The Canadian dream

It could almost be a fairy tale. After a period of active competition in biathlon and cross-country skiing, an Upper Bavarian (born in Ruhpolding) succumbs to the vastness and majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains and quickly moves to Canmore to spend the rest of his life there as a ski instructor and mountain guide. True to the motto: You have to live your dreams. Matthias Ahrens, a mountain man in the best sense of the word. And then in 2012 he became head coach of the Canadian biathletes, having previously helped develop talent in the coaching team. He knew what he was getting into. Biathlon is about as popular and well-known in Canada as lawn chess is in Siberia. What counts is ice hockey, curling, alpine skiing, freestyle. The Canadians caused surprises in biathlon That never bothered Ahrens. “It’s a challenge to make the best of a lack,” he once told me. I found a friend in him and maybe that's why I freaked out when the Canadians came third in the men's relay at the World Championships in 2016. I was as happy as a child who discovered his favorite toy under the Christmas tree. Happy for Matthias, because I was already aware that this would never be possible again. Under his aegis, Jean-Philippe Leguellec achieved Canada's first World Cup victory in 2012. Nathan Smith followed suit and even won silver at the 2015 World Championships in Kontiolahti. “Now the boys have had enough for a year,” said Ahrens after the bronze medal success with the team in Oslo. In order to win medals, everyone was granted a one-year scholarship. Biathlon in Canada only works through personal initiative A small windfall in an otherwise always empty coffers, because Canada's biathletes are barely supported by their association. A comparison: If the freestyle department receives three million Canadian dollars from the “Own the Podium” program, then the biathletes only lose the equivalent of 200.000 euros. For everyone and everything. Biathlon in Canada only works thanks to the incredible initiative of the athletes. Imagine the following scenario in Italy or Germany: Anyone who wants to do biathlon must first pay $15.000 (around 9000 euros) to the association. The participants in the IBU Cup half and those who want to start at the Junior World Championships in Obertilliach must first signal their interest by paying $4500. You could offset these expenses through sponsorships on the rifle and cap. Very few people succeed. At the moment only Christian Gow and Emma Lunder, the best in the team at the moment.

“It’s really surprising that anyone still wants to do biathlon under these circumstances.” Matthias Ahrens, long-time biathlon trainer in Canada Matthias Ahrens, who now trains the juniors in the province of Alberta, points out to me that everyone he looks after has to shell out an annual training fee of 8000 Canadian dollars, which is why all of his protégés have to take a job and work at least 20 to 30 hours work normally during the week. After all, the travel costs and accommodation are covered by the association, as is now the case before the World Cup in Slovenia. The association also pays two trainers and two ski technicians. However, this is a window dressing, because the athletes have already advanced the majority of the costs with their deposit. The Americans aren't doing any better either “It’s really surprising that anyone still wants to do biathlon under these circumstances,” admits Ahrens. Lunder or the Gow brothers are like 100m runners who only start when the others have already run ten meters. But they should also fight for victory. This is simply not possible or only possible in absolutely exceptional cases. There is a huge imbalance in the biathlon scene. On the one hand, there are professionals from Germany, Italy, Russia, Austria and, in some cases, Switzerland, who are fully insured by the state. On the other hand, there is the group that at the beginning of the winter doesn't know whether there will be a few dollars left in their pocket at the end, especially since there is hardly any prize money. That is also one of the reasons why I always follow with great interest the performance of the Canadians or the Americans, who are no better off. The glory days are over in Canada It all started so great in Canada when Myriam Bedard won the only gold medals available at the Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 1994 (individual competition and sprint). She had previously become World Cup winner in Ruhpolding (1990) and World Champion in Bulgaria (1993). The shine has faded. Now, for all Canadian participants at the upcoming World Cup, it's basically just a matter of attracting a little bit of attention at home with respectable results. A bronze medal, for example, would secure the near future. It's probably a dream. Matthias Ahrens, who made his dream come true, will be watching from afar, from Canmore. A pity. I would have liked to have met him again.

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The Canadian dream

Biathlon is one of the most popular winter sports, especially in Scandinavia and Germany. The situation is different in Canada, for example. In order to be able to take part in the World Cup as a Canadian ski hunter, you have to dig deep into your pockets.

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