Kaisa Mäkäräinen and Olli Hiidensalo open the starting points for the Biathlon World Championships.
Roope Visuri,
Johannes Oikarinen
In biathlon, the last World Cup competitions took place over the weekend before the World Cup in Oberhof, which starts in two weeks.
Sports expert Kaisa Mäkäräinen bring a Norwegian to the men’s World Cup Johannes Thingnes Bön dominance.
Thingnes Bö has won 12/14 of the season’s individual competitions.
– Johannes Thingnes Bö is the one and only gold medal favorite. You can’t get over it, and you can’t get around it, Mäkäräinen says.
In Sunday’s posts, Norway was number one in men and France in women. Finland was ninth among men and eleventh among women.
The ranking was the lowest among Finnish men and the second lowest among women this season. However, Finland has generally improved its level in messages this year. The fifth place in Hochfilzen was, for example, the best for Finnish men in 20 years.
– These messages were not exactly the best general from Finland. There have been better messages in the past this season. Especially Tero Sepplä however, the skiing speed was pleasing. He is in the game after being sick, Mäkäräinen wrapped up the relay day.
This season, the best ranking in men’s individual competitions is Olli Hiidensalo 11th place from Kontiolahti’s normal distance. On the women’s side Mari Eder has reached the top ten twice this season. Eder was fifth in Annecy’s sprint and tenth in the same competition format in Pokljuka. Seppälä, who barely finished on the podium last season, has shown his potential.
– If they can get solid performances on the bench and on the track, yes, they have a chance to make it to the top ten. Marilla even to bloom (in the top six), states Mäkäräinen.
Olli Hiidensalo reminded that three penalty rounds were too many for the Finnish men on Sunday. The winner came to Norway in just over four minutes.
– Three fines are too many. We would have everything to be in the top six. With top success, even better, Hiidensalo said.
Hiidensalo believes that something has been done better in the summer, because the relay performances are better overall.
– Performance in the relays tells the most about the team’s level, says Hiidensalo.
Overall, Hiidensalo sees flashes of light in the national team’s results.
– I personally take the best season. Mari is having the best season. Overall, this has been the best season in many years. The message performance also tells about it. I see that progress has been made and steps have been taken. Hopefully the development will continue until the World Cup, Hiidensalo states.
Hiidensalo reminds that the World Cup venue Oberhof is a peculiar place.
– Shooting will play a big role there. The weather conditions are usually quite challenging. When you can also get the hoe in order, because there is a big hoe hill. I’m going into the World Cup quite confident, says Hiidensalo.
Biathlon World Championships in Oberhof, Germany, 8.–19. February. The races are shown on channels.