Here are the Finns’ possible journeys to success in the Biathlon World Championships – Kaisa Mäkäräinen tells the talking points of the Games

Finland is currently ninth in the inter-country competition for women and eighth for men. They are responsible for the best performances Mari Ederwho was Fifth in the Annecy Sprint, and Tuomas Harjula, who was tenth in the joint start race in Annecy. Harjula and Suvi Minkkinen were also in good shape in Pokljuka’s mixed doubles relay, where they finished fourth.

Sports expert Kaisa Mäkäräinen think that both men and women in Finland have opportunities for success.

– My bet is in the women’s speed race, where Mari Eder is our number one. The men’s relays have also gone well enough this winter that the boys may have a chance to surprise there.

Threat Johannes Thingnes Bö to seven World Championship golds

Johannes Thingnes Bö was only 12th at the opening of the World Cup in Kontiolahti, but since then the results have been dazzling: 11 individual victories, four relay victories and two individual third places.

In Kaisa Mäkäräinen’s opinion, Bö’s certainty has been based on a very fast skiing speed, as he has seen some penalties during the season. The Norwegian still has a chance for no fewer than seven world championships, but when it comes to the World Cup, there are always uncertainties.

According to Mäkäräinen, Bö’s most uncertain journey in the World Championships is a mixed message.

– Who can be found to pair with Johannes and how will he succeed. That’s the most likely distance from which the gold medal might not come.

Women’s medal battle open

Tiril Eckhof, Marte Olsbu Röiseland, Laura Dahlmeier… Over the years, the women’s side has usually received gold medal groups at the World Championships. This time the situation may be different. At least Kaisa Mäkäräinen didn’t come up with a candidate to cheer up.

– The races have crossed paths a lot this year, so based on this early season, you won’t necessarily find one. I think this year the medals will be distributed more on the women’s side.

There have been nine different winners in the World Cup this season, and 15 different athletes have received awards. France leading the World Cup Julia Simon has won four races, Sweden Elvira Öberg three, German Denise Herrmann-Wick and Austria Lisa Hauser two.

Mäkäräinen’s favorites for the World Cup battle are also the top names in the World Cup, Simon, Öberg, Lisa Vittozzi and Dorothea Wierer.

– And Denise Herrmann! I would put him in the competition as the absolute favorite of the home games.

Oberhof’s demanding track and fanatical crowd

Oberhof requires a very high level of physical fitness. In Kaisa Mäkäräinen’s opinion, the World Championships have a very steep slope and track profile, which can be found in the base locations of the Biathlon World Cup, and it is also really difficult to get to the biathlon bench. The fanatical audience offers its own challenge, which always fills the stands and the sides of the track in good time.

According to Mäkäräinen, due to the crowd’s encouragement on the first big climb, Birxsteig, you rarely hear your own breathing, the sounds of your skis or what the coach is shouting.

– Many times in the first round you have to rush too hard because of that, because the charm is really huge, Mäkäräinen said.

– The public already cheers for the athletes when they test the skis. There is a risk of skidding yourself under your feet even before the race starts.

Will the fog arrive to mix the pack?

Kaisa Mäkäräinen won the last World Cup race in Oberhof in January 2020. At that time, fog and a strong gusty wind hindered the joint start race.

– I was probably at the last shooting position for more than a minute. I don’t know if anyone has ever won with such vertical shooting. We just waited and waited, Mäkäräinen recalled.

– Sometimes I already wonder if it would be worth it to just ski the penalty circle and just let the shots go.

Fog has been a guest of Oberhof very often, and it can cause difficulties even for confident shooters. The World Cup competitions have often been in Oberhof in January, when winter has not properly started and the air is humid. Now the World Championships are held in February and the conditions are wintry. It can affect the situation.

– At the moment, the weather forecast shows surprisingly good weather. We hope that there will be no lottery for anyone in the prize competitions, but that everyone will be able to compete under equal conditions.