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#1
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Classic biathlon
The International Biathlon Union (IBU), which is the international
governing body for the sport of biathlon, has moved away from classic skiing entirely. For the better part of a decade, biathlon has been ahead of cross-country skiing in keeping its competitions as close to what spectators demand as possible. This meant creating an environment that is fast-paced and exciting. Classic skiing did not meet the cut. You will notice that over the past five years, the individual race (20-kilometer with one-minute penalties added on post-finish) has nearly disappeared. This race, which takes around 50 minutes for an elite biathlon to complete, was the main spectacle of biathlon for some twenty years. Now it has all but disappeared, due to both athlete and spectator feedback. I doubt that you will ever see the classic technique return to biathlon. First, there is the deal with the rifle barrel hitting the athletes in the back of the head. Second, in the standing position, the kick wax or klister sticks to the shooting mats. If you take away the shooting mats, then the skis are on snow for some thirty seconds, and could easily ice-up. While many biathletes continue to train in the classic techinque, mostly for recovery work, there are few elite biathletes that really race outside of skating. I have not heard of any talk to return the classic technique to the sport. There have been discussions about creating a new format that includes co-ed relays, but otherwise I think that the biathlon world in general is satisifed with the formats as they stand. Remember that the mass start race will make its debut at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games... Brian Olsen Editor, www.frozenbullet.com |
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#2
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Classic biathlon
Brian Olsen wrote:
While many biathletes continue to train in the classic techinque, mostly for recovery work, there are few elite biathletes that really race outside of skating. Brian Olsen Editor, www.frozenbullet.com Just an anectdote: Arriving at only my second classic race (Maplelag --- March) after a long morning drive, I saw some members of the MN Biathlon team prepping their skis. Being ignorant about the lack of classic in Biathlon at the time, I asked and faithfully used what they had recommended for klister wax. After testing, I saw they were also rubbing hard wax on top of the klister (icy tracks in places), so I followed that plan as well. Before leaving town, I had prepped the Atomics with toko base (for hard wax) and Madshus with Klister base. I liked the kick I was getting from the atomics (they were simply fit better --- nothing against the madshus per se, they glide like skate skis). Anyway, I had wonderful kick for the first half and I owe it all to the help the biathletes gave me. These guys knew what they were doing! The skis were great in the woods, on the lake and on the glide. More than half way into the race, the icy tracks eventually did a number on my kick zone, so that I could no longer climb hills, those who had bad starts were passing me in ones and twos, but a fun race all the same. |
#3
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Classic biathlon
I competed in biathlon at the time skating was first used. I do not
remember any problem with the rifle barrel hitting me in the back of the head in classic technique, and yes, it was carried barrel up. Biathlon rifles have a flip down flap that covers the end of the barrel and front sight to keep snow out. I can't imagine skiing with the barrel hanging down. Biathletes adopted skating immediately when it first came out because it was faster and the idea of a race is to go as fast as possible. Within a couple of years tracks were no longer set because no one was using them. Cross country skiing had more traditionalists who did everything possible to block the new skating technique. They constructed obstacles on the course to block skating and they passed all kinds of rules to "ban the skate". Eventually they had to accept that skating was here to stay, so they created two race categories. The reason there is no classic technique in biathlon is probably that it never occurred to anyone that skiers should not be able to ski whatever way they could get around the course the fastest. As much as I like classic skiing, it is an artificial creation of cross country skiing designed to preserve things "the way they used to be." Scott Elliot http://www3.telus.net/selliot/ "Brian Olsen" wrote in message m... The International Biathlon Union (IBU), which is the international governing body for the sport of biathlon, has moved away from classic skiing entirely. For the better part of a decade, biathlon has been ahead of cross-country skiing in keeping its competitions as close to what spectators demand as possible. This meant creating an environment that is fast-paced and exciting. Classic skiing did not meet the cut. You will notice that over the past five years, the individual race (20-kilometer with one-minute penalties added on post-finish) has nearly disappeared. This race, which takes around 50 minutes for an elite biathlon to complete, was the main spectacle of biathlon for some twenty years. Now it has all but disappeared, due to both athlete and spectator feedback. I doubt that you will ever see the classic technique return to biathlon. First, there is the deal with the rifle barrel hitting the athletes in the back of the head. Second, in the standing position, the kick wax or klister sticks to the shooting mats. If you take away the shooting mats, then the skis are on snow for some thirty seconds, and could easily ice-up. While many biathletes continue to train in the classic techinque, mostly for recovery work, there are few elite biathletes that really race outside of skating. I have not heard of any talk to return the classic technique to the sport. There have been discussions about creating a new format that includes co-ed relays, but otherwise I think that the biathlon world in general is satisifed with the formats as they stand. Remember that the mass start race will make its debut at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games... Brian Olsen Editor, www.frozenbullet.com |
#4
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Classic biathlon
Scott Elliot wrote:
The reason there is no classic technique in biathlon is probably that it never occurred to anyone that skiers should not be able to ski whatever way they could get around the course the fastest. As much as I like classic skiing, it is an artificial creation of cross country skiing designed to preserve things "the way they used to be." Ouch! 'Artificial creation' indeed! Classic skiing is the only possible way of skiing, when you're simply skiing to get from point A to point B in the backcountry, i.e. when breaking trail. Skating OTOH (except on crust/ice), is clearly artificial, it came about because we started to use Pistenbully's and similar heavy/wide gear to set the xc tracks. As a side-effect, this left a track that was wide enough as to make skating possible. Terje PS. I'm not advocating that biathlon should revert to classic, far from it, but please remember how/where/when skiing started: As the only efficient way to move about in deep snow. -- - "almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching" |
#5
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Classic biathlon
"Scott Elliot" wrote in message news:o9Wub.62698$1K.62215@edtnps84...
Cross country skiing had more traditionalists who did everything possible to block the new skating technique. They constructed obstacles on the course to block skating and they passed all kinds of rules to "ban the skate". Eventually they had to accept that skating was here to stay, so they created two race categories. It may just a memory block, but I cannot remember anything about any obstacles on the courses - unless you consider the parallel tracks obstacles in themselves:-( - and the only rule that I can recall was_ "No skating allowed on the finish straight" - and, yes, after Gunde showed up with that monster pole of his: "Skiers must have two poles":-) There *was* a strong body of opinion which wanted skating to be banned, but it only resulted in the creation of the "classic" category - but until then, once skiers had begun to skate, there were no limits, IIRC (and please correct me, if I´m wrong...). The reason there is no classic technique in biathlon is probably that it never occurred to anyone that skiers should not be able to ski whatever way they could get around the course the fastest. As much as I like classic skiing, it is an artificial creation of cross country skiing designed to preserve things "the way they used to be." Just like Greco-Roman wrestling is an artificial creation, and freestyle is more of the real thing:-) BTW the same rationale - with which I wholly agree - applies also to the burning question why the combined guys no longer do classic. Anders |
#6
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Classic biathlon
"Terje Mathisen" wrote in message
... Ouch! 'Artificial creation' indeed! If we want to get into a creation vs. evolution argument, skating is a natural evolution of technique adapting to the unnatural evolution of course grooming equipment and techniques. The "Gods" of FIS then created "Classic" as a separate technique to preserve the skills that were necessary to ski the old trails. Of course these skills are still necessary to ski where modern grooming is not used. Many of us prefer the classic techniques, even where skating is possible. As for obstacles to encourage classic technique, ridges were built along the course to make the trail too narrow for skating. We are still playing that game. At a recent FIS TD seminar we were encouraged to put V boards along the inside of curves to make the space between the set tracks and the edge of the course too narrow for skating. Scott |
#7
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Classic biathlon
The "artificial" issue may deserve a separate thread.
I often think about how artificial cross country ski is. (Cross country skiing meaning racing.) The sport has evolved to such a technical level that to me it seems "created". Hard to explain what I mean, but maybe it is something like the evolution of family dinner. It used to be a quiet time when attention to family and eating was the purpose. Now family dinner, I understand, is typified by eating in shifts, maybe standing, with TV on. It's dinner, it's family, but it isn't what it used to be. XC skiing seems to be contingent upon perfect conditions, amazing efforts to eke out speed from skis, carbon this, and fluoro that. I'm not a Luddite (well maybe I am), as I do like most everything that came to the sport since the late '70's, but it seems to have become "artificial." I still love it, but there's an irony that the sport has moved from an outdoor pursuit to a pursuit outdoors relying on technical wizardry. Another example is rock climbing evolving to sport climbing, where there are only some references to the original activity. Gotta go roller ski. BTW- I've read about electric roller skis. What could they be? Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY "Scott Elliot" wrote in message news:1p5vb.66894$1K.31865@edtnps84... "Terje Mathisen" wrote in message ... Ouch! 'Artificial creation' indeed! If we want to get into a creation vs. evolution argument, skating is a natural evolution of technique adapting to the unnatural evolution of course grooming equipment and techniques. The "Gods" of FIS then created "Classic" as a separate technique to preserve the skills that were necessary to ski the old trails. Of course these skills are still necessary to ski where modern grooming is not used. Many of us prefer the classic techniques, even where skating is possible. As for obstacles to encourage classic technique, ridges were built along the course to make the trail too narrow for skating. We are still playing that game. At a recent FIS TD seminar we were encouraged to put V boards along the inside of curves to make the space between the set tracks and the edge of the course too narrow for skating. Scott |
#8
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Classic biathlon
As for obstacles to encourage classic technique, ridges were built along the
course to make the trail too narrow for skating. We are still playing that game. At a recent FIS TD seminar we were encouraged to put V boards along the inside of curves to make the space between the set tracks and the edge of the course too narrow for skating. You mean you can't skate around corners anymore in a classic race? bt |
#9
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Classic biathlon
"sknyski" wrote in message
om... As for obstacles to encourage classic technique, ridges were built along the course to make the trail too narrow for skating. We are still playing that game. At a recent FIS TD seminar we were encouraged to put V boards along the inside of curves to make the space between the set tracks and the edge of the course too narrow for skating. You mean you can't skate around corners anymore in a classic race? bt Old Rule "Classical technique includes the diagonal techniques, the double poling techniques, herringbone techniques without a gliding phase, downhill techniques and turning techniques. Single or double-skating is not allowed. Turning techniques comprise steps and pushes in order to change direction." New Rule Same as above plus - "Where there is a set track, turning techniques with pushing are NOT allowed. This will also apply to competitors skiing outside the set track." Prior to the rule change you could effectively get out of the track on a curve and do one sided skate as long as the skating ski moved into a line that was tangential to the curve with each stride. It was common in races to see competitors get into the space between the set track and the edge of the trail and do a series of step turns with push (looks like a one sided skate to me). From an officials standpoint this leads to a couple of considerations in setting the course. Do not set track on sharp downhill curves where step turn with push would be the appropriate turning technique. This means raise the tracks just before the curve starts and do not start them again until far enough past the curve to allow the skiers to recover and align themselves with the tracks. On curves where tracks are set it was suggested that an obstacle such as V boards be placed a short distance to the inside of the set tracks. This removes the temptation to try to do a step turn with push. If will be very difficult for officials to determine whether or not there is a "push" in a step turn. My understanding of physics is that to turn an object that is moving in a straight line requires the application of a force from one side. Physically, how could you turn if you did not push at all? The easiest solution is to avoid situations where you have to make the call. Another questionable situation would occur where tracks were set but skiers doing snow plough turns have partially or completely wiped them out. A skier in the early stages of a race might get called for skating where a skier in the later part of the competition could get away with it. Scott |
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