Sigi's tips | Loneliness in winter sports

SportNews columnist Sigi Heinrich.

Recently, not so long ago, my friends once again pointed out to me that I should please activate all of my small and medium-sized connections. People would like to set up shop in Antholz again, it was whispered in my ear. So be present when the biathlon elite meet there next year. As always, I said: I will work incredibly hard to fulfill these heartfelt desires. Because I know: you all love Antholz and would love to jump back in time to 2026, when the Olympic biathlon competitions will be held there.

But at first almost nothing works. Because Corona and yellow zones and stuff. With a heavy heart, OC boss Lorenz Leitgeb announced that the competitions would take place. Unfortunately without spectators. After this statement, General Secretary Erika Pallhuber probably had to hand him a tissue to dry his tears. Or two.

In Antholz the stands will remain empty this year. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

Yawning emptiness in what is probably the most beautiful biathlon stadium in the world with the wonderful view out of the valley to Kronplatz, the dominant mountain in the Pustertal. By the way, a women's giant slalom will be held there for the third time in January 2021. Here too, the traditional races without fans, as before in Val Gardena and Alta Badia. Like in Sölden at the start of the season. Like everywhere and like in all winter sports disciplines and World Cup sports. And there is no calming of the situation in sight. Quite the opposite. The number of infections is currently increasing everywhere. The bubble intended for the athletes will have to be even tighter and smaller than already planned. No adrenaline for momentum The protagonists have long since come to terms with this. The motto is: The main thing is that events take place at all. It's about survival, but it still takes some getting used to. Where fans normally stand in several rows along the route in biathlon and frenetically cheer on their favorites, only a few branches hang limply from the trees.

Nothing going on even in the stadiums, where every goal is usually cheered frenetically, which has already thrown many players out of rhythm. Especially when you miss, when a long, drawn-out “Ohhhh” of regret painfully fills your ears. The slalom riders only see a few gate judges, if they notice them at all. But the usual level of noise, which also gets the adrenaline going, is replaced by almost paralyzing silence.

<a data-caption="Auch an so etwas müssen sich die Athleten gewöhnen: Improvisierte Pressekonferenzen in der Tiefgarage eines Hotels, wie hier in Sölden. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER" data-fancybox="inline-69976" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2020/11/auch-an-so-etwas-muessen-sich-die-athleten-gewoehnen-improvisierte-pressekonferenzen-in-der-tiefgarage-eines-hotels-wie-hier-in-soelden.jpg"><img alt="The athletes also have to get used to something like this: improvised press conferences in the underground car park of a hotel, like here in Sölden. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER" class="uk-img-preserve" src="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x850/img/2020/11/auch-an-so-etwas-muessen-sich-die-athleten-gewoehnen-improvisierte-pressekonferenzen-in-der-tiefgarage-eines-hotels-wie-hier-in-soelden.jpg"> The athletes also have to get used to something like this: improvised press conferences in the underground car park of a hotel, like here in Sölden. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

This won't affect the downhill riders that much. You have enough to do jumping over the camel humps in Val Gardena and mastering the nasty little humps in the Ciaslat meadow. Or to keep your balance in Wengen am Hundsschopf as well as in Kitzbühel, when the mousetrap makes it clear right at the start that a completely extraordinary race has now begun. Also a kind of survival, by the way, as many a skier has openly admitted. The only thing everyone will miss is the cheers in the finish area that everyone who has mastered the “Streif” will hear. Speaking of flying. The ski jumpers, the eagles of the air, initially land in an empty nest. First. Hope as a companion What they all have in common is that they hope that the pandemic will subside and that the restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Because next year will also be marked by several world championships. Oberstdorf (Nordic skiing), Cortina d`Ampezzo (Alpine skiing), Pokljuka (biathlon). Current status: It would be a financial fiasco for all organizers if no spectators were allowed.

Of course, the sword of Damocles is freshly sharpened and hovers over everyone. But in the end there is only one maxim that comes first: Get through the winter healthy. And perhaps it's a good thing that the parallel races in Lech (Tyrol) on November 13th and 14th were postponed by two weeks. Not because of Corona, by the way. Because of lack of snow. Nature has also already become infected.

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Sigi's tips | Loneliness in winter sports

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