– It’s always just as shocking for the organizer every time we come, “shit it’s training day today”, says Marte Olsbu Røiseland. When she and the rest of the world elite in biathlon took over the biathlon stadium here in the German World Cup town of Oberhof on Monday, many were in for a surprise. Loose and bumpy conditions made the WC stadium resemble a circuit race for children. – It was a bit like competing when we were young. Then they didn’t prepare the course that much, so there were just a lot of balls and it was a matter of hitting the right hole with the elbow, recalls Johannes Thingnes Bø. MEMORIES: Johannes Thingnes Bø thought the conditions were similar to races from his childhood. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news The organizers had opened up the track shortly before Monday’s training, creating conditions that made it difficult for the biathletes to prepare for the mixed relay on Wednesday. – Fascinating The humps on the stand make it difficult for the athletes to adapt the rifle and find the optimal position for prone shooting. – It’s fascinating how there can be so much snow and conditions and then it seems that someone has forgotten to prepare the trail, says Ingrid Tandrevold and adds: – I’m a little excited about how it will turn out and whether they ruined it for good week yesterday or whether they have managed to save it in. Tandrevold was among those at Monday’s training who seemed the most dissatisfied, and gave a clear message to the Norwegian support apparatus what she thought. But other countries were also annoyed. – There was a bit of gravel in the German machinery, Sebastian Samuelsson describes and receives support from teammate Elvira Öberg: – The conditions were not very impressive yesterday on the track and on the stand. – Put the cupboard in place Norway and several other countries raised the problems with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) on Monday evening. And the IBU gave the organizer a clear message. CLEAR MESSAGE: Technical delegate, Hans Petter Olsen, put the cabinet in place opposite the organiser. Photo: Roy Kenneth S. Jacobsen / news – The preparation in advance was not quite optimal and not quite as we would like, explains technical delegate, Hans Petter Olsen, to news. – We had a few meetings with the organizer and made it clear how we wanted it to be, and put the cupboard in place a bit, he continues. The night to Tuesday it was below zero and after persistent efforts from the organiser, the conditions were better at Tuesday’s training. – Today it is very, very good. They have followed all recommendations. They have done a great job and have been very good. Today, the conditions are absolutely perfect, says Olsen in the sunshine in Oberhof. Sure of top relationships ADVANTAGE: Sturla Holm Lægreid prefers to have loose relationships and believes it is an advantage for him. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news He is now optimistic about the future. – I am very sure that there will be absolutely top conditions, at least tomorrow. They have been very good and I am sure that they will continue to follow that line – and what the weather conditions are like in Oberhof is something we cannot control, says Olsen. To the delight of some and to the disappointment of others. For Sturla Holm Lægreid and Martin Ponsiluoma, they would like the conditions to be as tough as possible. – For my part, it’s good that it’s solved, because then I get a bit of an advantage over the competitors, but if it becomes armored, there are a lot of others who can also go fast, says Lægreid, who has an opinion trap from the other side of the border: – I think it was great fun. I like the tough conditions and that is an advantage for me, asserts Ponsiluoma. The Biathlon World Cup opens with a mixed relay at 2.45pm on Wednesday on TV 2 and the radio channel news Sport.
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– We put the cabinet in place – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
