We tell you who and where.
In Slovenian Pokljuka started new season World Cup. On Sunday, December 2, the relay races were held.
Well-known biathletes came to the start as part of our national team: Kaisheva and Garanichev - in a single mixed, Starykh, Yurlova-Perkht, Malyshko and Loginov - in mixed relay.
Individual races will take place in the middle of this week. Many debutants of the national team will get their chance here.
The composition of our team for the stage in Pokljuka is as follows:
Men: Malyshko, Loginov, Garanichev, Slepov, Eliseev, Latypov. Main coach national team and senior coach of the men's team: Anatoly Khovantsev.
Women: Starykh, Pavlova, Vasilyeva, Yurlova-Perkht, Vasnetsova, Kaisheva (+ Kristina Ilchenko, who will not perform at the first stage, since the issue of transferring from the national team of Belarus has not yet been resolved). Senior coach of the women's team: Vitaly Noritsyn.
A year ago, at the first stage of the World Cup in Ostersund, the composition of the Russian national team was as follows:
Men: Shipulin, Babikov, Tsvetkov, Garanichev, Volkov, Loginov, Eliseev. Senior Coach: Rico Gross.
Women: Yurlova-Perkht, Podchufarova, Akimova, Virolainen, Slivko, Mironova. Senior coach: Sergey Konovalov.
"Match TV" tells what the biathletes of the main team are doing now. this season don't start at the World Cup.
Men
Anton Shipulin
Did not participate
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq6vqUtAMif/The leader of our team recent years got into the main team regardless of qualifying competitions, but ultimately decided not to race in Kontiolahti. According to Shipulin himself and his coach Andrei Kryuchkov, the biathlete is not yet ready for serious starts. Anton described his plan to return to the squad in an interview on the Biathlon with Dmitry Guberniev program:
“On Monday (December 3) I fly to Europe, Austria (in Obertilliach), where the team trained before the World Cup. I will be there for about 18-20 days in the middle mountains. If my body feels normal, I will run the last stage of the IBU Cup. After the New Year, I will probably already start participating in races ”.
Anton Babikov
How he performed at the qualifying competitions: 1 race - 14th place, 2 race - 6th place (hereinafter, places excluding athletes from Finland who also took part in the race)
According to the results of the qualifying competitions, Babikov was included in the reserve team. Anton started the season at the IBU Cup. The first stage has already passed in the Swedish Idre. Here are the results Babikov showed on it:
Sprint 1: 1st place (shooting 0 + 0)
Sprint 2: 16th place (2 + 1)
Graze: 8th place (2 + 1 + 1 + 0)
The next stage of the IBU Cup will take place from 13 to 16 December in Ridnaun, Italy. There is a possibility that Babikov will not go to the second stage of the IBU Cup, but will go to the World Cup in Hochfilzen. Everything will depend on the performance of the main squad at the stage in Pokljuka.
“Regarding our successful results in the IBU Cup stage in the form of two gold medals, we will consider when to rotate - now or after the Hochfilzen stage. We keep in mind that we can strengthen the relay race at the expense of athletes from the IBU Cup, but first let's see what results we show here, "Anatoly Khovantsev said in an interview with TASS.
But Anton is not the best of all in the IBU Cup overall standings. Russian biathletes... Alexander Povarnitsyn in total takes the second place, Babikov - the fourth.
Maxim Tsvetkov
How he performed at the qualifying competitions: 1 race - 18th place, 2 race - 19th place
The winner of the last race of last season's World Cup failed the qualifiers and did not even make it to the reserve team. The nearest chance to get a place in Tsvetkov's team will be at the Izhevsk Rifle, which will be held from December 24 to 30. One of the best in the sprint and individual race in these competitions should go to the World Cup, three more - to the IBU Cup.
The head coach of the Russian national team Anatoly Khovantsev told Match TV that Tsvetkov is going to prepare at the expense of the region together with Shipulin in Obertilliach. However, the world champion went to Khanty-Mansiysk, where the first stage of the Russian Cup starts on December 4.
Alexey Volkov
How he performed at the qualifying competitions: 1 race - 16th place, 2 race - 13th place
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqiORrEAZxG/The same situation as with Tsvetkov: Volkov starts the season at the Russian Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, to the national team Olympic champion can get through successful performances on the "Izhevsk rifle".
Additional selection for the participants of the Russian Cup will continue after the New Year. According to the results of the fourth (January 29 - February 4) and fifth (February 7-13) stages of the National Cup two-three best athlete can replenish the reserve team.
Coach Ricco Gross
The contract of the German coach with the RBU ended in the spring. Despite the fact that Gross said several times that he would like to continue working in Russia, the agreement with him was not renewed. Ricco did not sit out of work for long, and in the summer he was appointed head coach of the Austrian men's team.
Women
Olga Podchufarova
Did not participate
At the end of last season, Podchufarova announced the end of her biathlon career. In the summer, she entered Moscow State University, where she studies sports management, and also decided to try her hand at a new sport for herself - triathlon. Podchufarova did not abandon her rifle. She works as a biathlon coach at a ski school for adults in Moscow.
Tatiana Akimova
How she performed at the qualifying competitions: did not participate
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnCYNACncmf/Akimova plans to return to sports after giving birth to a child. Nevertheless, the biathlete trained all summer and even went with her husband to the training camp in Ramsau. Here is what the senior coach of the women's national team Vitaly Noritsyn replied to the question of the Match TV website “If Akimova changes her mind about giving birth, will she be able to return to the team this season?”:
"Who knows. Akimova performed large volumes in previous years, and, perhaps, a decrease in the load will cause an increase in form, such a long-term supercompensation. In principle, Tanya wrote to me that she even did two workouts a day, so it would be wrong to say “she is not ready”. Akimova says that she is very comfortable, and the speeds are quite working. "
Daria Virolainen
How she performed at the qualifying competitions: did not participate
Her mother, Anfisa Reztsova, told on Match TV that Virolainen is expecting a baby:
“She is pregnant. Term - five months, we are waiting for a boy, a second grandson. Will she return to big sport, history is silent about this. It is impossible to say how life will turn out, how health will be. Thoughts to return, of course, are, and then how God will send. Dasha continues to follow the biathlon. She is worried that she is not in the squad, for our guys, for her sister Christina, who did not make it to the World Cup and IBU stages ”.
Victoria Slivko
How she performed at the qualifying competitions: 1 race - 7th place, 2 race - 15th place
Following the results of the qualifying competitions, she got a place in the reserve team. The performance at the first stage of the IBU Cup can hardly be called successful. Slivko ran in only one sprint race, in which she finished twenty-second with two penalties on the stand.
Svetlana Mironova
How she performed at the qualifying competitions: 1 race - 17th place, 2 race - 4th place
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqsJxP7BTop/According to the results of the selection, she also ended up in the reserve team. But the results at the first stage of the IBU Cup give hope for an early return to the main team.
Sprint 1: 4th place (0 + 3)
Sprint 2: 7th place (1 + 2)
Graze: 1st place (0 + 0 + 2 + 1)
V summary table Mironov's IBU Cup takes second place. This is the best result among Russian women. On the third line - Anastasia Morozova. They have an equal number of points with Svetlana - 139.
Garanichev and Malyshko claim the title of the first issue. Kaisheva became one of the most experienced. This is not a dream, we have nowhere to take another team.
The Russian national team, of course, will start too. Without Shipulin, Babikov and Tsvetkov. Without Akimova, Virolainen and Podchufarova. The new selection rules for the Russian national team for the World Cup no longer allow asking the question "How did these people get into the team?"
All - by sports principle... And those for whom, it seemed, it was time to finish slowly, like Malyshko or Slepov, and those who, it seemed, had long been time to start, like Vasnetsova.
In anticipation of the first race of the new World Cup, we are analyzing the composition of the Russian national team - who already knows the taste big victories, and who you can rely on, who took the chance and flashed in qualifications, and who can expect a great and bright future in biathlon.
Russian men's team
Dmitry Malyshko
31 years old, place of birth - Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Region. Highest achievement: gold medal at the 2014 Olympics in the relay. Crown discipline: mass start, pursuit. At the end of the 2017/18 World Cup, he took 50th place. Holder better result at qualifying starts - 40 points.
One of the best biathletes in the country and the main relay fighter in 2012-16. The Olympic gold relay was also won with his help. Malyshko's finest hour - the stage of the World Cup in Oberhof in 2013 - three victories in three races. Sometimes it seems that Dmitry is still chasing the ghosts of Oberhof - so he wants to return to those golden days.
Dmitry's last season by and large failed. It seemed that the matter was going to the end of his career, but no - in the selection in Kontiolahti Malyshko deservedly became the best. Maybe Dmitry will still be able to return to his former heights and become a team leader?
26 years old, place of birth - Saratov. Highest achievement: bronze medalist of the 2017 World Championship in the mixed relay. Crown discipline: pursuit. At the end of the 2017/18 World Cup, he took 23rd place. Winner of the second result in the qualifying starts - 30 points.
On the rise of his career, Loginov was knocked down by a doping scandal, because of which he was forced to miss two years. But at the Olympics in Sochi, he could also perform in the relay: he already had two victories in team races, one of which was later canceled.
In the 2017/18 season, Loginov fully returned to the Russian national team, and even a couple of times was very close to medals. In general, Alexander is quite stable. And if he can properly prepare for the season from the point of view of physics, then the fans will delight.
30 years old, place of birth - Novoilinsky, Perm region. Highest achievement: bronze medalist of the 2014 Olympics individual race... Crown discipline: pursuit. At the end of the 2017/18 World Cup, he took 31st place. Winner of the third result in the qualifying starts - 24 points.
Garanichev at one time was considered an athlete who is able to fight for the title of team leader with Anton Shipulin. When Eugene is in shape, he is capable of a lot. Here are just the best readiness Garanichev demonstrated in bursts, and last season became the worst for him in seven years. The results of the races in Kontiolahti inspire restrained optimism in the fans about Garanichev, but in order to draw conclusions, it is worth waiting for the start of the World Cup.
31 years old, place of birth - Vladimir-30, Vladimir region. Highest achievement: three-time European champion. Crown discipline: sprint. He did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti, he scored 22 points.
Slepov's characterization as a biathlete is extremely simple: fast, but not too accurate. For many years Slepov has been fighting his shooting, but to no avail. Therefore, Alexey did not appear in the first team at the World Cup for a long time - since March 2016.
I would like to believe in a miracle, but it is unlikely that anything will change. Slepov had a great first qualifying race, and therefore scored good points and made his way to the main team. But if he does not show decent shooting or does not surprise with medals, then, most likely, he will return to the IBU Cup.
25 years old, place of birth - Zelenograd, Moscow. Highest achievement: winner of the European Championship - 2016. Crown discipline: sprint. At the end of the 2017/18 World Cup, he took 38th place. At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti, he scored 22 points.
Russian fans have long been waiting for something more from Matvey. It has potential, but it cannot be fully realized. There were two silver relay races, there was sixth in the mass start in December 2016. But this is clearly not enough.
The 2017/18 season for Eliseev turned out to be neither good nor bad - working. For some reason, it seems that the coming year may be similar. But deep down I want to believe that Matthew will break through.
24 years old, place of birth - Grodno, Belarus. Highest achievement: winner of the 2015 European Championship. Crown discipline: sprint. He did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti, he scored 21 points.
The only new face in the Russian men's team. Edward did not compete at the World Cup, but at the IBU Cup he already managed to show himself properly: last year he completed two races in prizes.
One should not expect a quick breakthrough from Latypov at the World Cup. Immediately he will not be able to compete with the leaders. But if you give him a chance, with the support of experienced team leaders, the athlete will eventually be able to strengthen the not very powerful clip of the Russian national team.
Russian women's team
31 years old, place of birth - Kurgan. Highest achievement: four-time European champion. Crown discipline: pursuit race, individual race. She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. The winner of the best result in the qualifying starts - 33 points.
Due to the doping scandal, she missed the old ones not even two, but three years, but still managed to return to the highest (by Russian, of course, standards) level. Major victories: two medals in two consecutive stages remained somewhere far away - at the end of 2013. But Irina's speed is still very decent, she has no experience, so you can safely put her on the baton.
25 years old, place of birth - Guryevsk, Kemerovo region. Highest achievement: winner of the junior world championship. Crown discipline: sprint. She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. The winner of the second result in the qualifying starts - 27 points.
One of the main surprises of the new selection system for the national team. In the IBU Cup, Pavlova started four times in the spring of 2018 and was in the top ten all four times, and even won one sprint. Maybe Pavlova will be able to surprise everyone at the World Cup? There are prerequisites!
27 years old, place of birth - Novopavlovka, Chita region. Highest achievement: bronze medalist of the junior world championship. Crown discipline: sprint. She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. Third place winner in qualifying starts - 26 points.
Vasilieva, like Pavlova, was involved in the work Russian team at the IBU Cup only in spring 2018. Margarita didn't make a lot of noise, but the fifth place in the sprint in the second race is a reason for pride. God forbid, there will be something to be proud of at the World Cup.
Ekaterina Yurlova-Perkht
33 years old, place of birth - Leningrad. Highest achievement: winner of the 2015 World Championship in the individual race. Crown discipline: pursuit, mass start. At the end of the 2017/18 World Cup, she took 13th place. At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti, she scored 24 points.
Biathlon fans do not need to be reminded of Yurlova-Perkht. The most stable Russian biathlete, winner of the World Championship in Kontiolahti, winner of two awards in personal races at the World Cup. By the standards of Pyleva and Medvedtseva, God knows what, but in the current team, Ekaterina is a celestial figure, the unconditional leader of the women's team.
25 years old, place of birth - Labytnangi, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Highest achievement: three-time world champion in summer biathlon... Crown discipline: sprint. She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti she scored 23 points.
Many fans consider Ilchenko the prettiest girl in the current convocation of the Russian national team. But Christina also claims to be the fastest. In Russia, they did not really believe in her biathlon talent, so Christina moved to Belarus, but did not succeed there. The girl got a new chance to revive her career upon her return home. Ilchenko successfully overcame the qualification, it remains to overcome only the eternal problem with shooting.
Valeria Vasnetsova
21 years old, place of birth - Mozhga, Udmurtia. Highest achievement: winner of the junior world championship. Crown discipline: sprint, pursuit. She did not participate in the 2017/18 World Cup. At the qualifying starts in Kontiolahti she scored 23 points.
Valeria Vasnetsova, if you have forgotten, already has experience of performing at the World Cup: at the very end of last season, the coaches gave the girl a chance, and she took 79th place in the sprint. I would like to believe that from the start of the new season the results will be slightly higher. Still, for juniors, Valeria won a whole scattering of awards at the World and European Championships. Must be self-confident!
24 years old, place of birth - Mozhga, Udmurtia. Highest achievement: two-time champion Europe. Crown discipline: sprint. At the end of the 2017/18 World Cup, she took 48th place. She was called up to the Russian national team for the World Cup by the decision of the coaching staff.
A couple of years ago, Ulyana Kaisheva in the main Russian national team was on bird's rights - in fact, simply because the public was indignant and demanded rejuvenation, and Ulyana showed herself brilliantly at the IBU Cup. For two years, Kaisheva did not reach the stars, but twice hit the top ten. And in the new line-up she is one of the most experienced athletes. Apparently, it was precisely because of the experience in the World Cup that the coaches gave Kaisheva a “wild card”.
The second place of the Russian men's team in the relay race was just right to be considered a failure, although in fact it was an excellent result. Representatives of the women's team in the relay started under the seventh numbers, and, in fairness, finishing in the same seventh place would be an understandable result for our quartet. Neither good nor bad - just understandable. However, he still had to fight for him.
The coaching staff struck out of the number of potential relay women Ekaterina Glazyrina, and there was no one else to cross out. The first stage was given Olga Podchufarova, she had to pass the "wand" Tatiana Akimova, I worked out the third stage, it was necessary to complete the efforts of the partners Anastasia Zagoruiko- the 56th number of the overall standings of the World Cup.
Norwegian "hanger"
What was for us was the cool shooting that the Russians demonstrated in the pursuit race the day before. On four, they made only two misses in 80 shots, and this kind of shooting could well provide a decent result. The Russian women's team has not been on the relay podium for 17 races in a row, but today we did not think about prizes.
Podchufarova went through her first firing line great and left the shooting range third. Three misses were made only by the Koreans, because in 30 seconds 16 teams were rolling behind the leader - the Czech Puskarchikova. In front of the “counter” Olga came in second and again shot flawlessly. She failed to become a leader, but Galina Vishnevskaya from Kazakhstan she lost only three seconds, and won seven seconds against the catching-up Puskarchikova. But the main event happened on the Norwegian rug - there Birkeland shot two penalty loops and got exactly 100 seconds behind.
Naughty patron
Podchufarova brought the fourth place to the finish of her stage and lost 11 seconds to the leader. Quite
worthy, especially since Akimova simply had to fight with her feet.
Tatyana started perfectly: she got the leaders, and in the head group she stayed, and she went through the “lie down” flawlessly. Russia again found itself in second place, while only the Germans in the face were faster than us. Francis Hildebrand... Czech Kharvatova shot two penalty loops, Kazakhstan limited itself to one.
But further in the distance, Akimova did not work out. She not only lost to the German, but also let the Ukrainian Jim go ahead. By the second firing line, Tatyana was already 15 seconds behind the leader, there she made two misses, was unable to insert the second additional cartridge into the weapon the first time, and slipped to fifth position. For comparison, the German woman who missed three times spent 11 seconds less than Akimova at the turn. 41 seconds behind the leading Ukraine at the finish line turned into 55. And almost 40 - from the potential bronze.
Defense of the name of Sveta
I started at my own pace, played a little, then lost a little. The Russian woman did not shoot very quickly, used six rounds and at the exit from the line was inferior to the leader for a minute and six seconds. In the fight for seventh place, she was slightly ahead of the Swiss Lena Hecky... The Czech Republic was 10 seconds away from us, while the Czechs had nine penalties and two penalties, and we had three penalties.
Sleptsova used three additional cartridges on the “stand” and brought the Russian national team to the same seventh place. That is, I dropped it, but such nuances are hardly important here. Svetlana had to defend what we have from the attacks of the Scandinavians Marie Laukkanen and Emma Nilsson, but the protection of Sveta was quickly revealed: the Finn outstripped her and pushed Russia to the eighth position.
More than seventh
At once returned the team to the lost seventh place. They breathed in her back Martha Olsbu and Christina Guzik, their lag behind the leading Marie Dorin-Habert and Laura Dahlmeier was almost two minutes. At the shooting range Zagoruiko came eighth, shot great and, taking advantage of the Swiss penalty loop, immediately moved up to sixth place. The Norwegian and the Polka continued to press on Nastya.
The fate of gold was decided in a head-to-head dispute between Doren-Habert and Dahlmeier. Before entering the last line, the Frenchwoman was ahead for a couple of seconds, the Ukrainian Merkushina was half a minute behind, but at the same time she won the same amount over the nearest pursuer. All three worked cleanly, with bronze everything became clear, and with gold too: Doren-Habert had no serious chances against Dahlmeier in her current form. And so it happened - the German woman waited a short pause and easily ran away from her rival.
Russia had to fight for its seventh place. Fight, gnaw it out of Poland. Zagoruiko rushed forward, ahead of Guzik and Yurkevich and tried to get Olsbu. 600 meters before the finish, it became clear that the sixth place was not going anywhere from us. It didn't go away. Russia is sixth and two minutes from the winner. Nobody expected more.
The Russian women's team performed with dignity in the relay at the second stage of the World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria. Despite the presence of two newcomers in the team, our team was among the contenders for the prize during the entire race. It was not possible to climb the podium, but with such a composition, the fourth place is quite a decent result.
Evgenia Pavlova, who ran the starting stage, performs in the World Cup only for the first season. And a week ago, in Slovenian Pokljuka, she immediately broke into the elite, finishing twice in the top 10 - in the sprint and in the pursuit. The relay debut was also a success. Having made only one mistake and almost not losing anything directly at the distance, Pavlova ran her seventh segment with a slight lag behind the leaders.
On even stages - the second and fourth - coaching staff decided to put proven fighters. This is the 2015 world champion in the individual race Yekaterina Yurlova-Perkht and Irina Starykh. But between them, Valeria Vasnetsova entered the fight. At the beginning of her six-kilometer distance, immediately after passing the relay, the native of Udmurtia was fourth. As a result, Vasnetsova lost only one position, largely due to the excitement at the firing lines. Two misfires in prone position and one miss while standing.
In the 2016/17 season, Valeria had one episodic participation in the World Cup race; she became a full-fledged athlete of the country's first national team this season. So far, the best personal result is 13th place in the "individual" on the track in Slovenia.
Italians who have not achieved such a serious team success for a long time won in the women's relay: Lisa Vittozzi, Alexia Runggaldir, Dorothea Wierer and Federica Sanfilippo. In the battle for the "silver" at the finish of the distance, the Swede Hannah Oberg was ahead of the Frenchwoman Anais Bescon. The Russians lost 47 seconds to the winners.
Our girls retained their third place in the interim standings of the Nations Cup. Recall that before the start of the season, the head of the Russian Biathlon Union Vladimir Drachev set the women's team a goal to be in the top three overall standings... So the significantly updated team is still coping with the task.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) took place in Hochfilzen. The transition to the banner of our national squad Kristina Ilchenko, who previously played for Belarus, was approved. Note that this athlete hails from the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, she began to run for our closest neighbors in the fall of 2015, since in Russia it was unrealistic for her to get into the main team at that time. And now Ilchenko has returned. She is allowed to start from January next year. The new head of the IBU, Swede Olle Dalin, at a press conference following the results of the executive committee, said that the organization intends to change the criteria for changing sports citizenship soon.
results male relay at the stage in Hochfilzen became known after the signing of this issue of "RG".
What they write about the golden double of the Russians in the relay races at the World Cup in Oberhof. Basically, journalists are worried about their problems.
VG: "Everything is very bad with the shooting"
Norwegian edition VG has devoted all its attention to the problems of its men's team.
"In the absence of the Be brothers, the Norwegian national team will be very hard to count on nice results at the world championship. And this is causing serious concern.
“We have Tarjei and Johannes, but today we do not have a clear third and fourth number,” said Olympic champion Halvar Hanevold.
The team for which Šestad Christiansen, Lars Birkeland, Erlend Bjontegaard and Henrik L “Abbe-Lunn played, finished only seventh in Oberhof, behind a minute and 43 seconds.
The team was especially bad with the shooting. “It is obvious that Bjontegaard and L” Abbe-Lunn, who fled the last two stages, have seriously weakened their positions in the struggle for a place in the team. What we are doing is not enough, especially against the background of what Russia is showing at the same time, "says expert Ola Lunde."
NRK: "Organizers must take action"
The Norwegian channel NRK was most excited by the numerous falls during the relay races.
“The men's and women's relay races in Oberhof have been marked by numerous falls and the organizers should definitely take action.
When you see biathletes who are good at downhill falling and falling, you have to do something. You cannot leave everything as it is, this is not normal. You need to either change the relief, or do something with the track. Of course, we can say that the responsibility for speed and for falls always rests with biathletes, but this is already too much, says Olympic champion Halvar Hanevold.
The Norwegian national team avoided falls on the track, but was just terrible at the turn - two penalties, 16 extra rounds and a final seventh place. "
Sport Bild: "And then a Russian girl went"
The German edition of Sport Bild is worried about the German women's team losing first place.
"How funny it turned out women's relay at the stage of the World Cup in Oberhof. Twice the Germans fell during the race, but still ended up on the podium. Moreover, until the last shooting, everything looked as if we would win ...
“It was very fast - once, and I was already lying on the ground. And then a Russian girl went,” said Franziska Hildenbrand about her fall and collision with Margarita Vasilyeva, who caught hold of a German woman lying in the snow.
Even so, Hildebrand passed the baton to Franziska Preuss as leader, and she retained the lead. In the final stage, Denise Herrmann hit all the targets in the prone position. But then the standing shooting began ...
Herrmann went into two penalty loops and the first place swam away. The Russians are winning at our home stage. Germany is second. "