The consequences of the Wierer withdrawal

Four names: Regina Ermits, Tuuli Tomingas, Susan Kuelm, Johanne Talihaerm. You didn't win anything at the Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto na Moravje. And yet they thrilled us. The quartet finished fourth in the relay. Next to me and the Eurosport expert Michael Rösch were my colleagues from Estonian television in the dressing room. Any Brazilian football commentator would have been green with envy at the enthusiasm of the otherwise rather cold Northmen. They raged, shouted, pounded their fists on the table. We got infected, especially since the Estonian women were on course for a medal for a long time. After the race, of course, I went straight to the next door and saw smiling faces. Magnus Ader, who has been at the microphone for 18 years, was extremely proud. “We are such a small country and then such a great result.” In the parking lot where the wax trucks of the big nations are parked, their car looks like a toy car. “We always have to try to make a lot out of a little,” he says. That was successful this time and it's a good sign, because in three years Estonia and Otepää will host the World Championships. After all, European Championships and Junior World Championships have taken place there.

A World Cup has also already been organized. If you were still competitive now... You don't want to come away empty-handed like the hosts of the title fights this year. However, as this World Cup has clearly shown, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the smaller nations to land on the podium. After the ban on fluorine for ski preparation, the gap between small and large has apparently widened. Until the last day, the mass start races, only five nations appeared in the medal table. The fact that Latvia was added by Andrejs Rastorgujevs with his silver medal does not change the overall situation. The 36-year-old is a lone fighter who barely makes ends meet year after year. It is primarily those nations that have a certain amount of flexibility financially or have dedicated themselves with all the necessary intensity to the new and still unfamiliar regulations that are now ahead.

Tests well before the ban Many people did a lot of testing even before the impending ban on fluorine. The French, for example, met in Davos in the fall. All. The biathletes, the cross-country skiers, the combined and alpine skiers. They exchanged ideas. Apparently it helped, as you can see from the results, because the Belgians also delivered good races without medals, which are not possible for them. They have their skis prepared by the French for 250 euros per pair to use. And yet there is hope. For all. The women from Estonia or the men from the USA who have to prepare their skis in a cabin provided and who don't have one of these truck monsters at their disposal. The US boys with their South Tyrolean coach Armin Auchentaller and the technicians from Bavaria were only just behind the German team in the relay, which was looked after by nine technicians in two trucks. Due to the difficult snow conditions and warm temperatures, grinding and waxing was undoubtedly more important than ever before. However, many were relatively quick to blame the material for the lack of top rankings and not necessarily their own inadequacy. If you look closely at the results, then despite all the odds, it is mainly athletes who have already made one or two marks in the World Cup that have prevailed. Material or not.

Important fight for points The break until the next race isn't very long. This month everyone will meet in Oslo at the traditional Holmenkollen. The end of the season will then take place overseas. First in the USA, before the final decisions are made in Canmore, Canada. Dorothea Wierer will then no longer be there. She announced her first small retirement and will not compete again this season. Whether it will be more than just a current break is almost as exciting as the fight for the overall World Cup, which is almost decided for the men (Johannes Thingnes Boe). There is a quartet in the women's race. There is also Lisa Vittozzi (third place at the moment), who won gold once at the World Championships and was also able to adorn herself with three silver medals. She not only shone with her trophies, but also took the audience's hearts by storm. Vittozzi was the secret star of this World Cup. She has a huge responsibility in the World Cup. She also has to deliver points fairly regularly, as Italy is only in fifth place in the women's national rankings with 4429 points.

The Swiss are lurking behind them with 4230 points with eleven events still outstanding. This is very important because the top five nations will receive six starting places in next year's World Cup. From six to ten then only five. With the Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina in two years, it would be extremely helpful for Italy if they could consistently take part in the World Cup with half a dozen. If that doesn't work, it could also be at the expense of Rebecca Passler or Hannah Auchentaller. Dorothea Wierer can no longer contribute any points, which is why her decision to end the season now could have serious consequences for the entire team. The Italian men are off the hook in this regard with a currently confident fourth place ahead of Sweden (also thanks to Lukas Hofer) and, above all, clearly ahead of Austria. Now it’s time for everyone to join forces once again. Also for the ski technicians, who are probably happy to have this difficult World Championship behind them.

About the author: Sigi Heinrich The multi-award-winning sports journalist (including winner of the German Television Prize and the Bavarian Sports Prize), book author and Eurosport commentator from the very beginning (since 1989) dedicates his column “Sigi's Spitze” to the entire diversity of sport and also likes to poach in strangers areas. Sometimes with a smile and a wink, sometimes serious and thoughtful or deliberately provocative. There should be something for everyone.

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The consequences of the Wierer withdrawal

After the Biathlon World Championships, which were also difficult for ski technicians, the World Cup with three further stations is all about the hunt for points for the national rankings. Our columnist Sigi Heinrich sees Dorothea Wierer's resignation as even more responsibility for Lisa Vittozzi.

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