The Spanish Armada is a thing of the past, this year Norway’s biathletes are traveling with an almost overwhelming fleet of ski hunters to the World Championships, which will take place from February 7th to 18th in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic). When you look at Norge’s line-up, the dominance of the biathlon superpower becomes abundantly clear.
Norway’s Biathlon Federation has announced the men’s line-up for the title fights in Nove Mesto. Johannes Thingnes Bø, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, Tarjei Bø, Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, Endre Strømsheim and Sturla Holm Laegreid will be on the hunt for medals for the Scandinavians from mid-February.
The order listed here is not chosen at random. Because: The Norwegian squad is synonymous with places one to six in the current IBU World Cup season. The best non-Norwegian in the overall World Cup is the Swede Martin Ponsiluoma ahead of the DSV ski hunters Benedikt Doll and Johannes Kühn.
Anything other than a flood of Norwegian medals and the planned relay gold would be a huge surprise.
Biathlon: Also “stinky boots” Christiansen in the World Cup squad
There was also no discussion about Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen this time. The 31-year-old was surprisingly eliminated for the World Cup weekend in Oberhof at the beginning of the month and had to make way for exceptional talent Johan-Olav Botn. Christiansen caused a huge stir because of this, spoke of “incompetent decisions” and a “whimsy” of the coaching team.
At the following World Cup in Ruhpolding, Christiansen, currently fourth in the overall World Cup, was again part of the Norwegian squad.
Norway’s women’s squad for the World Cup is also mostly set. Overall World Cup leader Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold leads the Norwegian ski hunters, Juni Arnekleiv, Karoline Knotten and Marit Ishol Skogan are firmly scheduled. A fifth starting place will be awarded at the European Championships in Brezno-Osrblie (Slovakia), as the Norwegian association announced.
The World Championships begin on Wednesday, February 7th with the mixed relay. The first individual decisions (sprint and pursuit) are on the program from Friday to Sunday.