Second Only to Norway

That photo represents the best year ever Austria’s biathletes. Besides the seasonal titles, the team also finished second in the Nations Cup scoring behind Norway, while Christoph Sumann and Simon Eder finished third and fourth in the overall Mass Start standings. Besides those high points, Sumann, Landertinger, Eder, Daniel Mesotitsch, and Freidrich Pinter finished 6^th, 11^th, 12th, 14^th, and 22^nd in the Overall World Cup. Only Norway had as many highly ranked men. Of course, the icing on the cake was Landertinger and Sumann’s Gold and Silver medals in the World Championship’s Mass Start, followed by the Relay Silver medal.

Matching a season like that might be hard for some teams, but the strong Austrian squad could be as good as or better in the Olympic season than they were last year. Head Coach Markus Gandler commented on that possibility, “We think or rather hope so. Our biggest successes were with the relay team and as six men were a part of that we should be able to repeat the successful performance of the team. Of course you never know in sport. One can always get sick but for the relay we should have enough depth. Also, we worked well over the summer and we have a good mix of older and more experienced athletes so we are confident (about this year).”

Landertinger and Eder Besides the training, confidence and the mix of athletes, there are two other factors. First is that Dominik Landertinger is one year older. This talented World Champion was not 21 years old when he won in Pyeongchang last February. Another year of maturity and training can only help him have an even better season. Secondly, although Simon Eder won the Mass Start in Khanty Mansiysk and finished 12^th in the Overall World Cup, he missed five World Cup competitions due to illness. A healthy-all-season Eder makes the Austrians much stronger top to bottom. At this stage of the year, Eder is on track for a healthy year. He commented recently, ““My training this summer has been almost the same as last year, except for some small changes in intensity. . . I have been healthy all summer this year, which is new for me. . . Staying healthy is the most important for progress.”

RelayTeamDecisions The Austrian Relay team missed the Gold medal in Pyeongchang, by a mere 12 seconds. Both the athletes and Gandler know that part of his team’s reputation and success ride on that team competition. Selecting the four athletes for the relay is one of the toughest decisions that Gandler and his staff make. He explained, “For sure it is not an easy one, and any decision always seems somewhat unfair from the athletes’ point of view. We tried to establish some criteria; and the two coaches, the team coordinator and I decide together. We take the form and the performance and several other things into consideration but it is really hard. Telling the athletes, especially those who don’t get a start, is the hardest thing to do.”

Although it is a hard decision with so many talented athletes on the team, Sumann thinks there is some security in the team’s depth. “It is a very good feeling to know that if someone is ill or off form, we can put another person in his place and have the same results. There is also the spirit; relays are always something special for us. . . It is not an individual competition; you have to work with the other guys.”

Getting Along

That statement may be the key to the current Austrian success. To a man, the Austrian athletes all agree that, although they compete against each other, they is great camaraderie on the team. Eder summed it up, “Everyone in the group wants to be successful. We all work together and everyone gets along.”

No one will be surprised if the red, white and black clad Austrian men are battling for podium spots in every competition this season. That would please Gandler who added, “Altogether I have to say that we have something to defend from last year but we also have the potential for some surprises. If this year is anything like the last one I would be one of the happiest people in biathlon.”