Sweden’s biathlon superstar Sebastian Samuelsson has criticized the changed route for the World Cup sprint in Hochfilzen.
“You might think that this is an advantage for the best runners, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Overall, it’s very sad that we have to choose this solution,” Samuelsson told TV station “SVT-Sport”.
Due to a lack of snow, the biathletes have to run four 2.5-kilometer laps instead of the usual three laps of 3.3 kilometers in the sprint in Hochfilzen on Friday (1:45 p.m.).
The first shooting is after 2.5 kilometers, then another five kilometers are run, then the second shooting follows and then another 2.5 kilometers on the cross-country ski run – a big change for the rhythm of the athletes.
“I think you should be able to guarantee 3.3km laps here too if you want to do a sprint,” Samuelsson noted to the Biathlon World Cup organizers.
The fourth in the overall World Cup added: “It is what it is, but we will still have a good competition.”
Biathlon: That’s what David Zobel says about the route in Hochfilzen
David Zobel had previously commented on the unusual route. “It’s a pity that we can’t run a 3.3 lap, but have to run a double lap. Everyone has to adjust to it, and then it will be fine tomorrow,” said the German biathlete after training on Thursday.
The organizers in Hochfilzen had decided against preparing the 3.3-kilometer lap because it would only have been needed for the men’s sprint.
In the run-up to the World Cup, it hadn’t snowed enough in the Tyrolean municipality. On the other hand, there should be fresh snow over the entire weekend.
As usual, the women had their sprint over 7.5 kilometers on Thursday. Denise Herrmann-Wick gets her World Cup victory of the season. In Hochfilzen, the men’s sprint on Saturday and Sunday will be followed by the two pursuers and the relay races.