After three figureheads of the Norwegian women’s biathlon, Tiril Eckhoff, Marte Olsbu Röiseland and Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, had to struggle with physical or psychological problems in preparation, the experts of the skier nation recently sounded the alarm. Wrongly so, as the Norwegian season opener now showed. The criticism is now proving to be a boomerang.
“I think the criticism was unjustified. When the best don’t start, the athletes from the second row get a chance to show what they can do. And it was fun to see that they fought back,” quoted “NRK ” Norwegian biathlon coach Sverre Huber Kaas.
The thought that the team is “not good enough” might come up, but fortunately Sjusjöen’s performances show that they are “on the right track”, the coach continued.
At the start of the Norwegian team’s season, 19-year-old Maren Kirkeeide, among others, caused a sensation. The young hope convinced against the World Cup starters above all with an outstanding running performance.
However, Karoline Knotten, Ida Lien and Ragnhild Femsteinevik, who recently formed the second guard behind the currently absent Norwegians in the World Cup, also presented themselves in strong form.
Critical voices have not yet fallen silent
“I think the experts don’t need to worry,” Lien told NRK. Tandrevold and Olsbu are eager to start the season and hope that “everything will be fine” with Eckhoff as well. Femsteinvik added that they measured themselves against the top trio in training and found that they “can be pretty good”.
“The rest of us did a very good job,” said Knotten. “I have podiums from the World Cup, Ida wasn’t far away last year and we know Ragnhild can strike.” The forecasts are “a little bleak for no reason”.
However, the experts are not yet completely convinced. Since you haven’t run against the international competition yet, it’s “hard to say” what the achievements are worth, warns ex-biathlete Synnöve Solemdal. The team can “maybe fight for podium places”, but are not “quite among the best”, said “NRK” expert Ola Lunde.