Biathlon World Championships in Antholz: relays (22-02-2020)

Clicca qui per la versione italiana At the Innichen station you can mainly see German fans (and this is no news), but also Norwegian and Swedish ones. The train is not so full, you can also choose the seat, it will fill up a bit in the following stations. I arrive at the Olang station at 9.44 am: the first race is at 11.45 am, so I think I will get to the Biathlon Centre well in advance. I am wrong.

The queue for the shuttle begins: we are lined up between the tracks and the station, with no way out. I wonder what would happen if someone felt bad. The German next to me fears for coronavirus (I don't know how seriously). After about an hour we turn the corner and arrive on the square, with the buses in sight. Here the lines break and a wild assault, which you wouldn't expect at these latitudes, takes place. After 3-4 attempts I can step in and even sit down. But it's not over here, the shuttle takes you to Antholz-Mitte, and there you have to make 400 meters and get to the car park, where you take another shuttle. In 2007 (previous World Cup in Antholz) it was much simpler: you parked in Olang and only took one shuttle. This time at least the queue is short and ordered.

The shuttle arrives at 11.35, but at a point from which you cannot even see the entrance to the center. The climb to get there seems to never end: I hear from the speaker that the race is starting when I am entering through the gates (at least there is no queue). My grandstand is also the last one at the end, it is difficult to get to the top of the staircase, but there you really have to stop. How long have I not seen any race in such an uncomfortable position? I believe for at least 40 years. Every now and then someone makes his way and tries to go up, it is not clear to go where: I always fear of falling.

Meanwhile, we have reached the first shooting range: Vittozzi arrives in the lead and starts again even more in the lead. Here, however, we must always remember that if you hear a roar from the public, it does not mean that Italy has hit the target, but that Germany has: the Germans present may be 10 times the Italians. The advantage of the Italians, first with Vittozzi, then with Wierer continues to increase: it reaches even a minute, Doro has already left the stadium when the others arrive at the shooting range. With the third fraction, we knewthat the difficult would begin, but Sanfilippo manages to maintain a good advantage until before he fourth shooting. There the disaster occurs: 4 errors + 1 in the reloads and 2 penalty rounds. She closes fifth, then also in fourth leg Michela Carrara will have a penalty lap and we will close tenth. The public heats up for Germany, which after 19th place after the first leg, at some point seems able to win: it will come second, behind Norway.

At the end, I see that many remain in their places, but I can't, I need to sit down. I try to enter the indoor area, where there is music: there are many places that seem free, but are kept occupied. I understand that a single person, with no one to occupy his seat, has very little chance of sitting down. I go outside, where there is another block of tables and there I find a free place. The queue to get food seems long, but it takes about ten minutes.

I get back to the stands: this time in the upper ones there are a few free places, I feared worse. The only problem is the presence, before me, of a spectator, presumably Bavarian, with a somewhat bulky hat (see below). Fortunately there are other places besides. We start, and already from the second leg France and Germany make a gap: they arrive at the shootings together and have very similar results. At the first shooting of the fourth leg, the German arrives with a good advantage, but blows it with 3 errors. At the second shooting range he makes the disaster: penalty lap and Norway also passes him. Disappointment of the majority of the public and joy of my neighbours, German-speaking South Tyroleans girls, but who do not seem to love the Germans. Italy starts third, then drops to 11th place because of the third leg runner, very slow on skis, and closes seventh. 27 start and 17 arrive, as the lapped are stopped, one (the Chinese) just after the last shooting.

After the arrival there is the "flower ceremony", because the medal ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. in the Medal Plaza. By now everyone must have a Medal Plaza: I am tempted to curse the Turin 2006 organizerswho invented it. I think it is a good idea for events taking place in different places, such as an Olympiad, not in those with a single venue, like this one.

On the way back, queue for the shuttle, whose end we will not for a long time. There is the path to do it on foot (4 km) and for a moment I am tempted: I will see that many do it. The queue lasts about 50 minutes, luckily the one for the other shuttle is short.

Tomorrow the races start at 12.30, and this time we hope that it is enough to arrive at 9.44 in Olang ...