is not showing it on the TV LIVE (highlights are on at 19:15 GMT on BBCi1). So if you want to watch it LIVE, you'll have do it on their website.

Official BBC Livestream Channel

This is NOT the same livestreaming channel that was used for any of the previous competitions.

BBCi1 is available via:

Digital terrestrial (UK only): Ch. 301 on Freeview
Digital cable (UK only): Ch. 991 on Virgin Media
Digital satellite (Europe): Ch. 977 on SkyDigital
Astra 28.2E, Transponder 45 (10.773H. MBaud 22,000. FEC 5/6).
NOTE: The channel you want for the biathlon is labelled “BBC RB 1

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Drama in the first 2 laps for some of the top runners.

Shortly into the race, Tora Berger fell over the edge of the course. I didn't notice what caused it, but she lost quite a bit of time climbing back up onto the course.

Berger entered the first shoot dead last, just as the leaders were finishing their shoot. But, she cleared her shots, and got out of the range just in front of the first of the girls that had to do penalty loops.

Second lap, and Olga Zaitseva went too fast into a right-handed corner, and went straight on. It was a banked corner, so she slid backwards down the banking... straight into the rest of the field! :eek:

Thankfully, the change in gradient slowed her down enough to bring her to a stop on the wide line around the corner. Most of the girls were on a tight line into the corner, and so avoided hitting Zaitseva. Although some had to take avoiding action.

But, when Zaitseva was trying to pick up her right pole, somebody collided with her left pole, and it look like it broke. And I think there was a second collision as well.

Elisa Gasparin fell on the third lap, but the commentators weren't sure who it was. There again, they didn't know why Berger was so far back... (they were speculating that she was maybe sick!)

It was Domracheva that won, with Soukalova in second.

Eckhoff and Sachenbacher came into the last corner side-by-side fighting for third, but the Norwegian pulled away and finished a second ahead of the German (which was surprising as you would have expected Sachenbacher to pull away as she is a recent convert from Cross-Country).

Selina Gasparin tripped coming over the line and fell, but nobody was close enough to pinch 10th off her.

And there was a Photo Finish between Valj Semerenko and Karin Oberhofer for 13th, but Valj got it. Berger recovered to finish 5 seconds behind them in 15th!!!

Vita Semerenko finished a lonely 17th, and there is speculation that the twins won't do the Mixed Relay on Wednesday, so that they can focus on the Women's Relay on Friday.

Zaitseva eventually finished 20th.

Overall, a good race. But, I have never been keen on mass-starts, as it is too hard to keep track of how everybody's shoots are going when they are all in the range at the same time.

CaroLiza_fan
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
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Nov 10, 2008
It was Domracheva that won, with Soukalova in second.

Eckhoff and Sachenbacher came into the last corner side-by-side fighting for third, but the Norwegian pulled away and finished a second ahead of the German (which was surprising as you would have expected Sachenbacher to pull away as she is a recent convert from Cross-Country).

CaroLiza_fan

Wow Domracheva's THIRD GOLD medal :clap: :bow: And still a chance for a medal in the women's relay I think.

Impressed with Sachenbacher(surprised). It's like I've seen her skiing forever... in her pink head cover LOL. The biathletes are often really strong skiers and Tiril is 10 years younger than Evi. But it would have been awesome if Evi had won bronze.

Overall, a good race. But, I have never been keen on mass-starts, as it is too hard to keep track of how everybody's shoots are going when they are all in the range at the same time.

CaroLiza_fan

True, but it's easy to follow the standings and sometimes super exciting at the final shooting when 3-4 coming in at the same time
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
woahh :eek:

Belarus is the most successful country in terms of ratio of athletes attending
that's 5 golds now add another aerials gold they just got
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Sorry that this was not posted sooner, but I had forgotten that there was biathlon on today! :eek::

Just a wee reminder that the 2x6km Women + 2x7.5 km Men Mixed Relay will be starting in around 5 minutes.

Unfortunately, the BBC is not showing it on the TV LIVE (highlights are on at 19:30 GMT on BBCi1, after the Ladies SP). So if you want to watch it LIVE, you'll have do it on their website.

Official BBC Livestream Channel

This is NOT the same livestreaming channel that was used for any of the previous competitions.

BBCi1 is available via:

Digital terrestrial (UK only): Ch. 301 on Freeview
Digital cable (UK only): Ch. 991 on Virgin Media
Digital satellite (Europe): Ch. 977 on SkyDigital
Astra 28.2E, Transponder 45 (10.773H. MBaud 22,000. FEC 5/6).
NOTE: The channel you want for the biathlon is labelled “BBC RB 1”​

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Country
Northern-Ireland
The end of the Olympics is nigh for the Women's Biathletes. In 15 minutes, the Women's 4x6km Relay will be getting underway.

And the BBC will be showing it LIVE on BOTH the website and TV!!! :biggrin:

Here is the livestreaming link:

Official BBC Livestreaming Channel

This is NOT the same livestream page that was used for the previous competitions.

BBCi2 is available via:

Digital terrestrial (UK only): Ch. 302 on Freeview
Digital cable (UK only): Ch. 992 on Virgin Media
Digital satellite (Europe): Ch. 978 on SkyDigital
Astra 28.2E, Transponder 76 (12.551V. MBaud 22,000. FEC 5/6).
NOTE: The channel you want for the biathlon is labelled “BBC RB 2”​

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Impressed with Sachenbacher(surprised). It's like I've seen her skiing forever... in her pink head cover LOL. The biathletes are often really strong skiers and Tiril is 10 years younger than Evi. But it would have been awesome if Evi had won bronze.

And sigh, today she tested positive in a doping test and was not allowed to compete for Germany. B-test check tonight and a hearing. Bad and sad :disapp: :disagree:

Congrats Ukraine for winning gold :clap: Can't imagine how they can focus, knowing what's happening at home. Hopes for peace and democracy in Ukraine…
2 Russia
3 Norway
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Impressed with Sachenbacher(surprised). It's like I've seen her skiing forever... in her pink head cover LOL. The biathletes are often really strong skiers and Tiril is 10 years younger than Evi. But it would have been awesome if Evi had won bronze.

And sigh, today she tested positive in a doping test and was not allowed to compete for Germany. B-test check tonight and a hearing. Bad and sad :disapp: :disagree:

This makes me so angry, and disappointed. I know that there are a lot of similarities between biathlon and Cross Country skiing, but I was so impressed with how well she has been doing since she switched sports. And how quickly it took for her to get used to Biathlon.

I really liked her. Now, I'm just disgusted.

EDIT: The above was written before I watched last night’s “Davai Sochi”. Now that I have heard the story from Michael Greiss, that it was something in a food supplement, I feel sorry for Evi.

My favourite Japanese motorbike racer, Noriyuki Haga, missed out on winning the 2000 World Superbike Championship because he was disqualified from the second race of the season in Kyalami after failing a drugs test. And it was all because a cough medicine he was taking had a different recipe in South Africa than it did in Japan.

We don't know the full story of what happened with Evi yet. But from what I have heard so far, it sounds like it could be a similar situation.

I know it is up to the athlete to know what they are putting in their bodies. But, it must be so hard for athletes to keep track of what they can use and what they can't when the manufacturers are using different recipes for the same product in different countries!

It is cases like this that really winds me up!


Back to the actual race, and it was a very eventful first leg. First, Germany's Franziska Preuss falls shortly after the start of the race, and breaks her pole. Then, when she reaches the shooting range (after everybody has left), she discovers her sights is full of snow, and has to sort that out. Which loses a lot more time.

She did manage a good shoot, though, and got out of the range in front of Poland's Krystyna Palka, who was doing FOUR penalty loops. (WHAT?!)

Although Germany did make up some time and places, they never really recovered, and finished 11th... BEHIND POLAND!

Then, just after the first shoot, we saw France's Marie Laure Brunet lying on the ground. Didn't see what happened, but that was the end of France's race.

For most of the race, it was the Ukrainian team leading with the Russians not far behind. And I was thinking "Oh, wouldn't this be a great result."

Fast forward to the last lap, and Tora Berger came out of the range 25 seconds behind the leader. And I thought "Oh, no! You know how Tora Berger can eat away a lead like that in no time at all!"

But, she didn't this time! ;)

Congrats Ukraine for winning gold :clap: Can't imagine how they can focus, knowing what's happening at home. Hopes for peace and democracy in Ukraine…

I was absolutely delighted that the Ukraine won, given everything that has been happening back home. And it was lovely seeing how happy Vita Semerenko in particular was with the result.

It looks like it was a good decision to not use the Semerenko twins in the Mixed Relay, and rest them until the Women's Relay. But, it was Olena Pidhrushna in the final leg that really impressed me today!

And I got a big surprise when I watched last night’s “Davai Sochi”. I would never have imagined that this was only the Ukraine’s second Winter Olympic Gold medal! :eek: (The first, of course, coming courtesy of our own Oksana Baiul).

As a footnote, can I just add that it looks things may be improving in Kiev...

CaroLiza_fan
 

CaroLiza_fan

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This has not been a good week for Women's Biathlon in Germany.

First we had the news that Evi Sachenbacher had failed a drugs test on her "A"-sample. Well, inevitably, the "B"-sample has also failed.

Here is the story (in German) as told in a couple of German newspapers:

http://www.bild.de/sport/olympia/bi...ne-evi-sachenbacher-stehle-34784330.bild.html

http://www.berliner-kurier.de/sport...--auch-b-probe-positiv,7168912,26304366.html#

Sachenbacher has now been disqualified from all her Sochi races, and as a result Germany has been disqualified from the mixed relay.

Here is the official announcement from the IOC:

http://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-san...ng-anti-doping-test-at-the-sochi-games/225754

I was just at the DSV website, and they make no mention of Evi's situation at all, even though there are newer stories (see below). But, what I did find interesting is that when you go to her DSV Bio, there is a link to her FIS Bio. And when you click on the link, all the FIS Bio says is:

does not wish that her/his personal information is published on the FIS Website (biographical details).

Have the FIS already washed their hands of her?

Admittedly, this Bio is from her Cross-Country days as, unlike in Germany where all ski-sports come under the DSV, Biathlon does not come under the FIS - it has its own governing body (the IBU). And her IBU Bio is still up. So, perhaps when she switched sports, her old profile was taken down. I don't know.


That has now been followed by some very sad news. 19-year-old Junior Biathlete Julia Pieper has died.

Here is the initial posting of the story from Saturday:

http://www.biathlon-online.de/6970/wir-trauern-um-julia-pieper/

And here are a couple of today's newspaper reports about it (again, in German):

http://www.bild.de/sport/wintersport/julia-pieper/trauer-um-deutsche-biathletin-34814404.bild.html

http://www.berliner-kurier.de/sport...n-julia-pieper--19--tot,7168912,26331060.html

And here is the reaction from the DSV:

http://www.deutscherskiverband.de/detail_news_de,1069,1228955,detail.html

As far as I know, Julia's only international experience was when she competed at last year's Junior World Championships in Obertilliach in Austria, where she finished 27th in the Individual, 22nd in the Pursuit, 20th in the Sprint, and 7th as part of the Relay team.

These results were taken from Julia Pieper's IBU Bio. Unfortunately, her DSV Bio does not tell you much.

May I pass on my condolences to all of Julia's family and friends

CaroLiza_fan
 
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