Everything you need to know about the new season of the Biathlon Russian Cup – 2023/2024

Everything you need to know about the new season of the Biathlon Russian Cup – 2023/2024

Batraz Tomaev November 24, 2023, 11:00 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.

For the men, a brilliant fight is expected between Latypov and Khalili. For women, Reztsova made a powerful comeback.

A few days before the start of the winter calendar, the big biathlon begins in Russia. On Saturday, November 25, the 2023/2024 Russian Biathlon Cup begins in Khanty-Mansiysk. This is a systematic tournament of the winter season in the conditions of isolation of Russian sport. As will be?

Russian Cup stage schedule

Before the start of the Russian Cup, the skiers themselves and the viewers on the screen warmed up with an experiment of the International League of Biathlon Clubs. Four races were held in Khanty, allowing athletes to earn extra money.

The start of the new tournament was brilliant:

The start of the Russian biathlon season is spectacular! Khalili and Smolsky fought like in the World Cup

Athletes don’t need to move anywhere. The national cup begins there: on November 25 and 26, the best biathletes in the country will compete in team races: mixed and mixed individual relays. And within a week the second stage of the competition will be formally held at the same stadium. There will be personal races: a combination of sprint and pursuit, as well as a long mass start.

This year the Russian Biathlon Union (RUB) has planned five stages of the country’s Cup. This is due to the celebration of the Spartakiad of the Strongest, which will take place in Zlatoust (Chelyabinsk region) in February next year. We must not forget that biathletes compete in the Commonwealth Cup.

Stages of the Russian Cup – 2023/2024 25.11–26.11. Khanty-Mansiysk. First stage 01.12–03.12. Khanty-Mansiysk. Second stage 07/12-10/12. Tyumen. Third stage 18.01-21.01. Izhevsk Fourth stage 02.29-03.03. Phew. Fifth stage.

Will the competition prevail against Latypov?

The best biathletes in the country will compete in the Russian Cup.

The stars suggest that Eduard Latypov will remain the leader of the men’s team, and will be forced to fight by Karim Khalili, who showed himself well at the first stage of the MLKB, and at the end of the 2022/2023 season became the winner of the Russian Cup. But let’s not rule out Anton Babikov, Alexander Povarnitsyn and Maxim Tsvetkov.

Karim Khalili

Photo: RIA Novosti

It remains a mystery how Alexander Loginov feels ahead of the new season. His start in the MLKB provokes cautious optimism, even though in the summer he was on the verge of retiring from his career. Maybe his work in the “Union of Three Biathletes” paid off? See you this winter.

The new generation of national biathletes began to form a long time ago. In this Russian Cup they will try to show their teeth and force their venerable colleagues to fight. Let’s pay attention to Denis Irodov and Alexander Kornev. Both prepared under the supervision of Yuri Kaminsky.

Unfortunately, one of the most brilliant and charismatic athletes of the generation, Daniil Serokhvostov, has not yet found the necessary stability. Artyom Istomin’s ward managed to get sick before the start of the season.

How long will it take us to compete without international competitions?

“There is not even talk of a neutral status.” Russia will not return to the world biathlon

Reztsova returns. And who are her rivals?

In the mini-universe of our women’s biathlon, not everything is so clear. In the preliminary races of the MLKB Anastasia Goreeva demonstrated good physical condition, winning the mass start.

Polina Shevnina, Anastasia Kaplina and Vladislava Gavrilova were also close to the medals. Let’s write them down, remember them and follow them.

Kristina Reztsova and Ulyana Nigmatullina prepare for the first stage of the Kyrgyz Republic biathlon in Khanty-Mansiysk. Both returned to the sport after pregnancy and childbirth. Reztsova even managed to reach the International Club Biathlon League medal, taking bronze in the pursuit. The athlete admitted that “her return is going very well.” The mood pleases and inspires optimism!

Kristina Reztsova

Photo: RIA Novosti

Irina Kazakevich also showed confidence at the summer preparatory competitions in Sochi. Shashilov’s group completely missed the experimental beginnings in Khanty, and even the approximate preparation of the wards of the experienced specialist remains a mystery. But I want to believe that they are not preparing in vain!

This season will also be a good test for former skier Anna Grukhvina, who in the summer participated in the race for the first time with a rifle on her back. Those were skating outings. It will be a completely different feeling in the snow!

What was Anna Grukhvina’s first biathlon race like?

“8 fails: legendary”. The Russian skier debuted in biathlon as Anfisa Reztsova

It is worth noting that the Belarusians will also compete at the stages of the Russian Cup. Anton Smolsky, Anna Sola and their compatriots will not let the Russians get bored on the slopes, but at the same time they will not compete for medals and prize money in our national tournament: their neighbors will compete outside the qualifications.