Widest choice of ski holidays from 60+ tour operators
#1 UK Ski Travel Agency
Impartial Expert Advice
Flights
Transfers
Accommodation

Kocher hoping to stay calm in biathlon medal quest

Kocher hoping to stay calm in biathlon medal quest Zina Kocher is hoping to defy the odds and provide Canada with an unexpected biathlon medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Montreal Gazette reports.

Kocher is competing in the women's 7.5-kilometre sprint at the Whistler Olympic Park, but the fact that she is only ranked 22nd by the International Biathlon Union has led to little expectation of a high-flying performance.

Much will depend on how the 27-year-old stars in the shooting discipline, with her confidence being high following a fine fourth-place finish in a World Cup pursuit event in Slovenia.

On that occasion she failed to collect any time penalties by successfully hitting all 20 targets on the shooting range, a performance she hopes to replicate in Vancouver.

Kocher told the publication: "I'm not expected to be on the podium. I hope to be, but I'm not expected to be there.

"I have to focus on my breathing, rhythm and staying calm. It's relaxing coming into the range and looking at the wind flags, the lane you're going to choose and checking the target."

All cross-country skiing techniques are permitted in biathlon, with all targets on the shooting range flipping from black to white when hit to provide visual feedback to the athletes.

Written by Chris Smith

 

Related Stories

  • French Ski Resorts Racing to Net Zero

    Compagnie des Alpes are stepping up its efforts to reach their Net Zero targets You might not have heard of Compagnie des Alpes, but they manage some of the biggest resorts in the French Alps, including La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes, Val d’Isère, Méribel, Les Menuires, Serre Cheva...

  • What’s new in the Austrian Tirol?

    The amazing Austrian Tirol is made up of over 80 ski resorts, including some of our top sellers, St Anton, Mayrhofen, Sölden and Lech. Skiers will be excited to know that there are plenty of new additions for 2019/20 winter season! There has been a heavy investment in to the ski-lift infrastruc...

  • Snow report | 09 Sep 2019: Summer is over

    Summer is well and truly over now as winter made a dramatic return this weekend! Up to 50cm of snow fell over the last 3 days in high ski areas across the Alps. Resorts in Austria, Italy and Switzerland received the heaviest snowfalls including Passo Stelvio, Zermatt, Saas Fee and Hintertux glacier ...