The last two stages of the Biathlon World Cup present an intriguing deviation from the norm: nations competing in the IBU Cup are granted additional quotas. Here’s why.
Biathlon regulations typically allocate extra quotas to nations with athletes ranking in the top 10 of the final general IBU Cup standings. However, for the North American tour, this year’s rules have been modified due to logistical considerations. Christophe Vassallo, head of the IBU technical committee, clarifies that the IBU Cup standings after the Arber event in Germany serve as the basis for allocating these quotas. Consequently, non-nominative extra quotas are offered for the Soldier Hollow and Canmore races in the United States and Canada, respectively.
This adjustment has enabled major biathlon nations like Norway, Germany, Sweden, and others to expand their rosters for the American stages. For instance, Norway has capitalized on the opportunity by selecting athletes like Vebjoern Soerum and Johan-Olav Botn for the races in the United States. Similarly, Germany is sending Danilo Riethmueller, while Sweden and Norway are bolstering their teams with a total of seven biathletes each.
Notably, France also qualifies for extra quotas, allowing them to potentially field eight women in the season’s final rounds. However, the French team opted not to utilize these additional slots.
With this insight into the rationale behind the extra quotas, biathlon enthusiasts can look forward to an exciting conclusion to the season, with the Soldier Hollow and Canmore World Cup schedules promising thrilling competitions across various events.
