News: Summer 2009

04 Nov 09 - BOA FOCUSSED ON VANCOUVER

BBC report:

British Olympic Association boss Andy Hunt says preparations for the London 2012 event must not overshadow the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Speaking 100 days before the start of the Games, Hunt said he hoped more than 45 Team GB athletes would be competing.

"There's no way that I want winter athletes to ever feel like second-class citizens," said Hunt.

"They are absolutely fundamental to the Olympic movement, both in Britain and around the world."

Hunt highlighted that funding given to GB teams and individuals in winter sports is roughly 1.5% of that available to the summer sports, which will receive around £235m between 2008 and 2012.

"Many of our athletes clearly have to train abroad for much of the time," he said.

"This challenges the sports and athletes to be ingenious, entrepreneurial and frugal to make the most of limited resources.

"Most winter athletes also rely on significant support from their families and friends, without whom their journeys to achieve their ultimate goal would have ceased a long time ago."

With Winter Olympics beginning on 12 February, many of Great Britain's Olympic hopefuls are currently engaged in events that will secure qualification for Vancouver.

Team GB has secured places for the men's and women's curling teams and a men's biathlon place and five places for figure skaters - a ladies single place, a pairs spot and also an ice dance qualification.

The pairs place is almost certain to go to Sinead and John Kerr, who took bronze in the European Figure Skating Championships last January.

World bobsleigh champions Nicola Minichiello and Gillian Cooke have still to confirm their places, as must skeleton competitors Kristan Bromley, Shelley Rudman, Amy Williams and Adam Pengilly, all of whom are potential Olympic medallists.

The Wessex & British National Roller Ski Sprints were held at Castle Coombe on Sun 25 Oct. A number of familiar GBR biathlon names of yore took part including Bob ANDERSON, Carl CARRIER, Shane CLASH, Fay POTTON, Kevin SOLLY and Marty WATKINS.

Results

GBR Team Coach Walter PICHLER today celebrates his 50th Birthday. From all in the BBU and especially his athletes in Ruhpolding we say Happy Birthday and thanks for all your work in the past 18 months. The first 50 years are OK, but the best is yet to come for both Walter and GBR Biathlon!

Prost!

World Cup athlete and Olympic hopeful Adele WALKER is the subject of a news feature on the IBU's "Biathlon World" website this week. This story can also be accessed direct from the IBU news page.

13 Oct 09 - BOA MOVES & PAST CHAIRMAN HONOURED

The British Olympic Association moved offices this week to a new HQ shared with Paralympics GB at 60 Charlotte Street, London W1. This is near the Telecom Tower and at just 10 minutes walk from Oxford Circus should be a little easier to visit than the rather quaint old fashioned offices in Wandsworth! We wish all our BOA colleagues well in their new modern environment.

Meanwhile last week was also of great significance for British Olympic sport when former BOA Chairman and current Executive Board member Sir Craig Reedie was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The BBU warmly congratulates him on becoming the first Briton to be elected on to the IOC's Executive Board since 1961, when Olympic hurdler Lord Burghley was the last Briton to hold a seat.

All the male and female athletes were in pursuit of the Germans who won both Pursuit Races in the World Summer Champs in Oberhof today, with their men recording a 1-2-3-4 finish. Kevin KANE and Adele WALKER both deserve much credit for not being lapped, and both recorded a rare British finish in the Pursuit. These two confirmed their training form as being the top two athletes of the summer.

After a few days rest all the athletes (except Lee JACKSON who is in Sweden) start training again in Ruhpolding, at the end of the week. This final phase of summer training includes visits to the Dachstein Glacier before on-snow training commences in Östersund SWE in early November.

Results:     Men Sprint      Women Sprint      Mixed Relay      Men Pursuit     Women Pursuit

It is not often that we can report a "Top Half of the Field" result but today at the World Summer Champs in Oberhof GER Kevin KANE (0-2) did just that.

A great 32nd finish place out of 77 ensures he starts alongside Pete BEYER (3-3) who was 56th in the Pursuit tomorrow. The other GBR athletes, including International debutant Paul BIRMINGHAM (1-1) in 66th, just miss out on an automatic start place. With a smaller field, all 5 GBR women can definitely start in the Pursuit.

Results:     Men Sprint      Women Sprint      Mixed Relay  

The BBU / BOA Athlete of the Year for 2009 is Lee JACKSON.

Lee JACKSON, who is the current GBR #1 and former Team Captain and is a Lance Corporal in 2 YORKS (Green Howards), follows in the footsteps of Adele WALKER (2008), Kevin KANE (2007) and Tom CLEMENS (2006) as the winner of of this prestigious award. 

All BOA "2009 Athletes of the Year" are invited to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards in Sheffield on Sun 13 Dec but Lee should be competing in the Hochfilzen WC 2 that day in a bid to cement his Olympic selection. After his best ever season in 2008 - 09 when he recorded six Olympic Qualifiers, Lee fully deserves his award; Congratulations!

The GBR team for the World Summer Champs in Oberhof GER (23 - 26 Sep 09) is:

The 2009 - 10 GBR Selection Policy (for National Selection races, World Cup & IBU Cup) has been finalised.

Click for Full Policy  

The BBU & BOA and BBU have finally agreed and signed the protocols for Olympic selection and any Appeals.

GBR only has one female Start Place for the OWG but only on re-allocation from a "Top 28" Nation. (This reallocation may not be known until as late as 23 Jan 10). The GBR women have until the WC 3 Sprint on 19 Dec 09 to qualify for the OWG Vancouver 2010. If there is then an Appeal which can not be resolved, the WC 4 Sprint on 08 Jan 10 will be used as a "final race-off", with no further Appeals permitted.

As a "Top 27 Nation" GBR men have one Start Place for the OWG. The GBR men have until the WC 5 Sprint on 14 Jan 10 to qualify. If there is then an Appeal which can not be resolved, the combined best results of the WC 6 Indiv on 21 Jan 10 & the Sprint on 23 Jan 10 will be used as the final "race-off", with no further Appeal permitted.

The BBU then nominate their choice to the BOA who will announce their OWG Biathlon selection for Team GB on or before 24 Jan 10.

Documents: BBU Olympic Selection & Appeals Policy     BOA / BBU Vancouver OWG Agreement

A former GBR Biathlon Team Coach and Cross Country Junior Coach Jon Arne Enevoldsen will shortly be returning to Europe from Canada. If any team, or individual is interested in his services please Email him direct.

The BBU is delighted to announce the appointment of Major Hannah HEWINS as the new Army Biathlon Team Manager. As most of the GBR Biathlon team and NDS are members of the Army this will have obvious benefits for the GBR athletes! Hannah is a Regular Officer in the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) but will shortly be transferring to the Territorial Army (TA). She will be taking up her new appointment towards the end of 2009 and we look forward to welcoming her to the British "biathlon family".

The Rule changes agreed at the 8th Regular IBU Congress in Prague 2008 have now been incorporated in a new look IBU Rule Book, which replaces the previous IBU "Handbook". The main changes to previous editions is that the Rules are now fully WADA Code 2009 compliant and that the anti doping disciplinary rules are now clearly laid out in Section 5 - as is clearly stated in Rule 3.3.

All IBU Rules and Annexes etc can be downloaded from http://www.biathlonworld2.de/en/download-federation.html . Keen statisticians will note that the Nations Cup Points for a relay have been omitted from Rule 15.8.2.2. We believe that this is an oversight and have asked for confirmation!

For latest from Sochi - Click here.

The 30 Jun 2005 BBU Anti Doping Rules which were effectively the "Model Anti Doping Rules of UK Sport" have been updated and slightly amended. For ease of future amendment and reference to all UK sports, the words "BBU" and / or "British Biathlon Union" have been replaced with reference to "NGB" and  / or "National Governing Body". The new UK Rules come into effect for the BBU on 30 Jun 2009.

Click here for UK Anti Doping Rules 2009 

Click here for all Medical and Doping Updates.

As always, we emphasise the fact that "ignorance is not an excuse". It is a personal matter for all athletes & support staff, whether they are an Olympian or a novice to be aware of the current banned list and the issues of drug, doping, blood and gene testing. National Squad athletes who are unclear should arrange through their coaches to discuss issues with the OMI. Regimental & Club athletes should contact their RMO / GP in the first instance. But remember - many GPs and Military Doctors are not experts on WADA. As ever, the onus is on the athlete and the punishments for failing a test are severe - especially for serving military athletes. IGNORANCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE!

28 Jun 09 - NDS GRADUATES TO BIATHLON ACADEMY

Having successfully completed NDS, the following students have graduated to the Biathlon Academy which assembles on 07 July. Students who could not attend NDS due to military commitments and are now available, and believe they "can catch up" should contact Gordon Seaton or Jason Sklenar ASAP. Please do not call the BBU office!

The National Squad assembled last week in Ruhpolding GER at the start of their second summer training under Head Coach Walter PICHLER; this year he is assisted by Marc WALKER. Jason SKLENAR will be working in the UK on a number of projects including Advanced NDS training at East Grange BC. The Squad is:

 

Bdr Simon ALLANSON	40 Regt RA
LCpl Pete BEYER	28 Engr Regt
Cpl Paul BIRMINGHAM	1 RTR
LBdr Rob CHUDLEY	3 RHA
LBdr Steve HILL	3 RHA
LCpl Lee JACKSON	2 YORKS (Green Howards)
Bdr Kevin KANE	40 Regt RA
LCpl Marcel LAPONDER	35 Engr Regt
LCpl Ben WOOLLEY	17 P&M Regt RLC
Gnr Ryan SOLON (to attend NDS in May / Jun)	1 RHA
Gnr CRAIG DRIFFILL (deferred for this summer due to Mil duties)	3 RHA
Sgt Emma FOWLER	1 LSR RLC
LCpl Amanda LIGHTFOOT	AGC
Capt Alanda SCOTT	28 Engr Regt
Olwen THORN	Huntly NSC
Sgt Adele WALKER	29 Regt RLC

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