The anticipation of the German biathletes for the new World Cup season is great. The last training camp for the DSV entourage is coming up soon, but it was rescheduled at short notice. Special focus in the preparatory camp: the allocation of the last World Cup squad places.
Instead of going to Muonio in northern Finland, the German biathletes will travel to Vuokatti in the south this year from November 8th.
After the preparations in Oberhof, where the Biathlon World Championships will take place in 2023, it’s off to the snow for twelve days so that the DSV stars can get the finishing touches. On November 29th the World Cup season starts with the competitions in Kontiolahti.
Uros Velepec, who has been the assistant coach of the German men’s team since this year, explained to “biathlonworld.com” the change: “Logistically, it’s easier to get the wax truck there. We want to have him available from day one and then it’s a quick two-hour drive to Kontiolahti.”
Fight for the last squad places
Several short training blocks and some test races are on the program in Vuokatti.
More importantly, “We have four athletes firmly scheduled for the World Cup, who were selected in April so they can train all summer without pressure. Two more will join them after Vuokatti.” The set quartet consists of Benedikt Doll, Johannes Kühn, Fabian Rees and Philipp Nawrath.
The program for women is the same as that for men. Women’s Discipline Coach Sverre Olsbu Röiseland explained: “We will have our last qualifying race for the World Cup in Vuokatti, where the last places for the World Cup will be at stake. Denise Herrmann-Wick, Franziska Preuss and Vanessa Voigt, the top three from last season , are already qualified.”
Everything is going according to plan at DSV
The Slovenian Uros Velepec was extremely satisfied with the training so far. “The team was healthy, Benni (Doll, editor’s note) missed a few training sessions because of his new baby, but with his engine it’s not a problem for the season.” Everything is going according to plan, “there is no need to worry”.
The whole team works very professionally and motivated,” said Velepec, who added: “The biggest problem is that sometimes they want to do more, but we monitor that carefully.”
In the meantime, Germany’s best biathletes train in Oberhof together with the majority of the Norwegian team around superstar Johannes Thingnes Bö. Around 100 days before the start of the World Cup, the focus of the DSV-Skijäger is on shot training.
Olympic champion Denise Herrmann-Wick (contact with a person infected with the corona virus) and Vanessa Hinz (torn ligaments) could not travel to Oberhof.