Comments on: Behind Strong Swedish Effort, Hellner Sprints to 30k Gold http://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/ FasterSkier: Cross-Country Ski, Biathlon, and Nordic Combined Racing, Training and News Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:10:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Larshttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1645 Lars Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:18:03 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1645 Sure if Northug was on the top of his form i think he would be able to make up the gap. And i don`t actually believe Hellner intended to break Northug`s pole but you never now. And cpella Swede`s like to slag Norwegian`s just as much as Norwegians like to slag Swedes. As for not turning up for the pre Olympic world cup that had nothing todo with arrogance and feeling of entitlement. The national championship was that weekend and participation is mandatory for the world cup skiers unless they have a very good reason why they shuden`t. 4th of 40th dosen`t really matter in the Olympics only medals matter. And i totally agree oldmanwinter he got no supporting players and that is the true shame of the Norwegian team. There is no team and there hasn`T been the last 2 years. And instead of makeing the necessary changes the Norwegian coaching staff have been hiding behind Northug`s results. Sure if Northug was on the top of his form i think he would be able to make up the gap. And i don`t actually believe Hellner intended to break Northug`s pole but you never now.
And cpella Swede`s like to slag Norwegian`s just as much as Norwegians like to slag Swedes.
As for not turning up for the pre Olympic world cup that had nothing todo with arrogance and feeling of entitlement. The national championship was that weekend and participation is mandatory for the world cup skiers unless they have a very good reason why they shuden`t.
4th of 40th dosen`t really matter in the Olympics only medals matter. And i totally agree oldmanwinter he got no supporting players and that is the true shame of the Norwegian team. There is no team and there hasn`T been the last 2 years. And instead of makeing the necessary changes the Norwegian coaching staff have been hiding behind Northug`s results.

]]> By: OldManWinterhttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1642 OldManWinter Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:13:46 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1642 Lars - I'm on board w/ Kaiser...The pole was an accident. The timing of these things is never ideal, but it was particularly bad for Northug in this case as it happened at a point in the race when he would typically start to play his best card. However, he had a replacement almost immediately, and even Hellner himself has gone on record elsewhere as stating that he couldn't understand why Northug couldn't keep up because '...they weren't going that fast...' (his words, not mine). If PN had unleashed his famous sprinting ability, could he not have come in 4th or even challenged for a bronze? We will never know, because he chose to cruise home. He surely can't be saving it for the relay, because from what I've seen so far he has no supporting players. Lars – I’m on board w/ Kaiser…The pole was an accident. The timing of these things is never ideal, but it was particularly bad for Northug in this case as it happened at a point in the race when he would typically start to play his best card. However, he had a replacement almost immediately, and even Hellner himself has gone on record elsewhere as stating that he couldn’t understand why Northug couldn’t keep up because ‘…they weren’t going that fast…’ (his words, not mine). If PN had unleashed his famous sprinting ability, could he not have come in 4th or even challenged for a bronze? We will never know, because he chose to cruise home. He surely can’t be saving it for the relay, because from what I’ve seen so far he has no supporting players.

]]> By: cpellahttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1641 cpella Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:08:48 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1641 I think it's just silly to suggest that Hellner deliberately broke Northug's pole. Besides, Sara Renner broke a pole and skied to a silver medal in Torino and that was in a sprint relay, not a distance race. Frode Estil completely lost a ski in the Torino pursuit and came back to get a silver. Northug just gave up. End of story. Norwegians and Finns always like to slag the Swedes, it's a national pastime. When I was working as a volunteer on the TV crew at the Silver Star world cup in 2005 the Finnish TV producer would start making negative comments every time a Swede took the lead. I don't trust anything a Norwegian or Finn says vis-a-vis the Swedes. The Swedes were over here when we held the national championships studying the course closely, and doing their homework. The Norwegian team didn't even bother showing up for the pre-Olympics world cup. Perhaps there is a bit of arrogance and feeling of entitlement? I think it’s just silly to suggest that Hellner deliberately broke Northug’s pole. Besides, Sara Renner broke a pole and skied to a silver medal in Torino and that was in a sprint relay, not a distance race. Frode Estil completely lost a ski in the Torino pursuit and came back to get a silver. Northug just gave up. End of story.
Norwegians and Finns always like to slag the Swedes, it’s a national pastime. When I was working as a volunteer on the TV crew at the Silver Star world cup in 2005 the Finnish TV producer would start making negative comments every time a Swede took the lead. I don’t trust anything a Norwegian or Finn says vis-a-vis the Swedes.
The Swedes were over here when we held the national championships studying the course closely, and doing their homework. The Norwegian team didn’t even bother showing up for the pre-Olympics world cup. Perhaps there is a bit of arrogance and feeling of entitlement?

]]> By: nordicmatthttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1640 nordicmatt Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:45:33 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1640 beyond the Swedes and the Canadians having a great day, i'm real happy for Angerer's success as well. Gans gut! Toll! Matthew T. Pauli beyond the Swedes and the Canadians having a great day, i’m real happy for Angerer’s success as well. Gans gut! Toll!
Matthew T. Pauli

]]> By: kaiserhttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1639 kaiser Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:11:08 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1639 Northugs broken pole was nothing more than a race accident, and if it was not for the weak psychological state that northug was in after coming off such a depressing 15km he could have easily made up the gap. Not that he could have one, he was looking really sluggish through out the whole race but he probably could have held off for 4th or even a medal. Northugs broken pole was nothing more than a race accident, and if it was not for the weak psychological state that northug was in after coming off such a depressing 15km he could have easily made up the gap. Not that he could have one, he was looking really sluggish through out the whole race but he probably could have held off for 4th or even a medal.

]]> By: Larshttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1632 Lars Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:42:50 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1632 Well the Swedes certanly used team tactic`s and there is nothing wrong with that. But that`s not what took out Northug. Hellner breaking his pole took out Northug. Now at the top of his form he could probably get back in the lead-group regardless but fact is that Northug was taken out by a competitor breaking his gear. And unless you see that as a time honored bike race tactic i would have to disagree with you. Also are you really saying you think he deserved to be sabotaged in that fashion cause you don`t like his use of race tactic`s ? Personally i think breaking one of your main competitors gears and then going on to take gold is at least eticaly dubious. The true disgrace is the performance of the rest of the Norwegian team who so far have not showed up to these Olympic`s but then they haven`t realy showed up in any of the world cup races the last few seasons either. Norway has many young talented skiers but the current coaching staff seem unable to create winners out of that raw material so it is pretty clear to me that we need a new regime to rectify the shameful status of the team. Well the Swedes certanly used team tactic`s and there is nothing wrong with that. But that`s not what took out Northug. Hellner breaking his pole took out Northug. Now at the top of his form he could probably get back in the lead-group regardless but fact is that Northug was taken out by a competitor breaking his gear.

And unless you see that as a time honored bike race tactic i would have to disagree with you. Also are you really saying you think he deserved to be sabotaged in that fashion cause you don`t like his use of race tactic`s ?
Personally i think breaking one of your main competitors gears and then going on to take gold is at least eticaly dubious.

The true disgrace is the performance of the rest of the Norwegian team who so far have not showed up to these Olympic`s but then they haven`t realy showed up in any of the world cup races the last few seasons either.
Norway has many young talented skiers but the current coaching staff seem unable to create winners out of that raw material so it is pretty clear to me that we need a new regime to rectify the shameful status of the team.

]]> By: OldManWinterhttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1631 OldManWinter Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:20:05 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1631 How poetic is it that the Swedes used time-honored bike racing tactics to take out the consumate wheel-sucker? Broken pole or no (and I want to believe that was a typical racing accident), I'm not convinced that Northug could have pulled it off anyway. I wish that I could feel more sorry for him than I do, but he has painted himself into the corner he is in. As others have pointed out in several forums, their is no one else on the men's side stepping up to challenge. The relay promises to be a complete free-for-all, with several teams (excluding the Norwegian men but now including the Canadians) promising to be in the mix. It ought to be a 'Great Race'... How poetic is it that the Swedes used time-honored bike racing tactics to take out the consumate wheel-sucker? Broken pole or no (and I want to believe that was a typical racing accident), I’m not convinced that Northug could have pulled it off anyway. I wish that I could feel more sorry for him than I do, but he has painted himself into the corner he is in. As others have pointed out in several forums, their is no one else on the men’s side stepping up to challenge. The relay promises to be a complete free-for-all, with several teams (excluding the Norwegian men but now including the Canadians) promising to be in the mix. It ought to be a ‘Great Race’…

]]> By: Larshttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1629 Lars Sun, 21 Feb 2010 13:44:37 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1629 lol yeah got to love the ugliest pants of the games. lol yeah got to love the ugliest pants of the games.

]]> By: ColinDhttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1628 ColinD Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:51:36 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1628 At least the Norwegian curling team is holding it down. Go Norge! At least the Norwegian curling team is holding it down. Go Norge!

]]> By: Larshttp://fasterskier.com/2010/02/behind-strong-swedish-effort-hellner-sprints-to-30k-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-1625 Lars Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:32:43 +0000 http://fasterskier.com/?p=68672#comment-1625 Hmm breaking other racers gear to win gold and pepole say Northug is a bad sportsman... Past that the other Norwegian`s results haven`t been worth the ticket to send the over for the Olympic`s. This is the second Olympic in a row were the Norwegian team fails. The only good thing is that this will hopefully force them to make the changes to rectify the current situation. Cause as things are now there performance is just shameful. Hmm breaking other racers gear to win gold and pepole say Northug is a bad sportsman…

Past that the other Norwegian`s results haven`t been worth the ticket to send the over for the Olympic`s. This is the second Olympic in a row were the Norwegian team fails. The only good thing is that this will hopefully force them to make the changes to rectify the current situation. Cause as things are now there performance is just shameful.

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