The big stars were all absent from the Norwegian biathletes’ season opener, and there was prompt talk of an early crisis. For Karoline Knotten, winner of the sprint race on Saturday, this is far too early.
Karoline Knotten presented herself in top form at the “Sesongstart” in Sjusjöen, Norway. In the absence of the biathlon figureheads Marte Olsbu Röiseland, Tiril Eckhoff and Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, the 27-year-old won the sprint race in a superior manner. The lead over second Ida Lien was 33 seconds.
“We were talked down a bit, so that was good news. Of course it’s a pity that the others aren’t there, but then we have other girls who are good at it – not everyone was fully focused on that,” she complained Winner afterwards at “VG“.
In the run-up to the start of the season, the former biathlete Synnöve Solemdal, now an expert at the broadcaster “NRK”, spoke of a “crisis” in Norwegian biathlon: “I don’t know if there have ever been so many cancellations before and I hope so really that they can get back on their feet in Finland.”
Sprint winner Knotten: “The rest of us can have a good day too”
The World Cup will begin in Kontiolahti, Finland, in just under two weeks. Tandrevold was slowed down by a cold recently and should get fit in time. Röiseland is also expected back soon. With Eckhoff alone, it should take longer if she wasn’t able to compete in a single training camp in preparation.
According to Knotten, who won five relay World Cups between 2019 and 2020, the media focus on the missing top stars is unfair: “We trained well all year and did a good job. So I think that it’s a little undeserved.”
The Norwegian added: “I’m not saying that I’m a gold purveyor and that you can expect the same medals as Marte (Röiseland) and Tiril (Eckhoff) but the rest of us can have a good day too.”