THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BIATHLON ...

IBU EVENTS IBU VERANSTALTUNGENgiven a new one, by ironicallyan Italian serviceman, yet the Italiansgot away from him andclaimed the final podiumspot. Italy’s Katja Hallercommented, “We neverexpected to be third. Wewere in fourth after thestanding shooting (in thefinal leg). We hoped to bein the top six today, butwhen Novikov fell, wetook the opportunity andwe are very very happy.”The Sprints showed ahint of the youth movementin Biathlon. Domracheva, who won a Bronze medalin the 15K Individual at the Olympic Winter Games, claimedher first World Cup victory, over Russia’s Olga Zaitseva andthe retiring Kati Wilhelm. The Belarusian wanted a resultbetter than she had in the Mixed Relay. “Yesterday, ourteam was very close to third place in the Relay, but it didnot happen. So I thought today, I must do better and get onthe podium.” She shot clean, skied very fast and walkedaway a winner for the first time.In the Men’s Sprint, Tcherezov thrilled the friendlycrowds with his second Sprint victory of the season. Heleft Olympic Gold medalist Emil HegleSvendsen behind climbing the final hill,called “the wall”, powerfully. Third wentto Martin Fourcade, with his first WorldCup podium, after spending a big part ofhis post-Olympic break in bed. He said, “Igot sick after the Relay at the Olympics. Ispent a lot of time outside that day whenit was snowing, doing pictures that dayfor the press and sponsors. I spent thenext seven days in Toulouse in the southof France, with no skiing and no training;just a lot of sleeping. Yesterday, we did atest competition and I felt good and feltgood today again. It is sometimeshard to explain howyour body works.”The youth movement trulyasserted itself in the Pursuitcompetitions. Domrachevaand 23-year old MagdalenaNeuner went one-two, while Fourcade won the men’scompetition with his teammate 24-year old Vincent Jay inthird place.Both Domracheva and Fourcade showed the poise ofveterans, calmly outshooting their rivals in the final standingstage to claim victory. The ever-smiling Domrachevaexplained, “The Pursuit is just tactics. In the last shooting,you must calm down and just do it. It is not too easy, buttoday I did it. . . On the last loop, my coach said Magdalenawas second. I know she is very fast. . . I knew I had to useall of my power to win.”Fourcade used tactics, but admitted there is but a singleroute to success. “There is no secret. It is just hard work.”Tcherezov was thrilled with the big Russian-orientedcrowds, and the Kontiolahti organizers were happy to seetheir quaint but remote stadium packed. At the same time,the young Pursuit victors enjoyed being on the podium andgiving biathlon fans a peek at what they might expect inthe future.Domracheva and Fourcade were on the podium twice inKontiolahti. Fourcade could have almost been speaking forboth of them (although Domracheva has been on the podiumbefore) when he said, “This is my first time in Finland andmy first two World Cup podiums and now I want to comeback.” •Das Biathlonstadion von Kontiolahti stellt in der Biathlonweltvon heute eine Ausnahmeerscheinung dar. Es liegtnicht in der Nähe einer Stadt, da Joensuu 15 km entferntist, sondern inmitten eines Waldes in einem großen Militärgebiet,und im Gegensatz zu denRiesenkomplexen von Oslo, Oberhofund bald auch Ruhpolding scheint imkleinen Stadion von Kontiolahti mitseinem rustikalen Holzgebäude alsMittelpunkt die Zeit stehen gebliebenzu sein.Dennoch haben in Kontiolahti in denletzten zwanzig Jahren immer wiederBiathlon- Weltcups stattgefunden. EsaHaapala, der langjährige Organisatorvon Kontiolahti und heutigeProjektmanager fürden Weltcup, erinnert sich,wie sich die Dinge im Laufeder Jahre verändert haben.„Es ist völlig anders als vor20 Jahren! Zunächst einmalThe official Magazine of the IBU 20 I 2010 biathlonworld 33