When biathlon becomes a lifeline

The Wolf's Gorge. It was always horrible. And extremely exciting. The motto was: Speed is not magic. Up to 80 km/h have already been measured on the rapid, four hundred meter long descent on the track in Oberhof. Completed with cross-country skis and a rifle on my back, it was an adventure of some sort. Yes that was it. Over. It's a thing of the past, because when prominent athletes like Uschi Disl fell here, a new route was created.

The Wolfsschlucht is history. Unfortunately. The Birxsteig, however, still exists. It goes uphill for five hundred meters. The route is lined with fans who frenetically cheer on the participants in several rows, like in cycling or the Tour de France. It is an extreme challenge, but also an experience, as biathletes confirm again and again. They hate it, the Birxsteig, but they also love it, because nowhere else are the spectators closer to it. Normally. This year, of course, the athletes will be left alone there, because the World Cup in Oberhof, which begins next Friday, will also take place without spectators. Now the climbing part becomes twice as hard. Biathlon ensures occupancy in hotels At least there will be no one on the route itself. In the city itself and on the hiking trails on the Rennsteig around the stadium, things may look different, as last Sunday showed, when thousands of cars were parked on sidewalks and fire department access roads. “We were literally overwhelmed,” reports Rita Reinhardt, who owns the “Quisisana” hotel in the middle of town. “However, we don’t have anything from day-trippers,” she says, because dining in restaurants is not permitted.

Numerous fans next to the cross-country ski trail: That won't happen this year. © AFP / TOBIAS SCHWARZ

In contrast, the Biathlon World Cup seems to be a lifeline, even if the usual regulars are missing. Those who ensure that the World Cup works are now staying in their traditional house with a long and sometimes painful history (Oberhof was evacuated in 1950, her great-grandparents' hotel was nationalized and it was only in 1993 that the house was handed back to the community of heirs). The South Tyroleans from the company “Siwidata” from Merano, who take care of the timekeeping, have moved in. There are also doping controllers and employees of the various ski companies. One athlete per room The biathlon entourage ensures a certain level of occupancy, although Rita Reinhardt is only allowed to occupy each room with one guest. This is what the hygiene regulations say. There is no complaining. On the contrary. “We are glad that this event is being held here,” she says, and also sees a positive side effect from the new schedule: “Everyone who now lives with us will stay here for a fortnight.” There are more than two hundred active people, who need to be accommodated, distributed across the many hotels in Oberhof. And trainers or physiotherapists are also entitled to a down blanket.

Only the German team is not providing some economic boost for tourism in these lean times. The entire entourage lives in the barracks on Rennsteig and is also fed there. It has always been that way, especially since this is also the accommodation of the sports support group. It is also extremely practical because you can easily walk from your accommodation to the stadium. And this time even unmolested by many fans, because the hut village with mulled wine stands and the outrageously good Thuringian bratwurst are of course missing these days. And that is one of the biggest losses in these Corona times.

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When biathlon becomes a lifeline

The Biathlon World Cup without spectators and fans is not only a problem for the athletes, but also for the host communities. Our columnist Sigi Heinrich, known as a winter sports commentator on television, gets to the bottom of this.

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