How was the weekend?? Sunny Norway is saluting you! :)
This post today is to celebrate and say goodbye to a great French biathlon ski athlete who retired this season (Click on pics to enlarge):
Raphaël Poirée!!
I think that Biathlon is a really exciting sport: it combines cross-country skiing
and rifle shooting (lying on the ground then standing, once or twice, according to the race).
So you need to ski fast, but keep the right pace in order to keep your body quiet enough while shooting 5 targets in a row with precision.
When you miss a target, you either get a penalty tour of 150m (which delays you for around 20-30 seconds) or 1 minute penalty added to your performance, again, depending on the race. So pressure is on to get all the targets right!!
So, at the age of 32, Raphaël decided to leave the competition world to become more of a family man, on the side of his wife Liv Grete Poirée, a retired Norwegian biathlon champion, and their two daughters. They live now both in France and in Norway, not too far from my town. They really seem to be a great couple, I must say!
Anyway, many people were in disbelief when he announced his retirement. Not that he might actually come back for next season (he is a man of his word), but because he really was at the top of his form and performances. During the last races, all the way to the shooting site or to the finish line, supporters from all countries and staff from other teams were rooting for him. He made his way up on the podiums several times in a row, achieving his career with a total of 103 podiums.
His biggest opponent, Norwegian several times world champion Ole Einar Bjørndalen said that he was going to miss him a lot. They used to train together and enjoyed competing againts each other during so many years. Now, Bjørndalen has to find another “enemy brother” and all eyes are turning towards German champion Michael Greis who did quite well this season in the Biathlon World Cup.
Thanks again, Rapha!!A little bye bye to Florence Baverel-Robert, from the French women team; she also is retiring. She is a heck of a shooter and had many victories this season.
Norwegian women team lost as well a great athlete: Linda Grubben, who quit before the end of the season. She was no longer motivated for the hard work this life implies and was ready for other challenges. After she left, we could see she was making the difference. Big time!!! But what can ya do? She can no more… She can no more!!
All that was very European so far. Where are the American biathlon athletes?
When I really started to get interested in biathlon, that is, last year with the Torino Winter Olympic Games, this is the question I had in my mind. I was wondering if only flashy speedy sports were interesting the American athletes. In alpine ski (supert G, downhill, slalom, etc.), you have plenty of them, but were there any in the biathlon skiing?
Then, I noticed two names among a few others: Tim Burke and Jay Hakkinen… in the top 60. OK… Low 60!! :lol:
But they apparently changed coach and the results are now amazing! From the top 60, they now regularly make it to the top 20 and Tim Burke often finishes in the top 10! They are quite fast, especially Burke, but they need to be more efficient in the shooting areas and learn to deal with the extra pressure that comes with high levels competitions. But hey, as long as French guys win, I’m cool with US athletes getting better!!! :D
Anyway, if nothing else, support your athletes and watch Biathlon next season!! More info about biathlon at: http://www.biathlonworld.com/eng/
Now, have a great Monday… It does not have to suck! :D
LUV & HUGS!!
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