News & Home

World Cup 07 - 08

 Euro Cup 07 - 08

 British Champs 2008

*New* Athlete Profiles

Athlete Records

Team Gallery

Medical & Doping

Sponsors

*New* AGM 2008

News Season 07-08

Archive News

East Grange BC

IBU

Other Links

The BBU Board

Behind the BBU

About Us & How to Start

Contact Us

FAST NEWS !!!

17th April - NDS Courses @ EGBC
---------------
23rd April - Nordic Symposium
---------------
9th June - London to Nice Cycle
Ride for Charity, to make donations please follow link here

Want to Advertise Here?
Contact Us

Web Design by

This site is updated frequently during the winter season, and periodically from April - November!

 The BBU is proud to be Sponsored by

This is for all you facebook addicts! We have made an Official British Biathlon Facebook Group for you to all upload all your own Biathlon photo's & videos. You can post virtually anything on the discussion board; about how you think we should be getting more sponsorship or have any fund raising ideas etc.

Click here for the link to the group    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8001841717

The first Army Nordic Symposium will be held at Keogh Barracks, Aldershot on Wed 23 Apr 08. It is open to a wide audience, so please check out:

Admin Instruction   Draft Agenda

Most of the athletes have moved to Les Saisies FRA for a "wind-down" and ski technique fortnight under the watchful eye of new Head Coach Walter PICHLER GER.

Walter takes up his appointment on 28 Apr when the Senior Men & Women Squads assemble in Ruhpolding GER. In Les Saisies (scene of Mike DIXON's 12th place in the 1992 Olympic 20 km Individual) he was joined by assistant coaches Jason SKLENAR and Marc WALKER and Stuart LAING of the Olympic Medical Institute. The snow and weather has been good so far; perhaps this is an omen for better things to come, as we can not pretend that GBR has advanced this season.

There have been some highlights: a fantastic start to the season by Lee JACKSON; overall improvement by Adele WALKER and Kevin KANE; a determined return from illness by Simon ALLANSON; the emergence of a new talent in Alanda SCOTT, and the first ever GBR women's relay team. But, a number of athletes have "stood still", whilst some of the new talent has not shown the hoped for improvement. The final Nations Cup points show a demotion for both the Men and the Women.

Nations Cup:   Men   Women

The World famous Holmenkollen Stadium in Oslo will be closed for the next 18 months whilst it is reconstructed, including having a staggering EUR 120 million spent on the Ski Jump! Fantastic sunny weather, which was a complete contrast to that of just 4 days previously, marked the final WC races of the season. And what races!  Kati WILHEM GER recorded a flawless 0-0-0-0 to win the Mass Start by a minute but in the men's event it took a photo finish to confirm the first ever WC victory of Michal Slesingr CZE.

The GBR athletes ended the season with mixed results, Adele WALKER (1-2) continued her recent progress to claim (on percentages) the #1 GBR women's slot. Lee JACKSON (2-3) failed to live up to his dynamic start to the season and finished the Sprint in a dismal 91st spot. GBR Results:

Sprint:   Men     Women  

World Cup IBU Points:   Men   Women

Full IBU Stories and overall World Cup places

"Britain's Biathlon Doomsday" was the verdict of EC Coach Marc Walker when illness, injury and a broken stock all contributed to a rather sad Sprint to close the Men's EC season in San Sicario ITA (races having been switched from Valromey FRA). Adele SCOTT scored another WC qualifier but generally the athletes were pleased the season was over! Results:

Sprint:   Men   Junior Men   Women   Junior Women

Pursuit:   Men   Junior Men  Women   Junior Women

European Cup Points:   Men   Junior Men   Women   Junior Women

No sooner are we home from Norway than we are off again! The BBU office will be unmanned for 2 weeks from Wed 26. Normal Email service will be available, as will mobile +44 7834 499830 .

The Course Joining Instructions for the three NDS Course this summer and initial Biathlon Academy have been published. The Academy assembles on 01 Apr and courses run 14 - 25 Apr; 05 - 16 May; 02 -13 Jun.

To date only 5 of the 33 athletes have contacted the BBU, as requested below (17 Feb), to confirm availability or provide information! These courses are run and partly paid for for YOUR Benefit and because YOU want them! So please get a grip guys.  Check the names below (17 Feb) and contact the BBU asap.

After training in Obertilliach AUT and San Sicario ITA the GBR Team has resumed racing and had mixed results in the Sprints at OEC 7 at San Sicario yesterday. Adele WALKER achieved another PB to finish 15th whilst Alanda SCOTT hit her third World Qualifier in just 4 International Races. Simon ALLANSON confirmed his World Cup qualification behind Lee JACKSON, who was again "Best of the Brits". It was a severe step up to Senior Races for both Pete BEYER and Amanda LIGHTFOOT who failed to impress on the difficult tracks that were last used for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Sunday's Pursuits saw average results on a windy day from the GBR athletes. Marcel LAPONDER, Paul WHIBLEY and Andy McCANN all missed San Sicario due to illness / injury.

Results - Sprint:   Men    Women
               Pursuit: Men    Women

Poor snow in Valromey- Retord FRA has seen a switch of venue and dates for the final Open European Cup of the season. This will now be held in San Sicario ITA with Sprints on Wed 12 Mar and Pursuit on Thu 13 Mar.

So far, the snow is holding up in mild conditions for the final World Cup at Holmenkollen Oslo NOR where Lee JACKSON and Adele WALKER compete in the Sprint on Thursday (13th Mar) and hopefully the Pursuit on Saturday. Races are LIVE on Eurosport.

The following athletes are congratulated on their selection to train in Ruhpolding from Mon 28 Apr 08.

Full Admin details and notification to Regiments will follow in a few days - however any athlete who believes they can not report on that date is to inform asap both EC Coach Marc Walker at EC 7 or 8, and the BBU Sec Gen by Email / phone (0044 7834 499830).

In addition to the NDS athletes listed below (17 Feb) the following have been added to NDS 08:

Cpl James HEAL 2 RTR and LCpl Nerys JONES AGC Ladies

Athletes who do not wish to attend NDS should inform the BBU asap by Email, and all other athletes should send their Email address and mobile phone# to the BBU.

Apologies to Rob CHUDLEY who is WC qualified and was omitted from the masthead! Congratulations to Alanda SCOTT who has now joined him. It takes a fair amount of (unpaid) time to produce this, son there will be an update at the end of the season!

Commiserations to still qualified but retired athletes Si BURKE, Carl CARRIER, Lance HODGKINS and Marc WALKER who will not feature on the update!

The GBR athletes now have a couple of weeks R & R in Obertilliach AUT and San Sicario ITA before resuming their competitive season. GBR miss out on the first ever World Cup in Korea (at Pyeong Chang) and also in WC 8 at Khanty Mansiysk RUS.

We not expect a web update from now until the next action at OEC 7 on the Olympic tracks of Cesana–San Sicario ITA 07 - 09 Mar.

Alas, not in a race! But the first ever appearance of a GBR Women's Relay team in any International Race (the European Champs in Nove Mesto CZE today).  It was not the result we wanted, but at least Emma FOWLER returned to form when she was joined by Adele WALKER, Alanda SCOTT and Amanda LIGHTFOOT for this historic race.

Although three of the Men's World Championship team competed today they struggled in the warm soft snow, but at least had a clear shoot, although Steve HILL, Lee JACKSON, Shane CLASH and Kevin KANE used rather more spare rounds than Manager for the week Roger ROBERTS would have liked.

Results:   Men   Women

On a memorable day for GBR the BBU Office moved back in record time and is re-open! More significantly, for the first time in a very long time there were 2 GBR men in the Men's Pursuit and for the first time ever 3 GBR women. Lee JACKSON, Kevin KANE, Emma FOWLER and Alanda SCOTT all improved their start positions. Adele WALKER would have recorded another career best had she not been awarded a disputed 2 minute penalty!

Results:  Men   Women.

The relays are LIVE on Eurosport tomorrow Sunday (Men 09:00 GMT, Women 11:15 GMT).

23 Feb 08 - NOVE MESTO SPRINTS

For the first time GBR athletes competed in all age categories in a Championships or WC / EC event in the Sprint yesterday. Amanda LIGHTFOOT showed few signs of nerves in her debut Championships race whilst Adele WALKER continued her impressive form with a career best.

Results:   Men   Junior Men   Women   Junior Women

The BBU Office will be moving back to the UK this weekend and re-opens on Tue 26 Feb. We can access Emails during this time but please check IBU Live Results or Eurosport for updates from Nove Mesto.

The final day of the RLC Championships saw the Team Slalom and Patrol Race. After 10 days of unbroken sunshine and good snow it rained of course for the Patrol race! For all photos and results click to link to the AWSA website.

Many competitors at the British Championships in recent years will have witnessed the growing success of the GBR XC Development Squad - some of whom have progressed to Senior level and now compete in FIS races. One of their early alumni Olwen THORN has in fact been selected for training with the GBR Biathlon Women's Squad this summer.

It is particularly satisfying to see the results of the recent Austrian Champs where our youthful XC compatriots recorded some great performances - none less than young Andrew YOUNG. Congratulations.

More

A mixed day in the office with a return to form from Lee JACKSON, another PB from Adele WALKER and an impressive first GBR race for Alanda SCOTT. But, a couple of disappointments as well.

Indiv Men    Indiv Junior Men    Indiv Women

Eurosport (UK & Europe) are showing LIVE action from the European Championships this week in Nove Mesto CZE. Check out (all times GMT):

 

Wed	08:00	Individual Men	12:00	Individual Women
Fri	08:00	Sprint Men	11:30	Sprint Women
Sat	09:00	Pursuit Men	12:00	Pursuit Women
Sun	09:00	Men Relay	11:15	Women Relay

Many Congratulations to Charlie & Jason SKLENAR on the arrival yesterday of Olivia. She weighed in at 8 lbs 4 oz and both her and Mother are doing well. As for Jason ... "nervous wreck" springs to mind after 5 days waiting in the hospital!

Many thanks to Matthew Rees of the MJR Consultancy for his innovative montage above of the current World Cup qualified athletes and World Junior Champ athlete Pete Beyer!

It is hoped to announce the summer training schedule for the National Squad before the end of this month. The Men will definitely be based in Ruhpolding from 01 May - mid Oct, with occasional training elsewhere. The Women will train in either Aviemore or Ruhpolding.

At the 11th AGM of the BBU, held in Obertilliach AUT on Mon 28 Jan André OSZMANN was elected to the Board whilst David CRANSTON and William (Bill) LAURENCE were re-elected. André is the Managing Director International Division Skandia UK. David was a founder Board Member in 1996 and Bill was first elected to the Board in 2005. Click for AGM Minutes

  The weather and the snow are perfect!

The following athletes have been confirmed as members of the NDS for summer 2008 at East  Grange Biathlon Centre (EGBC) near Kinloss, Forres Scotland. An admin instruction will be sent to parent Units shortly. The first course is expected to be held towards the end of April.

Athletes who do not wish to attend NDS should inform the BBU asap by Email, and all other athletes should send their Email address and mobile phone# to the BBU.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - Östersund SWE

(Germany top the medal table)

Men:  Sprint (Simon ALLANSON back in the team after a year!)  Individual (Kevin KANE leads GBR)  Relay (Slick shooting from Steve HILL and ALLANSON) 

World Cup Relay Points  Nations Cup

Women: (Adele WALKER & Emma FOWLER share honours)  Sprint   Individual

Nations Cup

World Cup 6 - Antholz ITA - Men: Sprint   IBU Pts  Women:   Sprint   IBU Pts

World Cup 5 - Ruhpolding GER  (Which saw an inaugural visit from Skandia to the World Cup and crowds of 25,000).  Men: Sprint   Relay (Carl CARRIER's last WC)    Women:   Sprint

World Cup 4 - Oberhof GER   Men: Sprint   Relay  (Marcel LAPONDER's WC debut).  Women:   Sprint

European Cup 5 Langdorf GER  Men:  Sprint   Individual  

European Cup 6  Osrblie SVK  Men:  Sprint   Pursuit (Kevin KANE's Perfect 0-0-0-0)  Relay

Men IBU OEC Pts     Women   IBU OEC Pts

Junior World Champs  - Ruhpolding GER  (Pete BEYER races for GBR)  Sprint   Pursuit   Individual

Following the completion of the World Championships in Östersund the teams for the rest of the season are:

All the Results and a Triple for the RLC.

We have now completed all of the Biathlon Races in Obertilliach AUT and are about to move to Ruhpolding GER to finish off with the Cross Country. At the half way stage 1 LSR RLC are in a strong position in the Team event whilst all the GBR team athletes have been in good, and close form, which has given the Selectors a tough call in choosing the World & European Championships teams.

We would like to give a big thanks to the Obertilliach Organising Committee who have given us great support here. It is a fantastic venue for both Biathlon & Cross Country.

Results

We now have a New Athlete Profile section which includes biography details on all the team and photos. Click here to see.

We are please to announce that we now have our 2008 Photo Gallery of the British Biathlon Championships up and running. To view photos please click to the British Champs Page and select which day of photos you want to view.

Congratulations go to Pete BEYER (28 Engr Regt) who achieved an inaugural British milestone when qualifying for Sunday's Pursuit with a 60th place (0-3) in the Sprint at the Junior World Championships in Ruhpolding GER this morning. Results 

Click for all Results

The BBU is pleased to unveil its new 2008 logo which features the new green colours of our sponsor Skandia. The new Skandia green logo will be rolled out during 2008, but remember - you saw it here first!

From one of the all time greats!

"What matters isn't how well you play when you're playing well. What matters is how well you play when you're playing badly." Martina Navratilova