Sunday, Mar 25, 2007
Hello everyone!!
How was the weekend?? Sunny Norway is saluting you!
This post today is to celebrate and say goodbye to a great French biathlon ski athlete who retired this season (Click on pics to enlarge):
Raphaël Poirée!!
I think that Biathlon is a really exciting sport: it combines cross-country skiing
and rifle shooting (lying on the ground then standing, once or twice, according to the race).
So you need to ski fast, but keep the right pace in order to keep your body quiet enough while shooting 5 targets in a row with precision.
When you miss a target, you either get a penalty tour of 150m (which delays you for around 20-30 seconds) or 1 minute penalty added to your performance, again, depending on the race. So pressure is on to get all the targets right!!
So, at the age of 32, Raphaël decided to leave the competition world to become more of a family man, on the side of his wife Liv Grete Poirée, a retired Norwegian biathlon champion, and their two daughters. They live now both in France and in Norway, not too far from my town. They really seem to be a great couple, I must say!
Anyway, many people were in disbelief when he announced his retirement. Not that he might actually come back for next season (he is a man of his word), but because he really was at the top of his form and performances. During the last races, all the way to the shooting site or to the finish line, supporters from all countries and staff from other teams were rooting for him. He made his way up on the podiums several times in a row, achieving his career with a total of 103 podiums.
His biggest opponent, Norwegian several times world champion Ole Einar Bjørndalen said that he was going to miss him a lot. They used to train together and enjoyed competing againts each other during so many years. Now, Bjørndalen has to find another “enemy brother” and all eyes are turning towards German champion Michael Greis who did quite well this season in the Biathlon World Cup.
Thanks again, Rapha!!
A little bye bye to Florence Baverel-Robert, from the French women team; she also is retiring. She is a heck of a shooter and had many victories this season.
Norwegian women team lost as well a great athlete: Linda Grubben, who quit before the end of the season. She was no longer motivated for the hard work this life implies and was ready for other challenges. After she left, we could see she was making the difference. Big time!!! But what can ya do? She can no more… She can no more!!
All that was very European so far. Where are the American biathlon athletes?
When I really started to get interested in biathlon, that is, last year with the Torino Winter Olympic Games, this is the question I had in my mind. I was wondering if only flashy speedy sports were interesting the American athletes. In alpine ski (supert G, downhill, slalom, etc.), you have plenty of them, but were there any in the biathlon skiing?
Then, I noticed two names among a few others: Tim Burke and Jay Hakkinen… in the top 60. OK… Low 60!!
But they apparently changed coach and the results are now amazing! From the top 60, they now regularly make it to the top 20 and Tim Burke often finishes in the top 10! They are quite fast, especially Burke, but they need to be more efficient in the shooting areas and learn to deal with the extra pressure that comes with high levels competitions. But hey, as long as French guys win, I’m cool with US athletes getting better!!!
Anyway, if nothing else, support your athletes and watch Biathlon next season!! More info about biathlon at: http://www.biathlonworld.com/eng/
Now, have a great Monday… It does not have to suck!
LUV & HUGS!!
Stats
Rank : Evil Bert
Level : 12
Percentage : 42.42% (+17.59%)
Forum post : 931 (+78 )
Submissions : Accepted : 17 (-)
Reviews : 9 (-)
How was the weekend?? Sunny Norway is saluting you!
This post today is to celebrate and say goodbye to a great French biathlon ski athlete who retired this season (Click on pics to enlarge):
Raphaël Poirée!!
I think that Biathlon is a really exciting sport: it combines cross-country skiing
and rifle shooting (lying on the ground then standing, once or twice, according to the race).
So you need to ski fast, but keep the right pace in order to keep your body quiet enough while shooting 5 targets in a row with precision.
When you miss a target, you either get a penalty tour of 150m (which delays you for around 20-30 seconds) or 1 minute penalty added to your performance, again, depending on the race. So pressure is on to get all the targets right!!
So, at the age of 32, Raphaël decided to leave the competition world to become more of a family man, on the side of his wife Liv Grete Poirée, a retired Norwegian biathlon champion, and their two daughters. They live now both in France and in Norway, not too far from my town. They really seem to be a great couple, I must say!
Anyway, many people were in disbelief when he announced his retirement. Not that he might actually come back for next season (he is a man of his word), but because he really was at the top of his form and performances. During the last races, all the way to the shooting site or to the finish line, supporters from all countries and staff from other teams were rooting for him. He made his way up on the podiums several times in a row, achieving his career with a total of 103 podiums.
His biggest opponent, Norwegian several times world champion Ole Einar Bjørndalen said that he was going to miss him a lot. They used to train together and enjoyed competing againts each other during so many years. Now, Bjørndalen has to find another “enemy brother” and all eyes are turning towards German champion Michael Greis who did quite well this season in the Biathlon World Cup.
Thanks again, Rapha!!A little bye bye to Florence Baverel-Robert, from the French women team; she also is retiring. She is a heck of a shooter and had many victories this season.
Norwegian women team lost as well a great athlete: Linda Grubben, who quit before the end of the season. She was no longer motivated for the hard work this life implies and was ready for other challenges. After she left, we could see she was making the difference. Big time!!! But what can ya do? She can no more… She can no more!!
All that was very European so far. Where are the American biathlon athletes?
When I really started to get interested in biathlon, that is, last year with the Torino Winter Olympic Games, this is the question I had in my mind. I was wondering if only flashy speedy sports were interesting the American athletes. In alpine ski (supert G, downhill, slalom, etc.), you have plenty of them, but were there any in the biathlon skiing?
Then, I noticed two names among a few others: Tim Burke and Jay Hakkinen… in the top 60. OK… Low 60!!
But they apparently changed coach and the results are now amazing! From the top 60, they now regularly make it to the top 20 and Tim Burke often finishes in the top 10! They are quite fast, especially Burke, but they need to be more efficient in the shooting areas and learn to deal with the extra pressure that comes with high levels competitions. But hey, as long as French guys win, I’m cool with US athletes getting better!!!
Anyway, if nothing else, support your athletes and watch Biathlon next season!! More info about biathlon at: http://www.biathlonworld.com/eng/
Now, have a great Monday… It does not have to suck!
LUV & HUGS!!
Stats
Rank : Evil Bert
Level : 12
Percentage : 42.42% (+17.59%)
Forum post : 931 (+78 )
Submissions : Accepted : 17 (-)
Reviews : 9 (-)
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Posted Mar 25, 2007 4:51 pm PT
123home123: Bode Miller's world cup this year was a bit of a desapointement for him and his team as well. I have the feeling that for the US ski alpin ski team, it's all or nothing and they take amazing risks!! Hence the falls and the gate missings. Which is fine for the Austrian and Helvetic teams!!
Are there many showing of alpin ski (compared to biathlon, which is less spectacular)?
Are there many showing of alpin ski (compared to biathlon, which is less spectacular)?
Posted Mar 25, 2007 5:13 pm PT
You know what, Tor? Thanks on so many levels for this blog!! As I'm not all that in to sports, I'm really depending on information such as this -short and sweet, not too boring - to get the lay down of what's going on in the athlete world. I'm going to a quiz this evening (National quiz competition "Kven Veit") And we may very well be asked about what you just wrote 
Posted Mar 26, 2007 1:18 am PT
You are most welcome, Monster! I felt compelled to write this info, and now, I know it was all for you!!
Lykke til på 'Kven Veit'!!! Let us know how it went!
Lykke til på 'Kven Veit'!!! Let us know how it went!
Posted Mar 26, 2007 3:09 am PT
Posted Mar 26, 2007 5:32 am PT
Sports? Noooooooo! You evil, evil wench! *runs and hides*
Posted Mar 26, 2007 6:01 am PT
Thanks, Mary!! Polar bear hugs, now, what a treat!!!
I'm warning you, Sassy: I have the skis on and the rifle in position... One way or another... I'm gonna find ya... I'm gonna get ya, get ya, get ya, get ya...
I'm warning you, Sassy: I have the skis on and the rifle in position... One way or another... I'm gonna find ya... I'm gonna get ya, get ya, get ya, get ya...
Posted Mar 26, 2007 10:36 am PT
Cool! I wish we had that kind of sport here... But I don't think that that's possible 'cause it doesn't snow here...
But I don't think that that's possible 'cause it doesn't snow here...
Posted Mar 26, 2007 10:59 pm PT
Haha! Purplerae!! Some people try on grass... but I guess the sensations are not the same!
Posted Mar 27, 2007 11:11 am PT
Posted Mar 28, 2007 7:31 am PT
Posted Mar 29, 2007 3:59 am PT
Go rifle shooting on skis!!! Two of the greatest sports combined!!!
Posted Apr 1, 2007 6:57 pm PT
Welcome back, Ianguyman!!! Indeed those two combined are double fabulous!
Posted Apr 2, 2007 8:24 pm PT
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123home123
I don't think biathlon is on TV here that much other than in the Olympics. Thus, I probably won't be able to see many biathlon meets. Looks like I'll have to wait until the 2010 Olympics.