News: Summer 2007

Coach Jason SKLENAR, BBU President Colin JACKSON, athlete Paul WHIBLEY with Olympic sailing hopefuls from the skandia team GBR

Many Congratulations to Capt Al Heathcote HCR who was third in the BBU Senior Novice Club Points Championship in 2006, and who today stroked the GBR Heavyweight Eight to a Bronze Medal at the World Rowing Championships in Munich. Joining him in the Eight was former President OUBC and now an Army officer Robin BOURNE-TAYLOR.

Beijing 2008 is high on Al's agenda; high on another agenda is the latest hit from fellow HCR Officer James "You're Beautiful" Blunt whose hit single was the official song of the British Champs in 2006, with his latest release "1973". Oh well, it takes all sorts; especially in the HCR!

01 Sep 07 - ARMY NORDIC COLOURS

A "reasonably accurate" list of Army athletes awarded Army Biathlon & Cross Country colours in the past decade has been published on the AWSA web page.  We regret we did not update our own slightly dated Athlete Records last winter but will make every effort to hat least bring the records of those athletes who are selected for the GBR teams in November!

The GBR Selection Policy is normally published in May / June. It is an "open source" document and not restricted to the athletes in the squads. Many of those athletes are already aware that there may be some significant changes to the IBU World & European Cup quotas commencing this winter. GBR (the BBU) is not supporting the changes as originally proposed and we have been having significant discussions with the IBU. We expect a final statement from the IBU within the next week.

We are unable to issue a sensible Selection Policy to cover the forthcoming winter until the outcome of our negotiations is clear. However, there will be little change from previous years in that selection races for the World & European Cup squads will be held, almost certainly in Sweden, in mid November. These races are also open, at their own expense, to any other UK passport holder who believes they may have a chance of selection. It is likely that the total number of athletes selected for the teams will be less than in recent years and it is also likely that the World Championships in 2008 will now count towards 2010 Olympic qualification.

We shall publish more when known!

The Countdown has begun! Just 900 days until the Opening Ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver on 12 February 2010. This will be the second time the Games have gone to Canada following the success and legacy of Calgary 1988.

This time around Biathlon will take place at Whistler BC, where the pre-Olympic World Cup will be held from 05 - 08 March 2009. In the meantime, we have brought back our popular Countdown Clock (top of this page) and will feature periodic news from Vancouver 2010.

27 Aug 07 - WORLD & EUROPEAN CUP PROGRAMME

The provisional race programmes for the 2007 - 2008 World Cup and newly named Open European Cup have been announced. There are expected to be some minor changes, but the venues will not alter - even if there is the odd change of format or date.

Whilst the BBU is always willing to offer advice concerning venues and accommodation we regret that, as always, we can not make ticket, travel or accommodation bookings for our fans.

World Cup 2007 - 08     Open European Cup 2007 - 08

27 Aug 07 - SWEDISH SURPRISES

Östersund was the venue for a weekend of roller ski racing dominated by the USA and Sweden. GBR entered most of our WC and EC athletes and although Lee JACKSON (2 Yorks) was the fastest Senior in the Sprints, he was only just ahead of "new Brit" Marcel LAPONDER (35 Engr Regt) and Steve HILL (3 RHA). The Pursuit was split into an "A" and "B" race with Carl CARRIER (RAF) just coming out on top overall. Pete BEYER (28 Engr Regt) had an excellent Junior Sprint on Saturday, but fell away a bit in the Pursuit on Sunday.

Full results are on the Östersund World Champs page.   More

17 Aug 07 - ADELE WALKS INTO HISTORY

A little bit of history was made at the BBU Board Meeting in Southampton on 6th August when Adele WALKER (29 Regt RLC) was appointed the GBR team Captain and Athlete's Representative on the Board, in succession to Lee JACKSON 2 Yorks (Green Howards) who recently resigned the post.

Adele (pictured at top left of page!), who made her World Cup debut in 2005, is not only the first female athlete to become Team Captain, but also follows in the footsteps of her husband Marc who was Team Captain in 2004 - 06 and is now the European Cup Coach.

17 Aug 07 - ATHLETES SWEAT IT OUT IN SWEDEN

The two squads (World Cup, under Jason SKLENAR and European Cup under Marc WALKER) are about to head for Sweden for some intensive dry training in Östersund followed by some head to head races. Although not official selection races, these will give an indication as to the state of fitness and personal improvement. A little relegation and promotion may not be out of the question!, so all the athletes will be out to impress before they move to Torsby for 10 days in the snow tunnel.

17 Aug 07 - BBU PRESIDENT & ATHLETES VISIT COWES

BBU President Colin JACKSON CBE joined Olympic athletes and potential Olympians during the Skandia Cowes Week. GBR Biathlon was represented by athlete Paul WHIBLEY, Coach Jason SKLENAR and Board Member Jeremy HOPWOOD in a special race for 15 crews on Sat 04 Aug, coming a very creditable 4th. Hopefully we should have some photos soon - but alas not of the the President at sea! Colin admitted

   "that although he was not a sailor Skandia Cowes Week certainly looks like fun. My message to Olympic hopefuls or those who want to push themselves to do well in their sport, is to have fun. If you're not having fun you can't do the hard work and it takes lots of really hard work to compete at a high level".

Good luck to him commentating and coaching and to all the GBR athletes in the World Athletics Championships in Osaka JPN, 25 Aug - 02 Sep.

17 Aug 07 - MARCEL BOOST FOR BRITAIN

It is with great delight that we report that some 4 years after joining the British Army, and seeing operational service, Marcel Laponder (pictured at top right of page!) has been granted British Citizenship. A member of the EC Squad, he is expected to make a major impact in the November selection races. Not bad for someone born in South African who had never seen snow before taking up Biathlon!

28 Jul 07 - IBU VICE PRESIDENT CONVICTED IN MURDER PLOT

You could hardly have dreamed it up - even for "Harry Potter", but IBU Vice President and four-time Russian Olympic biathlon relay gold medallist Alexander Tikhonov (centre) was convicted on Mon 23 Jul of involvement in a murder plot and sentenced to three years in prison. However in a move more reminiscent of a "Walt Disney" story line, he was immediately freed under a general amnesty passed by the lower house of the Russian parliament in 2000 in honour of the 55th Anniversary of victory in World War II.

Whilst his brother has already served a 4 year jail sentence for the same crime Tikhonov who is President of the Russian Biathlon Union, has maintained his innocence. After the hearing in Novosibirsk, Siberia it was reported by Russian agencies:

"He said his first order of business would be to prepare for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Interfax reported. Sochi was also a prominent theme in Tikhonov's final statement to the court on Monday, Gazeta.ru reported.

"For us it's not so much an economic plus as it is a moral and psychological factor," Tikhonov said of Sochi's selection to host the games, Gazeta.ru said. "No one knows, and I will tell you: The Koreans spent more than $300 million for their selection campaign."

Make of it what you will, read some of the 15 pages of comment in Google or click for the full BBC story.

06 Jul 07 - MONEY & POLITICS WIN FOR SOCHI

Sport?   Sochi has never hosted an Alpine ski race (nor Biathlon to our knowledge).

Facilities?   All need to be built (except for Putin's Palace).

Samaranche?    Still the king-maker (discredited at 86?)

More

05 Jul 07 - SOCHI WINS WINTER OLYMPICS

The Russian Black Sea City of Sochi has been elected by the IOC to host the XXII Olympic Winter Games from 07 - 21 Feb 2014 followed by the Paralympic Games.

Salzburg AUT was eliminated in the first round before Sochi beat off Pyeongchang KOR (host of the 2009 Biathlon World Championships) by 4 votes. Sochi will become the first Russian venue of the Olympic Winter Games.
 

Voting Round 1		Pyeongchang	36
		Sochi	34
		Salzburg	25
Voting Round 2		Sochi	51
		Pyeongchang	47

More

05 Jul 07 - SUMMER SQUAD LISTS

Revised names and details concerning training locations; course dates; BOA "Generation 2014" are all now on the Athletes' Page. Regrettably a number of athletes have withdrawn, or retired, since original publication on 25 Mar. We are delighted to confirm that Anna BARKER has NOT withdrawn from the squad. Sorry Anna!

30 May 07 - NDS Course 2

The 2nd successful NDS Course at East Grange Biathlon Centre was visited by the BBU Performance Director & Office Staff on 22 May.

Congratulations to BBU Chairman David CRANSTON CBE upon his unopposed election to the Executive Committee of the British Olympic Association (BOA). He will represents all winter sports - not just Biathlon, and although GBR Biathlon may be some way off an International podium, at least with Mark GOODSON being on the IBU Information Committee and now David, our voice is being heard!

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