Host for the fourth time
Ruhpolding be a four-time host of the Biathlon World Championships when the best biathletes come together at the Chiemgau-Arena to shoot and ski on 29.February to 11. March 2012.The competitors will be racing under optimal conditions in one of the most modern biathlon stadiums in the world.
26 nations were at the start in 1979
The stadium at Zirmberg hosted its first Biathlon-WM in 1979. The athletes experienced a rather family-like atmosphere in Ruhpolding. Spectators were largely made up of friends and family of the athletes.But even then, conditions were top-notch.The winners of all three competitions came from the former East Germany. Klaus Siebert was the victor in the 20 km in front of current IBU-Vice President Alexander Tichonow of the Soviet Union, Frank Ullrich won the 10 km, and the former East German team won the Relay in front of Finland and the Soviet Union.
Bronze for the Men’s Relay 1985
Six years later, the sport of biathlon had already shaken off its shadowy existence in the former Federal Republic of Germany. The 1984 Olympic Medal winners: Peter Angerer (Ski Club Hammer), Ernst Reiter (SC Eisenärzt), Fritz Fischer and Walter Pichler (SC Ruhpolding), who all trained in Ruhpolding. 30 000 spectators came to watch the three days of competition in the stadium at Zirmberg and the races were covered live on television. It goes without saying that once again, competitors experienced the best of conditions.Frank-Peter Roetsch of East Germany crossed the line as the victor, with Norwegian Eirik Kvalfoss and Johann Passler of South Tirol landing in 2. and 3. place.Fritz Fischer took 6., Peter Angerer was 8. and Herbert Fritzenwenger took the 10. spot.The 20-km-race was won by the Russian Juri Kaschkarow in front of Frank-Peter Roetsch and Tapio Piipponen of Finland. Ernst Reiter was the best athlete out of the former Federal Republic this time, in the 6.position. Peter Angerer (10.), Fritz Fischer (16.) and Herbert Fritzenwenger (22.) put up an impressive fight.Ruhpolding biathletes Walter Pichler, Herbert Fritzenwenger, Peter Angerer and Fritz Fischer took the relay bronze, with the Soviet Union beating out East Germany to take the gold.
WM 1996 in the Chiemgau-Arena
In 1996, Ruhpolding was the host of a superlative Biathlon-WM. The setting and media presence outclassed all previous biathlon events. The new Chiemgau-Arena set the stage for a singular atmosphere, providing an impressive backdrop for 90 000 spectators over the five days of competition.The Women’s World Championships have been carried out since1984, separately from the men. Only since 1989 have the Men’s and Women’s WM taken place simultaneously in the same location. Olga Romasko (Russia) won the7,5-km Women’s race in 1996 over Ann-Elen Skelbreid (Norway; sister of Liv-Grete) and Magdalena Forsberg (Sweden). Emmanuelle Claret of France took the 15-km in front of Russian Olga Melnik and Ukrainien Olena Petrowa. The German women chased after the top of the field in both races. Only Simone Greiner-Petter-Memm made it into the top ten with a 10. place in the 15 km. However, the relay was a different story entirely, with Uschi Disl, Petra Behle, Simone Greiner-Petter-Memm and Katrin Apel grabbing the gold in front of France and the Ukraine. The Germans also took gold in the Team Competition, this time in front of the Ukraine and France.The Men’s 10 km competition resulted in a double-victory for Russia, with Wladimir Dratschow and Viktor Maigurow taking the top two spots. René Cattarinussi of Italy took the bronze. Amazingly enough,the 20 km race also resulted in a plethora of Russian medals, this time withSergei Tarassow and Wladimir Dratschow winning gold and silver, with Wadsim Saschuryn capturing the bronze. Frank Luck was the best German in 8.place. The Russians showed their dominance once again in the Relay, capturing the title of World Champions. The silver went to Germany, with German team members Ricco Gross, Peter Sendel, Frank Luck and Sven Fischer. Belarus took the bronze as well as the Team Competition, in front of Russia and Italy. Germany ended up in only 6. position.
Three-time host of the Junior-WM
The Junior-World Championships have also taken place in Ruhpolding: In 1979 together with the Men’s World Championships, in 1993, where Ole Einar Björndalen became three-time Junior World Champion, and in 2008, with live Eurosport coverage, where Magdalena Neuner won her final two Junior World Championship medals, out of a junior career total of seven World Championship medals.
