Antholz will not apply for the 2017 Biathlon World Cup

On the one hand, the competition at international level is strong, because five biathlon strongholds want to organize the 2017 title fights: Hochfilzen, Östersund, Brezno-Osrblie, Pokljuka and a Russian town. “I give Hochfilzen the best chances. Against such strong competition, the chances of us winning the World Cup are not that great. Especially when, like now, not everyone in Antholz is 100 percent behind the World Cup,” says Gottlieb Taschler, giving the next reason for the decision not to apply for the World Cup in five years.

Taschler only wants to apply for the World Cup if he can rely on the full support of the valley community. “There is no point in us applying for the World Cup if the general public is against the organization of the World Cup. It's a shame, because Antholz enjoys an excellent reputation in the biathlon scene and is valued by the IBU as a reliable partner. It would also be a good opportunity to advertise Antholz and South Tyrol to the world. But we have to respect that not everyone is pulling in the same direction at the moment and that there are also opposing voices in the Antholzer Valley,” said Taschler.

From an economic perspective, it is also difficult to raise money from sponsors and the public sector for the necessary structural adjustments. This aspect also prompted Taschler to wait. “Perhaps a consensus can be found by autumn 2014, when the next IBU Congress takes place and the 2019 World Championships are awarded,” hopes Taschler.

As far as the World Cup is concerned, the 2013 and 2014 events in South Tyrol are firmly anchored in the calendar. “After that you have to see what happens. The international competition is strong and is catching up more and more. That's why we also have to be on our guard and constantly improve so that we can keep up with the other biathlon strongholds in the world and be taken into account when awarding the World Cups. After all, we don’t have a bye,” concluded Taschler.

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Antholz will not apply for the 2017 Biathlon World Cup

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