A call into the void: This is how the stadium announcer experienced Antholz 2021

By Luis Mahlknecht

Normally, the trip to the Biathlon World Cup in Antholz was an immersion in a special world, a world of colors, happiness, and a bombastic atmosphere. It's a special world this year too, but much, much different. The hotels at the entrance to the valley decorated with flags are missing, there are no quirky, colorfully dressed fans to be found either, and there are few vehicles on the valley road. The female athletes who usually jog on the cleared snow paths are also missing. Shortly before the biathlon stadium, a Finnish athlete holds onto a wooden pole and does some stretching exercises. The paths in the stadium are new, colored “bubbles” have been formed, and so I (I am in the red bubble) am not allowed to go to the press center (yellow zone). Familiar faces hide behind the obligatory mask, and so some greetings are only very superficial - or completely omitted.

Those were my first impressions the day before yesterday when I prepared to once again provide vocal support and moderation for the biathlon races as a commentator from the so-called “Eagle Nest”. I honestly wondered what it would be like and also mentally prepared myself for the challenge. Then suddenly two people from Val Gardena knocked on the cabin door. It was Lorenz Demetz-Pincan and Thomas Mussner-Zorz who needed something. They were busy making a sculpture above the firing range, which they did expertly. I found this short visit to be a moment of normality that was good for me.

Lorenz Demetz-Pincan and Thomas Mussner-Zorz making the snow sculpture.

Because a lot of things are different too, even spooky. In the evening you sit alone at the table in the restaurant; it is quieter than after a funeral. And there is no draft beer in the house bar either because the landlady avoided ordering drafts because otherwise there would be no tourists. Did Lisa Theresa Hauser already suspect something? On your morning walk across the icy Lake Antholz you don't meet anyone, the restaurants on the opposite bank have to remain closed, and only a fierce dog barks at me behind a glass wall. On the way back - where there were usually hundreds of fans - I only met Lucie Charvatova, the Czech athlete who won bronze in the sprint at the World Championships here last year. A quick greeting – that’s it. Otherwise not a soul on the way.

Before the presentation, I just spend a short time at the parking lot where the athletes arrive. Everyone behaves well with masks, everyone is somehow already in the tunnel. You can only hear a few snippets of words where you could otherwise have a nicer conversation. Federica Sanfilippo passes by with a smile, Selina Gasparin even sends a nice hello, Lisa Theresa Hauser and Dunja Zdouc even pause for a moment and have a casual saying. A good omen already? Did Hauser already sense something? Only Anna Boulygina, who is starting for Korea today, has time for a few sentences before she too disappears into the catacombs.

Nevertheless, we will increase our moderation once it starts. Despite everything, a tingling feeling goes through us. I already know certain situations from various Italian Cup races where there are hardly any spectators. And for the employees in the stadium and on the track, for technicians and trainers and probably also for the athletes themselves, these are nice words from the announcer's booth. My speaker colleague Günther Leitgeb is also of this opinion, and so we both moderate in competition mode, supported by the guys from Soundlights, who chose the right music. We support the historic triumph of Lisa Theresa Hauser , are happy about Marion Deigentesch's great performance and cheer with the little Pole Anna Maka. And I even had a few greetings sent from Lithuania for Gabriele Lescinskaite. It hits home when I think of the smiling face of the slim biathletes at the finish.

The first day is done. It was almost normal in the abnormal situation. Because we should be satisfied that sport can take place at all. We tried to make the best of it. With passion, as always. And yet we hope that there can be a return to normality in 2022.

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A call into the void: This is how the stadium announcer experienced Antholz 2021

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