Laura Toivanen

Shooting star^^

2012-01-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

Salut!

It was bittersweet to write about staying home last time, but I was yelling too early!! Just in the same late evening I got call that I could be participating both the IBU-cups, replacing Sarianna. And after thinking a while and discussing with my coach I was already packing for the next journey!:) I prefered getting more races (cause it goes better and better all the time) than staying at home alone, when my both beloved men are also abroad!

So off we go back to the Alps. First to Italy and Forni Avoltri and next week at the highest high Haute-Maurienne! Well, as you know the finnish team, we have our own tiny accommodation, with own cars, own cooking, only one waxman, no massages etc. That all brings a little advantage compared to the other teams and it's a pity that you can't give your total best although you should be showing your best results that you get into World Cup!

Well, I did my best, especially on the shooting range! Second individual race this year and I managed to drop all the 20 targets first time ever! so 0+0+0+0 and no penaltyminutes so I was really happy to reach top 20! Though, there were also top 10 available...I lost 4 minutes to the french leader, mostly because fresh snow and my bad skies, but you can do nothing. The next day was even worse, my skiing was a bit more alert on the track but the skies were worse. I lost in this sprint over 4 minutes with only 1 standing penalty!! How fair, isn't it...

So after this week in Italy, living in a small apartment and having a very distracting atmosphere among us we continued a long journey to France! A lovely sun and perfect hard tracks were waiting for us. I was also accompanied by Sarianna (luckily and finally) so that there was more relieved atmosphere and I also got somebody (again) to sleep next to:D

Anyways, I did good job also there! I did an excellent hard classic training before the races on that high 1700 meters above the sealevel. And so I got a bit better glide for the first sprint and with perfect fast shooting on the range I ended up to the place 30! With my hurting spine and back I was still able to get the strong last loop, as I was a bit scared to give full blast on the first loop at that altitude. Anyways, feeling relieved. Good job and the better way to go:)

Pursuit race I started just behind one of the twin Hildebrands, just to notice they are not so fast as I had imagined.*grins* :D But the chilly day -15c in the morning was bit hard to start fast, as well as humidity was somewhere around 20%. Nirsknarsk says the skies.:D But without a small mistake in the prone my total shootingprocent during January would have been pure 100%!!!:))
In the first standing I was standing too long time and I lost crusial 3 hits. Anyways, total 5 penalties is too much and already tired body was happy to get back home!

So not bad two weeks for a "reservathlete"!! Shooting is brilliant, and I hope now after a few massages and good hometraining I'm able to give the best results in European Championships in Slovakia, Brezno-Osrblie. I'll be the only girl from Finland (!!!) and I'll travel there with two boys, without any coach or waxman! Our A-team headcoach promised something like co-operation with Austrians but who knows. I think some help is needed 0_o

After the ECH's week I'll be back at home, preparing for World Cup in Kontiolahti. Dunno yet if I'll be skiing, I wish so. BUT in case my face is not enough for the team I'll be the chief of attachees and chaperone, maybe even translator for the Teamcaptainmeetings. Anyways, I'll be there!! :)

Now I head to the gym. It's bit odd to sleep and train at home all alone. Yesterday evening I went to solarium and bought a fresh pineapple, just imagining I was laying on the beach of Koh Tao (Thailand) next to my boyfriend and chilling... It was only just a dream!

Merci! Salut à bientôt!:)

Home bittersweet Home

2011-12-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays afterwards, and so I'm already wishing happier new year 2012! Hopefully the bad things will stay in the passing year and the good things will follow to the next year!:)

That's the wish from my side, I'm glad that this year is going to end soon and the new experiences are waiting for me... and everybody! Santa Claus didn't visit us this year either but I was happy that he had brought also this year some nice presents!:D Headlamp and skibootdryers on the top of that. And my boyfriend got a book from his "german"family: "die spinnen, Die Finnen" so I think I'm going to read it at once!!:) Otherwise my Christmas went pretty much normally, including delicious eating, skiing and relaxing and this year even Christmaschurch on 25th! That's because I spent first time ever my Christmas' Eve somewhere else than by my parents'. i was by my bf's parents so that was certainly something new! It's nice and weird to see how Christmas' Eve is celebrated elsewhere!

Anyways, what happened earlier in this month made me feel a bit down. As you know I traveled up to the Alps to participate IBU-cup races in Ridnaun and Obertilliach. For me they turned out to be a disaster which seems to nearly cut my season short. We spent the first 5 days in Obertilliach where we were able to acclimate to the higher altitude and also train properly on the nice 5K's track! We got also more snow on the second day so it looked really nice after rain and darkness of the homeyards.

When we arrived to Ridnaun the problems started. A couple of us suffered from stomachproblems which affected more or less to the weekend's competitions. It was also a bit strange to live in a small apartment, 7 of us. Sometimes it's a small funny family and sometimes you wish you had some own space. On the raceday you try to be quiet while boys're sleeping. You wish:D
First in the program was individual race and 15K in +2 cloudy weather. i was feeling lazy and My body didn't have that much energy due to stomachproblems, so with 6 penalties and this skiing- you move nowhere. Head down and shoulders front, and shaking legs. Unsatisfied and sad.
In sprint however I managed to relax on the shootingrange and Igot a prefect shooting 0+0 at the first time since 2010. I felt a bit better than the previous day but it wasn't enough to get any good placement. 51th was far away from the result I know I can with that shooting.

The next problem arrived on Monday, and got really worse on Wednesday after mixrelay! Lugninfection... You're not welcome.!!! I still felt okey in my muscles on Wed so I decided to start. Also okey shooting sith 1 reservbullet in each shooting was good. I was quite fresh in skiing but my lugns were putting down the contract.. We end up to the place12th and we were happy to win Sweden and Switzerland:P

In this point of trip I ended up to the doctor and I didn't start anymore due to sickness. I came back home and heard the lovely news. I will not be starting in the World Cup, nor in IBU-cup... That's the result from the bad skiing, no matter the reasons to them, no matter if you were best woman in the sprint in Ridnaun, or sick. No excuses...
The fastest skier of us will ski World Cups in January, and the winner of the small national race here in Kontiolahti during December will have starts both in IBU-cups and finally in Antholz. And all these decisions I find a bit unfair, but You cannot do anything but ski faster. We don't count shootingtimes or hitprocent, nope. Even if we were biathletes. but all this aftertalk is pointless and will only waste my precious time.

So it's bittersweet to stay home now the whole January, skiing som xc-races perhaps and preparing to ECH's in Brezno-osrblie... If they ever send anybody there! My boyfriend will fly with his friends to Thailand fo three weeks and Ahti is flying to Germany and World Cup already on Sunday! He had by the way missluck during the world Cup in December, broken skipoles and not-firing bullets etc. Hopefully you all will keep the thumbs up for him and wish him luck..!:) At least one of our family is on G!!;)

Now I'm off to swim in the lake and have a small run before that. Yesterday we had a big storm here and lot of people are still running without electricity! We had sun and snow this morning and I liked skiing and shooting in the hard wind... nearly perfectly;D So my spirit's up. hopefully your thumbs too later in January..:)

ciaoooo

Rushing Hours^^'

2011-12-03T11:39:00.000-08:00

Här befinner jag mig, i tåget på väg mot Helsingfors! Jag har precis genomfört mitt sista snöträningsläger i år i Vuokatti och nu åker jag till Ridnaun och Obertilliach. Skidskyttecirkus är däremot i Östersund där säsongen har börjat för några dagar sen! Ska hålla tummarna för min lillebror och alla andra kompisar som står på startlinjen.J

Who didn’t understand my Swedish I just told I’m right now on the way to Helsinki and tomorrow I’m already in Austria and Obertilliach! I just finished my last snow camp this year. In the meanwhile, the biathloncirkus has arrived to my “hometown” Östersund!! So let’s but the thumbs up for my little brother Ahti and other Finns and fellows. J

Two weeks ago when I was training again in Vuokatti I got some company from our A-team girls; Kaisa, Mari and Sanna, as well as Ahti. We were also accompanied by the Austrian, Belarus, Ukraine etc.biathlon teams! So it was pure traffic jam going on there. Everybody tried to find desperately some snow and Vuokatti was one of the best places in whole Europe! Except Kontiolahti, Vuokatti has been the only place for my trainingcamps this year and actually it has worked pretty well! It’s a bit miserable that our B-team hasn’t had any trainingcamps after September if we just don’t count this Muonio snowcamp, where Sarianna was the only girl to arrive. I decided to stay nearer to home and train in Vuokatti, as did also Kaisa and co.

It was quite quiet now at this time in Vuokatti and I was able to train as planned on the excellent tracks! Over two weeks ago I got a phone call from the coach that I won’t be skiing in the first IBU-cup and World Cups. So it meant only that I get more time for training (which is actually an excellent choice for me after this “puzzle- autumn”).

I’ll fly now on Sunday to München and then straight to Obertilliach. After a couple of days training there we head to Ridnaun for the second IBU-cup this year! And as likely it’s going to be my first real races this season. I haven’t had such a hurry with the races. I will get them enough during the long season I think so.:D And we have to remember World Champs are just in March!! Due to our poor money situation in our biathlon federation we have to pay all of the costs from the next two weeks, getting only IBU-moneyaid to get this all through! Well, I’m actually used to it, cause two years ago it was all the same shit^^’)

The first races in Kontiolahti went pretty bad actually. On Saturday I shot my first ever jackpot (5penalties from standing) and felt over 4 minutes behind Olympic Winner Kuzmina. In the pursuit I managed to normalize my doings and gathered only 3 penalties, having one of the best individual times of the day. I just got my new riffle and due to its short magazines, I needed to buy a new rifle stock too! So it’s been more difficult to find my normal positions and things^/

Now I’m off.J See you on the track, sooner or later. Arrivederci!!

- Laura

It's time for skies!

2011-10-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Privet!
That's the greeting I'm wishing with smile nearly every morning here in Kontiolahti! There are teams at least from Khanty-Mansiysk and St.Petersburg, and Kuzmina and co!:) But it's not too busy on the cooled skitrack and I'm able to do my trainings as planned. I spent two times one week training in Vuokatti. At the first time we had our "first and last" trainingcamp with B-team, that because all the previous camps have been partly only races and sometimes even we lived at home so so... Luckily our B-teamcoach took it all quite easy-going and I was able to adjust the program a little bit with my own coach:) This camp was really good break after the miscellaneous times with moving and stress^^

Last week I was once again in Vuokatti, training by my own. Half of the time having company of my boyfriend and half of the time alone.. Or how could I say; together with Belarus team and a lot of other skiers, starting their schoolbreak and autumnholidays by skiing outside on the 1,5k track! And when I arrived back home, Ahti also arrived from the superlong trainingcamp in Ruhpolding and Ramsau! It's been a bit worse conditions up on the glacier this year, but nevertheless; Ahti is really fit:D And he is already named to the Worldcup team to Östersund! On the girls side only Kaisa and Mari are sure for the big cup. So there are two places left and they will be decided after the qualiraces here in Kontiolahti 19 th of Nov.

Otherwise it's time to relax few days now, before we head to Muonio at 5th of November. There're supposed to be also German and swedish biathlon teams! That means the raceseason is starting soon when you see more and more biathletes training tiptop.^^' I'm excited and not at all nervous, I'm not worried if I'm not skiing in the first WorldCup. Of Course it would be great, especially when the first place Östersund is my second hometown (like I always say:)) and also I've heard there are many friends and fans coming around!:) But in the meanwhile it would be easy to ski in Ibu-cup when you know the places; Ridnaun and Obertilliach are both excellent for training and also situated at the higher altitude... Anyways, I accept every desicion where I'll be skiing or if I ski at all abroad! Who knows. My shape is getting better but it's hard to know where I stand, so in the middle of October:)

We were supposed to have a trainingcamp in Vuokatti, starting tomorrow but due to lack of money in our biathlonassociation we don't have it. (nor a-team!!!:o) But as I told you before I hope our next camp in Muonio will be there...

And in the end, The season is actually starting this sunday!! Cross-country Finnish cup starts on Saturday in Vuokatti, and I'll be skiing relay with Kontiolahti SportClub on Sunday together with Kaisa and Sarianna! so there we are, Saarinen, Lähteenmäki and co. Cool!! Let's see...

Otherwise I'm of to swim again to the lake with Sampo, Just 3 times in the sauna and then 4 times a small round in the lake;) refreshing and awesome!!

ps. Recommended book to read for German biathlonfans, or anybody who's interested in Finland from a viewpoint of a german man:) Wolfram Eilenberger- Finnen von Sinnen! geiles Buch-- er wird(oder hat schon) nach Finnland umziehen um eine Finnin zu heiraten und dann erzählt er auch wie viel die Finnen spinnen;)) *gg*

Behind the scenes?!

2011-09-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hou!

Oh this time's passing so quickly! Sorry!=)

So how is it going over here? There's been a lot of things happening behind the scenes. I just wanted to show how it happens... the results are not always "just" what they show. How people usually do? -check out the results from the races and blame the losers and cheer for the winners. easy eh? Most of the time there are many unknown facts that should be considered before you cheer or blame..^^' I'm not talking just about me, but also about all the athletes!

Well, there really have been going on something. And in this case there are things like moving, packing, cleaning, racing, training, school, boyfriend, decorating, playing, worrying... eh demanding me just to take a nap! -But I don't have even time fot that!

After my big brother's wedding, it's been all but easy! I have to mention that my first (hopefully not the last) weddingday was memorable and lovely, but also causing very aching feet and also I got a flue! Next weekend after that we had finnish cross-biathlon champs, and it didn't really help my feeling in my body when I HAD to start in the races. Well, luckily I wasn't that bad and we took even the relay gold for Kontiolahti!
So let's count, one week sick and the next week I was kind of resting in Helsinki and then heading to Lahti where I was training with my personal coach! At this part I felt okey, but once again there were IBU-cup roller races coming...
So I think I was kind of healthy one week and of course you're supposed to do a lot of trainings, well due to that and all the other stressy things (like packing, cleaning up for the new address!!!) I started in rollerraces...

Everyone can check out the results, and think oh she's not doig very well... In the big new steap uphill I was nearly dead, and in addition to bad skiing I even shot 2 misses from standing. Somewhere between Otepää trainingraces and that day (5weeks) I had lost over 100seconds compared to my fellow Sarianna. 10seconds behind in Otepää and now we could be nearly counting hours^^D

My nervsystem was tired, so did my muscles, in that case you have no choice to take in some oxygen..^D Well, I skipped the pursuit day and continued my non-athletic lifestyle with packing and stressing. so on... And that means one week total stress with big packs and new address stuff. Luckily we got it finished before the Finnish roller-biathlon champs just during the next weekend! But there were no better way. One day during the previous week I realized I had to calm down and stop worrying about every single thing when I was crying all day along, even in the training...^^/

My new home is now here in the centrum of Joensuu, just a few steps away from university.. I'm living now in a huge 106m2 flat with my little brother and boyfriend. It's only ridiculous that both of them took this moving very calmly, and only I was affected so heavily.
But dont' worry now I'm doing a little bit better! Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to follow the A-team to Obertilliach trainingcamp, nor I have money for Ramsau sportcamp! This year our lovely association put so heavy costs for the camp that none of b-team can't afford it!

That means training days at home... that's a bit heavy for my bright head which loves Austria and the landscapes of Ramsau!

However, There were certainly some things going on here, and that's (hopefully) the reason for the poor races at this point of the season. Luckily I've still three months to go before the season starts.... in SWEDEN!!! o vad jag saknar ditåt!:)

I'll update later, now I head to dancelessons and wait for the coming sportcamp in Vuokatti!

Arrivederci!
GLG

Otepää, there and back again!

2011-07-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Tere!

Once again we've returned back home from sunny Otepää!! At this time the news- free traveling day was Friday, the day when there were these insane terrorattacks in Norway. I'm so upset how this was so raw! so sorry for the norwegians and fellows^^/

Well above that miserable story I heard also good news from Sweden! My good friend and my only finnish speaking teacher in Östersund Marko Laaksonen will be coaching the swedish biathlon women team=) And during this spring there were my ex-coach Johan Hagström doing this job! I'm so proud of them both. JEJEJJE=)

So we've just finished our trainingcamp in Otepää. 8th summer in a row!! So the landscapes are quite familiar to me:) Two weeks there is just enough, longer time would have driven us to madness I think^^' This year we had other schoolaccommodation, just in the middle of the town. Good sides were that there were gym and room for cycles and stuff. Otherwise, it was a bit bad choice. Estonian Rally circus arrived to the city at the 2nd weekend, and living just in the centrum wasn't very pleasant to sleep. and the hot nights were also prohibiting recovery... If you're sweating 24/7 you're not so fresh after two weeks trainingcamp with over 40 hours training and around 10hours pure shootingtraining^^D

Anatoly was the chef of the camp and I think we managed well also this year. I did a bit my own trainings, and actually I felt great! :o I was able to run properly first time after 9 weeks with my broken feet (hurted it during kick-boxing lesson^0) And due to massages and right training it was getting better all the time... Hopefully it will last the races during the next weekend, when we have Finnish Championships in Cross-Biathlon! This journey to Jalasjärvi is long, though. After that I'll perhaps continue to Lahti to my coach and to Helsinki with my boyfriend. So we'll see when I come back^^')

Tomorrow's the day when my big brother is getting married!!=) Seems like we'll have a warm sunny day coming, with a lot of happy things...:)) I'll be reading some poetry in the church and in the evening maybe singing. We'll have fun anyways;)
Now off to the city and enjoy the sunset in the summerheat... Tomorrow I'll be fine:P

xxx

ps. Thank you all for the nice birthdaywishes. As I told you earlier, now I'm wiser, sun-tanned and thinner. *grinning*hehe:D Danke schön, tack så mycket, bolshoe spasibo, jekuji =)

Breaking Silence!

2011-07-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was just driving back home from training "deep in the swamp" when I heard this tragedy of one of the greatest cross-country skiers in Finland, Mika Myllylä. Ten years he had to to stand up to the critic and shit, having big private-, as well as alcoholproblems. I hope none of the athletes have to live the “post-sport- life” like that.

Anyways above all, I’m not dead (ironically) although I’ve been climbing up to the Vuokatinvaara in deadheat, trying Benji-jumping, and crowling in the mod… XD

Last time I wrote it was time for Off-season, now we’ve been training over two months since that! Trainingcamps in Åland and Vuokatti are well-done and now I’m just about to head to Otepää. And believe or not, it’s 8^th summer in a row when I’m doing this!! I bet this happens also next July and until death do us part… ^^'

Actually I started the trainingseason with lovely combined training and relaxing week in Crete! Swimming and running on the beach, but also biking to the nearest mountainpeak with my little brother included to the program. +27c degrees and sun made my smile wider and my skin browner:D Satisfying result!

After that I’ve been training mostly at home, only one “small” problem rolling in my head all the time. I don’t know who would be my coach!!!! And that’s more than a huge question cause now we’re talking about the years until Olympic Wintergames in 2015! As you may know our Anatoly came back to Kontiolahti, and I had been co-operating with my Norwegian coach since October. Then we also got a new A-team coach Mika Haapoja (my ex-coach before I moved to Östersund) . And how come, I had three eager coaches willing to coach me, but dunno how I came to the option that nobody expected! Somehow (and with help of my dearest..including phonecalls to all around the world..) Tomi Kuutti from Lahti (Also Kaisa’s and Mari’s ex-coach) is now supposed to bring something fresh to my body. I’m trusting now that this system will work and bring me a new level in my skiing. Shooting things I’m handling with Anatoly and co. So there shouldn’t be any problem. I have also started a new mental training program with Christoph Treier and I hope I’ll reach my goals easier when he’s around!:)

We have now a brandnew coachgroup, including also Kaisa’s personal coach Jarmo Punkkinen. Thus far everything seems okey and I hope it will be even better! We have more trainingcamps than ever before and that means only more days abroad… J Ruhpolding, Obertilliach, Ramsau, Vuokatti and Muonio, for A-team.. Maybe I’m coming along with them to some of the camps! In the meanwhile I’ll be training at home with Ahti and Anatoly, once in a while taking a tour to Lahti to my personalcoach. Who knows, maybe I’m also moving to that direction pretty soon. But about that and the reasons later then:D

So I’m heading to Lahti now and tomorrow morning to Otepää for two weeks. After that it’s time for the wedding of my big brother<3 That will be sensitive and great day. A relaxing day between the trainingcamps and Finnish Cross-Summerbiathlon Champs…

Returning here later ,I’m then one year older and one year wiser, happily and eager to see again the beloved ones.:)

Hugs xxx

Off Season ^^)

2011-04-22T01:47:00.000-07:00

And it's officially over!
The Biathlon season 2010- 2011... It started 4th of November and was finished 4th of April when we had these Finnish Championships.
I think 6 months are enough for this far and I didn't want to even think about racing until Easter holidays^^'

ANyways, Finnish Champs and 3 races in the row. At this point of the season it was extremely tough. After one race it was already hard..
We did well in Friday's relay as our Kontiolahti sportclub team Sarianna, Katja and me took Golden medal! It was actually tough fight against Oulu team as I left to the final leg 30sec after the leading team! But we did it! ANd that was all:D
In sprint on Sat I was a bit exhausted, but ran the race finishing 5th with 2 penalties, long after Winner Kaisa! She won 2nd finished Mari 2,5minutes... so so:D Outstanding performance again from her!:)
On Sunday and mass start the the foggy and a bit rainy conditions made the race even more hard! But finishing 6th with 1013 penalties.. eh. last standin ruined my silvermedal thoughts.. (just to mention Kaisa didn't race on that day!)

But relieved feeling after the last finals!!! =) a couple of hours after the race we went to play floorball... nearly 2 hours fun. and after that we were not drinking only hart sport liquids^^'D

So 4 weeks we have kind of vacation. I consider it like the holidays from the work! "Normal people" have theis 4 weeks holidays every year. So do we:) SO now it's the time to visit the friends, cousins.. take maybe some days off abroad to relax and so on.. maybe even some party^^D

One thing I made at first time in my life last saturday.. Trance rave Party in Helsinki!! Laserpoint Labyrinth whatever it was called, anyways:D Everybody was dressed in White and there were a lot of laserlights and of course a lot of people!! great. 8 hours pure trance music. Sander Van Doorn from NL and Blank & Jones from Germany, there are some great Dj's to recommend!:))

Well, Now off to KneeLakeCity (my hometown Polvijärvi) to relax during the Easter holidays..:) I bought also a new snowboard from one of the best snowboarders in Finland, so maybe I need to try this gorgeous board more;)
I was also planning a last minute flight to somewhere and as well as visit in Switzerland but I'll do it maybe later then or not at all^^'

But I wish you all Happy Easter! Frohe Ostern! Glad Påsk! Hyvää Pääsiäistä!!

See ya later.. dress in white;))

Five to go!! B)

2011-03-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Third update in the row.. You bet I have a rest day?.D yep. Two weeks to go before the season is over. We have still Finnish Champs in Cross-coutry and as well in biathlon. Next weekend we'll go to Kuopio and I will ski sprint and relay! It will be fun I think so...:) Unfortunately I've been too tired to think about traveling/competing abroad anymore, so Sweden and Switzerland has to wait for me a bit more to arrive.. Later!!;)
Otherwise I'm planning to enjoy the lovely spring weathers here at home. The tempereture is still in minus grades at nights so there's still quite a much snow and cónditions are perfect^^)

The first weekend in April we have then biathlon season ending here in Kontiolahti! Let's take the last fight against the World's best and Finland's best biathletes:) On Friday relay, on Saturday Sprint and the season will be finished by Mass start! After that I'm only counting the days when I'm back at the airport... :P

The homecoming is always nice, but for me already one week feels too boring, eh dunno. Maybe I'm used to have a bit stressy life abroad... at the sametime it's also nice! The life at home, training and those things at this time of the season is not so funny anymore^^') I think I need to take vacation and then I'm full of energy and will be back in the business first of May;)

My little brother came home yesterday night from Oslo. I had been cleaning up the house in every corner, cooking a yammy hamcheeseroll plus strawberrymousse.. the sauna was hot and some beers in the fridge. eh what would a man prefer???;D
Only one man in the world can get even better...;)

Now off to the sunshine and day off:D and boxing lessons are waiting for...

xox

The next (cold) part- Siberia!!

2011-03-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

From the sunny lovely Italian Alps we headed to the other side of Ural mountains. The city builded to the middle of nowhere, only oilplatforms decorating our view from the 5 stars hotel-- (only builded for the biathletes, and maybe 3rd time in use:D)

We had sunshine also there, but the other things like -15c and sometimes like a hurricane wind didn't give the same spirit as in Italy! The food was still quite good here, even if we had been expecting something worse due to our last visit to Russian marks (Ostrov 2009)..

Otherwise the strict laws with the weapons and police(milizi) everywhere made me feel like in a gansterwar^^D
The trip from München straight to Khanty-Mansiysk was smooth, we could have been waiting even more, but we didn't:D arriving around 3am to the hotel and off to bed.. I couldn't sleep. EH. Time difference to Italy was 4 hours so there were no panic!
Only in the mornings when you have to hurry up to the brekfast before 10am was hard.!!!:D The following week I was sleeping until the noon, eating my own porridge in the hotelroom:D

After arriving and training a few days I felt a bit weird. It was hard to know if I was tired or why^^ During the first 3 days I got massages and my legs felt nearly okey. Anyways our coaches changed their minds a couple of times in a day, and we had a qualification to the sprint with Sarianna! 3K and 2 shootings. Well at 10 am trainingtime and my pissed off -mind due to the desicions and not-okey-feeling in muscles. I shot 1+1, sarkku 0+0... and my skiing, didn't even get the speed. So I spend the next few days in bed.. Finally it was actually a good choice cause I didn't still feel topfit! And Sarkku did, the best result in WorldCup so far!.)

So what about others. Well, I think you know that our Kaisa did well... more than well!!! the great season so far and now even Worldchampion in pursuit after the silvermedail in sprint!
It was a sensitive and glorious moment when I saw her face on the finish line, waving the flag that I have been taping to my skipole and giving it just before the line!! GREAT!=))
Hopefully the finnish biathlon is getting a boost from this..

..

For me the first Worldchamps start was then in individual race. On that day we didn't have very fair conditions. On the morningrun the wind was blowing so hard that moving against wind was nearly impossible!! -15c and... :D After Kaisa's pursuit there were some parties, but I skipped the most fun due to my sickness. Well I felt kind of okey, only my hurting back (SI- thing down in the back was locked) was a big problem! Our massieur tried to push hard to get it okey, but cause it's not anything to do with the muscles it wasn't really helping.

But the race was still quite okey! only 3 penalties in difficult conditions wasn't bad. Unluckily I had one of the laziest skiing performances this year^/ pain in the back and slow cold snow. So far away from the normal course time.. Place 49th in WorldChamps isn't really bad, though! I must be glad to be in top 50 first time ever!!! Next year I'll take already worldcup points,;))

I got some help from the swiss physio later on the week so that my skiing felt a lot better in relay!!=) Danke Patrick und co!!.)) er fehlt noch ein paar bierlis.. I think without swiss guys these 4 weeks would have been much more miserable..

So when the others started to party after men's relay (or even earlier) we focused to the relay. Well it was only average from us compared to Antholz, but also the conditions were even trickier! Place 11th and Kaisa's 0+0 without reservs was good! I for example lost my time on the range taking 2+3 extrabullets next to nervous Sleptsova. shame shame..

So packing up the things and off to party. Next morning early flight to Oslo.. And I think I saw more than one tired athlete in the plane;)
And cause the relay was a qualirace (again) Sarkku could stay in Oslo for a few more days..

I headed back HOME!!!!:D

First Part - Ridnaun!

2011-03-21T04:35:00.000-07:00

Like I promised. Let's take a step back to Valentine's Day 14th of February!
A day when you're supposed to remember all you dearest friends. I hope my friends know they are important without any special day, though^^) I kind of passed this monday somehow..

Anyways, I was standing at München airport already 9 am, waiting for my friend Mario to come and pick me and my brother... on the way to Ridnaun and Italy!
From the icecold -25c at home we had come to sunny Italy and +5! There were not much snow left down in the valleys, but still some amounts up the on the mountains:)) oh great!

Our friend and coach Anatoly had arranged a good accommodation just next to the big Schneeberg-hotel.. You just need to walk out from the door out to the shooting range. Perfect!=)

Well, It was sunny only for this day. Next few days it was snowing quite a lot(40cm?), and the track was supersoft! Maybe due to this I had a bit too high intensity in my trainings and in the end of week my legs were hard like stones. And a lack of massieur...

We moved on to another accommodation on Saturday, living the whole week in the same house with swiss team...!!! Joy!=)) Next to the skitrack and excellent flat!

The first race was on Monday when the men had their individual 20K/15K race. My little brother skied again superfast but 5 penalties dropped him to the place 17th. For me the first race on tuesday was like a comedy. Stone legs and high altitude didn't really help. Only my shooting, except the last standing (3) was okey.
From this day my brother got sick, me being awake half of the nights cause of his coughing. But it got even worse as he had a horrible pain in the stomach. One late evening I then took him to the hospital.
So that's why there weren't any finnish relay teams running to the finish on Thursday. Always missing one part from a team^^' "hilarious"damn.. NOT!

Sprint race on Sat was neither a hilarious one, my shooting seemed to be anything but easy-going. 3 penalties and I end up to the the place 40! oh gott. Luckily my legs were a bit better, maybe cause of non-stressy evenings...;)
Luckily the day after my skiing got a tiny boost even if the sunny weather had changed to snowfall (again)..My nearly super shooting 0+0+0+2 was satisfying!:) There was something to cheer up anyways eh!:D
The next job was to pack all the things and fly next day then to Khanty-Mansiysk and World Championships!!:)

Two weeks in Italy was great what comes to people and athmosphere. I enjoyed my stay...And I'm missing all the time...
But new experiences were waiting for us on the other side of the globe .... Dawai dawai!!;)

ps. skiingpics taken by Mario Danzl, biathlon Austria!
The other ones taken by Mika Haapoja!=)

Long time, no see -4 weeks adventure!

2011-03-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Ciao!

I arrived yesterday back home, felt like a train had droven over me. Depressing weather with plus zero and snowfall, grey greatness to be at home^^' eh. A bit over 4 weeks I've been all over the world, as how I could say. First two weeks in Italy in Open European Championships then 2 weeks in chilly Siberia in World Championships! (Comments and pics following in the next update!:D)

Having still a jetlag (from siberia plus partying.;)) I woke up today at 8 am, without alarm, feeling great! The grey landscapes had turned into sunshine and -5c! We have been eating two weeks a bit "heavier" russian food, so now I can cook and bake whatever I really want!! jipiii!!!! The strict timetable with trainings, changing clothes, dinnertimes etc have changed to easy-going life eh and "wear-whatever or nothing" :DD Also the empty fridge has been filled again and oh the glory when I got into the sauna first time in 4 weeks!!:))) It's nice to be home... for a while;)

I will enjoy one week all alone at home... Maybe tomorrow I'll get my skies and rifle, dunno where they are, hopefully not anymore in Russia!!! It feels very poor without, especially in this weather! We have still 3 weeks to go before the season is over..
I was in Oslo too, but got the directflight back home, so no more Worldcup starts for me this season! Hoping for better results and more WorldCup races next season then! I'm already missing you my dear biathlonfriends!:)

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital. -J.Paterno

I'll be going Swedish or Schweizer Champs the next week, maybe. If it's just working out well.. We have also Finnish Champs in Cross-country and Biathlon coming on:D So tough end for the season aanyways!
We'll see what happens. As I'm a bit restless now... Missing a lot to Switzerland, but would also like to see me swedish friends.. and also other friends here and there:)) How I will handle everything ouii...

Now off to Sauna!! :D
ps. no jokes about it...;)) It's just a same thing like you would eat.. everyday,)

Mr. Champion!!

2011-01-30T10:27:00.000-08:00

YEAAAAA!

As you didn't already know...:D My super little brother was 4th in the JuniorWorldCHampionships Sprint in Nove Mesto! So little did he lost.. 0,3 seconds from the medal!! It's so close.. but only shows that he is fit!!! Beware-.- Pursuit wasn't that great but 13th place is still great!!:P Congrats!
(He also won in January the Cross-country Finnish Championships on 10km's skate race U23 and he's just 21. great potential..!=))

I had my own champange in the fridge^^' And it's been delighting a bit as I've been a bit sick since I came back home from the hard World Cup circus.. And also a lot of other disturbing things going on...

I'll be training (when I'm not sick..) two weeks from now on at home. And leaving to Ridnaun, Italy for preparationcamp for the European Championships at 14th.. probably:D
Can't wait for...:)) After the Ridnaun there's a chance that you may see me also in WOrld Championships.. But that's still a bit unsure:) Updating later!!
School...???? I'll take care of it! NOW:D

AND ABOUT THE SUCCESS AND BIATHLONLIFE;

All we can blame is firstly, our crazy big brother who was the first of us three to start this tricky sport called biathlon (I bet you've never heard!:D), then we must blame our parents who kicked us to go out rather than sit inside the house playing nintendo. ( I must be allergic to winter air..) As well we have to blame our grandmums taking care of energybalance when we have been "busy" (=lazy:D). Too delicious...yok.
Mostly we have to blame also the coach(es) on the way... Why on earth they were yelling there about technic and all the advice... horrible! And what if there were not our biathlonfriends and colleagues who were training with us, pushing us forward year by year.. (Don't they anything else to do?)
And about the sponsors and sport Club! Shame on you.. so much supporting and waste of money! And finally we are blaming the non-biathlon friends.. disturbing the focused, all-the-time-biathlon-in mind -living... shame shame on you!!

Shame on all..:D and This speech was not about to blame on you. It's all about thanking=)
Really:)

Yours, Laura

See you.. B)

ps. I am sure I saw the sun today!! 0_o

The Last from the triple blessed Cups!:D

2011-01-30T10:15:00.000-08:00

So from rainy Ruhpolding to Suntholz. ANtholz is well-known from it's sunny windless weathers and perfect tracks! We didn't have sun every day but It was totally like a dream after the previous two weeks!:)

Four girls from FInland, actually all been representing Kontiolahti SportClub . Mari, Sarkku and me= the youngster super relay team( wiht tens of gold medals) and our yellow bib Kaisa. Couldn't be funnier:) Our Hotel was also like a heaven, awesome Italian food, swimmingpool, and luxorius rooms, and all girl together!:) It helped a lot to get a good atmosphere for the relay! I think that was the key---

First Sprint on Friday where I did a good performance. Though, 2 penalties from the standing is too much. But skiing time, loosing less than ever. (Yea yea. I fell down again, in the icy down-hill curve before the first splittime. I may have lost not only the whole speed to this uphill but maybe 15seconds at least^^' My poor ass... was hurting the next day, a lot!:DD hehheh, LOL

Anyways!!!!! It was OK in sprint but our relay was really GREAT!!=) Only 9 spare bullets, and no penalties. It must be ALso some kind of record during the previous years..
So 10th place alltogehter, just 23 seconds behing podium place and Norway!! WOW. We were (are still) very happy!:) We were smiling together with the sun and perfect -8..:)

so back to home.... =) Greetings for all the supporters and people on the track! I'm sorry that I couldn't always regonize or it was impossible to stop... maybe next time:))

Wolrd Cup 2. Ruhpolding!!

2011-01-30T09:43:00.000-08:00

So early monday morning back to the road and we headed towards the Alps.. Actually the sun was shining:D First and Last time within a week^^'
The bustrip was long, thanks for our biathloncollegues from Kazakhstan. I suppose they jsut woke up at that time when the bus arrived to the hotel 0_o

I had never been to Ruhpolding so I cant' compare how was the track and things earlier, better or worse. Anyways I liked the track, even though these tricky down-hills were not really "skiable".. I think we saw tens of "fails" during the women's races...^^'

Mari left to Liberec and we were the only girls with Kaisa! On tuesday we got to celebrate Kaisa's birthday. Cake and something..:D lecker!
In the program we had individual race and sprint.. (+ pursuit)

At that day when we had individual race, I didn't make a morning running like usually. I looked out from the window, it was pouring rain, total heavy one:D Unbelievable. I think I changed clothes like 4times at that time... It didn't really help eh As you got wet after 2minutes..:P

I did a quite a good race anyways. Penalties 0+2+0+1 and the place 68th is my personal best. It was even near.. the top 60! the last shot cracking;)
Also the skiing felt a lot better than in Oberhof. Due to wide tracks and harder track it was easier to find my own natural racespeed and I even remembered to breathe.. (It was about time..:D)

In sprint I was a bit careless, that's why 2+2 misses. The skiing felt okey but I think I should have still started a bit faster.. Anyways, Like my coach said, Sometimes it's good not to survive so well. So I'll be much better later then:)
I think most of my friends have already seen me crossing the finish line... Must be some kind of record; I was FLYING to the finish. A small balance mistake, and I nearly fell down before the finish line, but somehow I survived with one ski just to above the line^^' Check out Youtube:DD
Some ruassian fan of mine had made marvellous videos of my falling..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH7Qeibzglk

As well I didn't survive to Pursuit with that performance, But still someone of the cameramen found me photoing with Kaisa's camera beside the track^^' And again some russian fan made a short video... ENJOY:D LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m3cCXHWVxQ or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmrHjrSHSNk&feature=related

The Saturday evening I spent with the team by pizza and git also one visitor. was great! =)

OFF to SUntholZ!!:D

ps. We got Sarkku from Altenberg to relay... jippii^^')

World Cup tournee starts. Oberhof!

2011-01-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

Heyy! After a month abroad I'm back at home and have some time for writing...:) The blog is not only for you my fellows, but also for me:D Maybe I'll read these uppdatings a bit later, and find them nice.. when I have retired:D
Anyways our World Cup Tour started from Oberhof where we had at first time relay team starting, and for me also sprint! :) The second time in World Cup ever...

You know Oberhof, it was foggy like usually. From the training day's -10 it turned to +5 and total rain to the relay. So we had all kind of weathers:D Above all a horrible wind in Men's relay.. I read from the local newspaper, 100 penalty loops and 324 reserv bullets, must be some kind of record:D

Finland's team Kaisa, Mari, Maija and me got also a lot of penalties 7 or 9 I don't wanna remember:D Anyways it wasn't easy to shoot, the fogg was so heavy that it was nearly impossible the find the black spots^^' We were over a loop after the leading team before I even started so I knew it would be only 4km's race.. finally we got the place 18th = we can do better...

In sprint the huge amount of people, cigarettes, smoke, fireworks, soft snow and the horrible Birx-steig.. and the result was something like 81th and 1+2 penalties. It felt like a heavy ring around my legs cause of the pressing athmosphere on the tracks! sorry people, thanks people that you were cheering me. eh:D But that all felt like a bit stressy at first time...
We had the best skies at this rainy evening, though. Kaisa was 5th with 3 penalties and our Mari got her first WC points this year.. 31th with 3 penalties! so great:))) So from rainy Oberhof we headed to ....Super Rainy Ruhpolding!!:DDD

ps. in photo we girls on sprint night and our physiotherapeut Juhani:) (as you know the starting times in oberhof were like nightmare, literally. in relay my starttime was about 20.30p, so 21.30 finnish time;))

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

New Year, new tricks and experiences. Hopefully the bad things will stay in the year 2010, but may all thee good things follow us to this year!!=) That was said by a dear friend of mine from Sweden. And it really sounds great if would be so easy... Let's hope the "troubles" will be sweeped away soon anyways!:)

I spent Christmas time at home in Polvijärvi, taking it easy! The temperature stayed around -25c, even -32c so there were not much training outside.. Once we were walking with snowshoes in our nationalpark Koli! You can check out some pics from Facebook. Very pretty, but a bit cold and frozen white eyeflashes:P But it was fun! I think it was my first time in the winter when I was there:)

Otherwise I had been very nice and kind during the year as I got so many presents. One of the best, a big PINK bag of tools... very handy!:D As you know the best at Christmas is when you are allowed to eat delicious food! hour-long-dinners together with family.. :) Just have to be careful with "over-weight" as there were not so much training^^D

I gave to my Dad an English- phrasebook, He has to learn a bit more!!:D As I said him, you never know from which country my boyfriend will come!:p hehe. Above that a guidebook to Austria was included to the present... ;)

On Monday I got the a kick-start to the training by a boxing lesson. It was great!!:D I guarantee that you wil feel your upperbody the following day...
The training continues this week, as I couldn't even celebrate new year that much! Anyways hope you had fun and the next year even funnier!:))

Well, tomorrow off we go to Helsinki and on Monday we are already in Oberhof, Germany!!=)
The first World Cup of this year, and the second one in my career! Wish me luck and check out www.biathlonworld.com and liveresults!!:)

The relay will start 6th of January at 19.30 german time, also 20.30 finland's time!!! very late I think.. and Sprint will follow then on Saturday!

Off to lovely winter weather and then packing.. BIS BALD!!;)

An early X-Mas present!

2010-12-22T08:28:00.000-08:00

Arrivederci!

Sunny Martell, I will miss you! =)
From warm Italy we headed back to Obertilliach where the last races of this year were held. Sprint on Friday and pursuit on Saturday! For our tiny team (4 men and 2 women) Sprint wasn't so brilliant as it could be. Maybe recovery from the high-altitude Martell wasn't so ideal, anyways, only the "youngsters" Sami and me survived to pursuit. For me the cold weather and new snow was a bad combination and the "easy feeling" (skiing only shorts underneath in Martell) was away. In sprint I got 0+2 penalties but lost seems-like-a-calenderyear at the track! puuh. It didn't really help that we had a bit bad glide under the skies. (Fischer never lets me down!)

On Saturday it was even more horrible underneath the skis. Our lonely waxman couldn't conjure the glide as the russians for example. But somehow i fought my way to Finish, getting 1+0+2+2 penalties and the low rang 50th! That sounds like a nightmare, but as I checked last years results I had lost over a loop to the winner at that time. And in Sprint I had the same position, but last year 1 penalty! I hope it's getting better now--- I'm finally at home!!:D no more spaghetti and minced meat sauce.^^'

So back to the track. After races we headed straight to München... Eagerly waiting for flight back home. As the rest of Europe was fighting against snowheaps we managed to get home... Nice. Only missing my baggage, rifle and skies. Luckily a day after my arrival I got them. :)

One good race and a couple of okey races and lot of experience, again. That's the result from the latest three weeks! Not good, not bad. Anyways I think after this Christmas pause and training I'll be more fit and locker. : )

On Monday I was Christmas shopping and I got some perfect presents for my beloved ones:) Daddy will get something really awesome!:DD I'll tell you later... heh.

BUT one of the best Christmas presents I got already!! A phonecall from the coach. I'll be starting in WorldCup in January! So Biathlon WorldCup in Oberhof at first, then maybe Ruhpolding and Anterselva!!=) So Come on everybody and cheers!! See you hopefully on the track!:)))

Still, One of my merriest X-mas wishes is that I would get a kind note from a vip person... Looking forward to January... =) Maybe my wish comes true..

Now time for Christmas Holidays! Tomorrow I'll head to our Nationalpark Koli and take my snowshoes and take a round:) -30c degrees and sunshine. And the shortest day of the year! Luckily it's spring soon!=)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2011! God Jul och gott nytt år! Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! С Рождеством Христовым и с Новым годом!

xox,

Laura

ps. A warning for naughty kids (and adults). In Martell we had a team dinner on Thursday. During the funny evening we got a visit from 5 Krampus. Check out from Google what they are for. Anyways these hairy monsters slapped (specially) girls with their "brooms". I was hanging out with austrian boys, and the boys tried to get them on me. This one in the picture came afterwards to me.. Me yealling " Ich bin nicht böse"..( I'm not naughty) and he just laughed like a naughty Santa.. "Ich glaub dir nicht.." (I don't believe you) :DD Crazyyyyy. Auf Wiedersehen!:)

Back on the track in Italy and Austria!

2010-12-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

So,
not having any world Cups during december. That meant we had a preparationcamp for Martell Ibu-cup starting already 4th of Dec. One week in Obertilliach, and we were NOT alone there!:DD So many teams training there, so many competitions during Sunday. ÖSV had some qualiraces for european xc-cup, germans their own sprint for IBU-cup, as well as austrian biathletes had their pursuits then.

3 days training at home before rushing to the train again. Finnair had cancelled all flights during that week, I got a phonecall from the headcoach only two hours before the last train left:D eh. a bit stressy packing and off to Helsinki... really really nice:D

Anyways we got a lot of luck during the flights, from Helsinki- Düsseldorf- München. And all in!=) Amazing luck, we got all our stuff and also the way to Obertilliach was smooth. Our world Cup-team otherwise didn't had that luck as their baggages and rifles were a long time somewhere between Östersund-Stockholm- Copenhagen-München..
Funny story from the airport:D ; A mixed group of men were having a bachelor- party, on the way to somewhere and sitting in the same plane. "the husband" was selling some "items" for our guys.. and wanted to give me some xs strings... but I didn't take them;) hehe. but we got a lot of laugh:D

Preparation for Martell was brilliant as the sun was shining and the temperature comfortable +1 - -6c =) I was skiing more classic, maybe that's why my body is getting better all the time.
When we got to Martell then it was perfect sunny weather and predicted -2c! perfect.. Only the next days skiing up there changed the perfect "imaginations":P. YEP. 1750meters above the sea level, the feeling a bit "weird":D Also the sight to the track. Steap long upphills and tricky, curvy downhills.. Kontiolahti is like a toyfield compared to that:D And I know what I'm talking about!

The races were as tough as they could be. Individual race, 15km's and very extreme wind conditions.. Miss Fortuna was a bit mixing the results as we saw some 0+5+4+1 or that kind of funny results at the range:p For me it was a bit "Pech"... 1+2+3+1, and also 7minutes extra. wiuh, I found myself on the place 38 on the resultlists. The feeling on the last loop, and the last 700meters. Pure uphill, wind against and all in... heh. And the curvy down hill to the finish. I barely stood on my skies^^' highest lactat ever!!:o

Living in a hotel where we had a swimmingpool and sauna (but no internet) recovered me quite a well from the long race. Max puls in the race was still low, 181... a bit afraid of the high altitude? But still I skied my legs "off"..:D oh lovely. On Sunday's sprint, though, I made my best result this season.
2+0 penalties in a tricky wind again and a nice 18th place! I was really near by top ten after the last shooting, but my tired legs dropped me down 6 places during the last hard 2,5 kms..

Anyways I'm quite a happy with the results, I even won the the winner from Beitostölen (Kalina)... as she had 4 penalties. The feeling, it's getting better. Only 3 weeks and good training I've reached a bit the top! makes sence!:)

Now out to run and then sauna=) As well waiting for a guest later then...
Races on Friday and Saturday, sprint and pursuit, predicted weather around -15c. hrrr,nice. Thumbs up and GO!=)

xox

Flight by flight---

2010-12-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

How was I wondering last time, Kaisa may be in a good shape right?
And hell yes she is!:)) Congrats to her and her superior season start both in Östersund and Hochfilzen. I'm glad and proud too:) As I've seen most of the races in tv, it seems the weather conditions have been very extreme during the past two weeks!

And what happened to me? Well, after GP-races in Kontiolahti we packed our things and flew to Norway where we had IBU-races in Beitostölen! There we had the same freezing weathers like in Muonio. During the racedays we had -15c or even more plus very tricky hard wind! ufff.
Anyways I nearly did well there. As my prone shooting was brilliant, my standing was horrible..
On Sat I had 0+3 penalties and was two minutes behind the leader. On Sunday I managed to dropp one target more and ended up to the place 33. So I was the 3rd woman in our group and got a flightticket back home.

Somehow we just managed to rush to the last train home, with Sarkku:D I must say it was so near to miss it with the slow bus, late flight...hrrrr. My little brother Ahti, though, made again some good results there, 2nd best and so he continued to Östersund and to Hochfilzen!!=)) proud sister...=)

The story continues a bit later...:)

Muonio and the season starts!!.)

2010-11-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

Ramsau, Ramsau.. I've been in Finland over a month! The latest weeks have been flying and it's time for season start soon!!
As there has been no time or no internet it has been a bit difficult to guess where I'm:D Now I'm at home in Joensuu and heading tomorrow to Helsinki and from there to Oslo! And the destination is Beitostölen:) There will be the first biathlon IBU-cup this season...

After Ramsau we had two weeks trainingperiod here in Kontiolahti, mostly in good conditions, sometimes rainy and warm. Well, unfortunately, I got sick just 5 days before the first qualification-race in Vuokatti! Poor me. Hard training and rainy weather didn't fit together.. I didn't even go to school to avoid this huge fluwave (Okey, I wouldn't go there anyways:D). Pity but true, I stayed 3 days in Vuokatti doing nothing, without internet and watching when others were fighting from the places to IBU-cup! As our (whole) A-team, Kappa and Mari are heading straight to Östersund there's only one place to World cup. And in men's category as well 3 places. So after Beito we will know who continues to Sweden and who to Italy! (IBU-cup preparation in Obertilliach/Ridnau).

Anyways, straight from Vuokatti we headed to Muonio to the last trainingcamp before the season starts! Long way to drive, but me and my lt bro managed to make it quick. So 10 days training, living in a lovely house with Kappa, only 5 meters from the track! So after being sick a while I managed to get on my feet again and "catch" the days I lost earlier... It was also nice to see biathlonfriends from other countries. Swedish team just left the place when we arrived and the germans came there only a few days later:)

We had one trainingcompetition during the last days, pursuit with individual start. In this cold weather I didn't get the feeling for shooting but skiing was okey, only 1 minute after Kappa. But must say she didn't take all in:) As you know she was 7th in Muonio skating race only a 2 days earlier, only 30sec after Follis, Kowalzyk and Majdic. WOW!

The season started officially later then last weekend when we had gp-races here in Kontiolahti. After long homejourney and some specialtraining I had lost the "greatest" feeling, and climbing up the world cup-track at this time of the season felt like crawling in the mud.D Anyways Kaisa won outstanding again, leaving (well-shot) Mari by a minute, and olympic winner Kuzmina over a minute!! I managed to hit 4 and 4 but in the skiing time I lost 3 minutes instead of last weeks 1 minute. usch. In pursuit my shooting was nearly good, that means 1+0+0+3. The last standing was shaking legs after 4 loops this "lovely" track:p

I got anyways the place to the team, as the coaches believed that I can do better. So I'm heading to Norway and who knows where I'm later:) But beware of Kaisa! On Sunday she won over two minutes before Kuzmina.. let's see how it goes after a week!! Now it's time for packing again:) It'll be interesting too see where the other stands at this early time of the season.. Would be nice to start in Östersund, but it may be too early for me...
Week by week it goes better. Mainly cause I'm having a bit easier training from now on..:))

See ya somewhere in Europe!!!!!=) on the road again...
ps. pick from Muonio

in da Ramsau =)

2010-10-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Grüss di!

Bin wieda mal in Finnland u es gibt seit 3 tage vü schnee! so super owa ich vermisse scho die Bergen, Ramsau u noch was...:)
Ja so was this introduction in german. It would be actually nice to write here in german, or swedish. But as most of my friends understand english so it's better this way. The language that I cannot so good as the other ones..:P

Well, as most of you know we had a trainingcamp in Ramsau, in lovely Austria! In the program there was skiing on the glaciär/aufm Gletscher at the altitude of 2600 above the sea level! quite high, but stunning views and good tracks!:)) This year there was much more snow than the previous year, no black snow, only a bit icy tracks early in the morning! And who could believe I was waking up earlier than 7am just to get up to the gondol and to ski!:D But if you have been there even once, or seen some pics... it's worth it!:) Sunshine and allt that.. Just so awesome. During 15 days when we were there I filled my "mental"batteries for the coming season and these miserable/dark weathers here in Finland I'll stand by this imagination, skiing in Ramsau:))

What comes to the weather, the first two days it was snowing up there, couldn't see the track properly but the tracks weren't icy at least and the skies were gliding all the way perfect^^' the next 13 days it was just awesome sunshine:D that's why i still look a bit like a pandabear:)
Down in the valley we had good conditions for training, on the rollerskies, running with poles, powertrainings etc. Even shorts were needed!!:) Grejjjt!

We did the hard trainings "downstairs" and up there only quite easy.. someday higher lactat, some other day " i believe i can fly!..:D (means excellent!) One rest day and two half days off we drove the program. Some guys of our finnish team were a bit sick during the last few days, but otherwise the camp succeeded pretty well I think. Also my little brother, first time there, was doing really great. Training with the "big ones" without any problems.. I say beware, he's fit for the JWCH's!;)

I enjoyed the stay there, and actually wanted to stay there a bit longer...=) for that I had many reasons, but one of them was the chilly weather here in Finland! Since Wednesday there's been snow on the ground!! oh well.. luckily today when I was skiing first time here in Kontiolahti at the cooled ski track it was a bit sunny.) Just to mention we have 3,5km's track here, 60cm snow and world cup tracks ready for us, for russians and some other teams:)

4th of November we have the first qualification race in Vuokatti. The first and the last!! so early, but same for everone.. It's the q-race for IBu-cup in Beitostölen, if you don't get there you can forget the other races abroad as well during December! Tough game, isn't it?
I'll do my best, and if it's not enough I just need to train more. This year we have only 3 places in WC, and 4 places in IBU-cup so the competition is hard!

But time for relax and sauna. Luckily our perfect hotel in Ramsau, Kobaldof, offered us finnish sauna every evening, swimming, golf and other stuff to get a good relaxation between and after the trainings:) Plus points go to Austrian biathlon A-kader, keeping me some company when I had a bit boring as the only finnish girl living in that hotel. I was also using my german, swedish and russian skills as the lifts were full of norwegians, and swedish biathlon and military teams were there as well. Germany biathlon teams joined us the second week, funny boys andi, simon etc:D As the canadians left the building and there came hundreds of russians I forgot my few french phrases and tried to speak some russian instead... Incredible but true, I managed some conversations:P

But now off... talk you later... in english.^^')
training hard and waiting for the first biathlon races.. hopefully you too!?;)

xox LG

Kontiolahti 2015 and autumn plans!:)

2010-09-20T11:06:00.001-07:00

Wieder hier...Çava?.)
It took a while before I'm back here, but it means only that I've been busy..!! And in this case training!:) Autumn is already here as the leaves are falling from the trees and it's been really chilly and rainy. Luckily I'm heading soon to lovely Ramsau!!:) On Sunday finnish biathlon A-/B-team will travel to München and straight way to Ramsau am Dachstein... I hope the weather will be as great as last year; sunshine and shorts "downstairs" and nice skiing auf dem Gletscher!! We'll see, I'm anyways more than glad to be back there as these surroundings here are getting a bit boring sometimes... Even if our austrian "helper" Joe Obererlacher is back here in the city and will train our younger biathletes the next two weeks. (Pity that our sportclubboss didn't realize the fact that nearly half of the team is at that time in Ramsau!!^/)

Anyways, the coach things are not any clearer, but we have to live with the fact that the system will work like this until next spring. Then's the time for change, maybe...
Me and my little brother had hard VOmax tests last week in Vuokatti and it looks good for the coming season!... counting; two months to go...:D And one month will pass quickly when we are in Ramsau 15 days and then what else...:))

The fact why I wanted to write here actually was the desicion, Kontiolahti will held biathlon World Championships 2015!! So there's a way to go.. I hope I'll be racing there, reaching the top. but it means hard training 4,5 years... good coach(es) and training system! And I guess >I need also some change in my surroundings! More than probably I'll be spending my training time somewhere abroad.. Best offers will be taken on!;)

Now my russian and french books are waiting for me^^') Eh, I've been already a couple of times at school, but I bet I'm not able to finish even half of the courses that I've chosen!.D Maybe I'll take my Bachelor exams in the spring..:p

See ya in Ramsau.. or later then; Beitostölen eller vad som helst^^D au revoir!

Östersund & new coaches

2010-08-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hejjjj! Here we are, unfortunately back in rainy Finland.. Where are the gorgeous views over Storsjön, warm weathers and smily people? It's all in Östersund, and it will always be!:)) One week in Sweden passed absolutely too quickly, wishing it would last forever:D

The trip started from Vuokatti as we drove through Finland to Vaasa where we took the "pizzaboat".:D It was nice to get to know our new coach (and the only one in finnish biathlon association) from Norway!:) Kristian happened to be a nice, professional and co-operating coach. And for my side it was really easy to discuss on the things as we both speak svenska!:)) The trainingweek was tough, including intervalls or hard powertraining every day. Glad to have sore (new?:D)muscles, but for the competitions at the weekend it wasn't so excellent. :D Anyways our big team from Finland, juniorteam+ a couple of B-team+ 50% from A-team(=Mari).. first 5 days training and then rollerski biathlon Ibu- cup, sprint and pursuit! Me like^^'

In sprint I managed to shoot quite well 0+1, but how lazy I was on the track!! oh shame on me.. Anyways, I finished something like one week after the winner, Helena Ekholm.. (One mention, I managed to shoot quicker and better on the first prone!;)) LOL. so Back to the pursuit where my skiing was getting a bit sharper. However, my shooting got a bit worse and when gathering 6 penalties I didn't get any chance against top 10^^ BUT, Grattis till Bettan, dagens vinnare!!

Hard work pays off!!:))

Congrats to our finnish junior boys, as they managed to reach top 6!! Okey, the norwegian gangsters didn't get a chance to compete equally as the organizers didn't let them start in the top (outside Ibu-cup!) To beat 2 minutes in sprint, then start 6 minutes after the best no-norwegian in pursuit. Ridiculous:D

Luckily it's still 3 months to go before first snowraces!! So after 24-hours-trip back home, staying the night in Umeå, getting bored on the pizzaboat and driving all the way through Finland back home to chilly Joensuu.. So tired!!! And It didn't really help my physical condition that we have an austrian coach, Joe, here this week! But after 7 hours sleep I was back at the stadium to meet (again a new) coach with a new trainingsystem! But without any fear..!!:)

This week went after all quite well, the others having a lot of intervalls and tough training this week. I had to skip some of them, taking rest after the hard week in Östersund.. Well, Joe is also nice (as well as Kristian). ANd here we are.. It's quite tough situation now and the question is what's gonna happen now ;to continue with the familiar russian system (but no coaches on the range^/), move to Vuokatti and train with norske Kristian or begin with austrian system until the next olympic games.. (cause that's the goal for me and for everybody I think!) Interesting times indeed. I'll write about this issue later then, when I know something new!:))

Today we had rollerski race here in Kontiolahti. +8 grades and rain in the night.. After such a feeling during the week I managed to take in everything I had left^, shooting 0+0 and hard last loop, I got a half minute gap to Sarianna (2nd). (and yes, Kaisa Varis was on the startline as well fyyy##¤%&¤%¤#!!!, luckily I beat her with 2 min..)
So tomorrow's the teammeetingday. We'll be wiser then:))
Now off to run a bit and waiting for next easy week and some UNIVERSITYstuff! Grejt!;))
Believe or not I'll be there, at least during the lunchtime.

ps. tackar Camp Södergren! Väldigt fint å bo där uppe!!.. extra poäng att svenska herrlaget med Tobbe, Ferry med mera bodde strax ovanför oss :DD kuuul!

xox Lara

Running away...

2010-08-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

Jippiii..!
We had the first and the last cross-biathlon races in Lahti last weekend!
So from this point it's time to concentrate more and more to skiing..:p Anyways briefly the results and feelings from the weekend... Nice and extremely hot!! Three races in a row and the temperature (still) in the shadow like +34c!

Not really my favouriteweather but anyways, we survived... Drinking water, swimming, shower... you name it!:D On friday we had sprint competition in the evening. I was a bit lazy on the track, nor did my standing shooting astonish (3 penalties)! so the tight race after our outstanding Kaisa (with 6 penalties), I finished 8th. bad! But next day the individual race and very hot weather.. I tried not to die... and finished 3rd!!:)) the best woman shooter of the day with 3 penalties and not bad running! I think it's okey result with this huge amount of runningraces behind (none!:D)..
So after the race we had a nice relaxing evening at the city! Unfortunately our coaches didn't like the idea being a bit out.. And me driving the big car. So quilty!:D

Anyways, on Sunday it was the relay day!! Our team; me, Sarianna, and Piia finished 2nd after Hämeenlinna's team..:) And to mention our superior boys won their juniorboys' relay! including my little brother (the fastest runner in men category btw!) and also the "youngsters" suprised with golden medals!:) so good day for Kontiolahti sport club!!

So that's it!! Time for packing and enjoying the last (maybe) warm nights and days of the summer! Today we still had +29c over here!!... wondering when it will get any colder..:D

Next goal is anyways Östersund!:) First I head to our summercottage to enjoy tomorrow's heat.. then I drive to Vuokatti!.) From there we start with our new norwegian coach, drive minibuses, taking ship to Sweden... So here we come, Östersund!:)) I've really been missing it and of course the friends over there.
So one week's trainingcamp and then the IBU-cup rollerskiraces!.) Nice to see where we stand at this time of the season..

So off we go.. Dunno if I come back after all the crab that we have had here, coachsituation and blaaaah.. Well, I will.. To meet an austrian coach who will be here one week to check our trainings and giving advice. Maybe fixing a studentplace for me in Obertilliach, or somewhere there *gg*

så vi ses!!! KRAMAR

7th time, back in Otepää!!

2010-08-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tere!
Tons of sweat. ..That's how I could describe our 2,5 weeks trainingcamp in Otepää, Estonia! Temperature didn't go under +22c, not even during the nights. so hot!! If I had holidays it would have been fun and nice B) , but as a sportler it was a bit tuffer.. even too hot! Sometimes my cheeks white I wished I was swimming already in the lake.. eh.

Liquids, liquids.. and shelter! That's what we did between the trainings. Otherwise we didn't need shirts to wear in the trainings, nor the others.^^' that made landscapes even better, though.. and you know what I mean!:P At the same time there were both russian biathlon teams, ukraine team, estonian team, some other russian teams etc..
Sometimes it brought some problems how to get some shootingplaces, as the priority lay on the a-teams... Anyways, I must consider that AGAIN Otepää trainingcamp was the highpoint of the summer and summertraining. I feel comfortable there, and I think the surrounding and trainingconditions are so perfect! And living next to shooting range... both thumbs up:)))

This time we didn't get the good advice from our headcoach Anatoly, as he was so eagerly working with rus a-team. Our two "advicers" here couldn't fill A's place, unfortunately. One of them (fater of two boys in the team) could organize trainingfacilities and so on, otherwise his knowledge about the coaching couldn't improve the quality of the trainings!. What comes to this new, young x-c coach.. He flew to some own races to Lappland during the camp, returned back in a high fewer and after that he was only chilling the rest of the camp. Great, isn't it?:D Unfortunately our youngest got sick (maybe due to this "new coach) during the second week, and also my roommate Sarkku just in the end of the camp. In this heat fever and throwing out aren't nice..^//

so Help help.. It doesn't seem so bright over here. But living with the facts... AND luckily we have done the same kind of program already 4 years (okey for me only two cause of my sweden year:)) so we already know how it should be done...! I hope that the things will be better during the autumn and this was only hesitated conclusion about the new system..

So 7th time in Otepää, not the best but otherwise as precious as the previous years!:) And after three years the Estonian Rally event entered the city, filling the streets during the first weekend. and also blocking the streets and preventing us from rollerskiing on the new shootingrange area! damn. Somehow I managed to get us VIP-tickets, trying the rallycar.. and you name it!:D hilarious:)) and not forgetting to mention my friends from Saalfelden!! Dankeeee, war echt supa!:)

Anyways we got this all through and came back home, only to feel the same heat!
Now it's been time to chill out, celebrate my birthday (yes, I'm one year wiser..:D) and then welcome August and the new challenges.

Next stop Lahti and Finnish Champs in cross-biathlon. Then I'll head to dear Östersund! 8 days trainingcamp and the IBU-rollerski cup.. that's the plan and that's what I'm eagerly waiting for!:)) let's check the situation..

Now time for European Champs and Barcelona in my sight! ..Thorkildsen.. *gg* :P

ps. I got now a new bike after the accident!!! :) yeee

The life before and after the disaster.

2010-07-07T04:31:00.000-07:00

The sun is burning and the training goes on.. it's +30c degrees outside and I'm melting down^^'
It's been a while since I wrote last time, but it's only a good sign, I'm been busy doing training, or just too lazy to sit inside in these lovely summerweathers!!

But to the latest news and happenings. July passed wuite quickly, three weeks trainingcamp was just enough to complete.. Some lovely restdays I was hanging out at the city with the friends, taking some tour to the circus (see the pics from FB) or watching the movies Sex and the City 2 or Twilight Eclipse. For that point I was very happy:) and we still had 4 days to go at the training camp when I had this disaster morning...

I was cykling towards the near by forest when I just was hit by car in the crossroads! Well, I saw the car, thought this 76-years old man would see me... but he didn't. He came straight on me, behind the "stop-signs", turning to the right and hitting me to the left side^/ I flew to the engine bonnet and to the asfalt, just in a seconds! But i had so much luck at this time.. didn't hit my head, nor broken bones.. only scratches and big bruises on my left leg (and damaged thigh^/)! Am I a catwoman or something? well, I ended up to the hospital for a day, an ambulance and two policecars taking care of me and my damaged bike. (they didn't let me go home!!!) too bad, but luckily my doctor was young and handsome, so I cheered up a bit during the day... :)
Mm.. but 5cm more up and the oldie would have hit my thighbone's upper end.. In this case I would not be running at the moment!!^/// grr...

So that was the lovely Tuesday! I got antibiotics, bandages and something else. At the middle of misummer's week. Damn! I was not allowed to run or jump or drink or swim or Sauna!! so Midsummer's day "parties" i spent lovely at home, cleaning up and listening to the quit city.. Maybe it was only good physically! Mentally it's very depressing not able to do the thing you love to! I tried rollerskies after a couple of days... a bit painful it was, though! Even I had good medicin..^^'

Anyways I'm back in the training right now! What happened two weeks ago, there are only this black bruises in my left leg.. otherwise I'm as stunning as always:D
I just came from Vuokatti where we had biathloncarnevals going on. There were also all the cross-country teams and a lot of "skiing-people":) Otherwise my weekend was kind of perfect, on Saturday we were sailing a bit, grilling, chilling.. etc:D I was also skiing in the grey tunnel^^' -4 inside and +30 outside!! sounds even better, right?..:P

Now time for packing!! on Friday we head to hot Otepää.. coming back 26th of July. or dunno when I'm finally at home:))

Not so much time for rest anyways, as we have the cross-summerbiathlon Finnish Championships in Lahti 6th-8th of August.. then 15th-24 of August the B-team and junior-team will have a trainingcamp/IBU-rollerski biathloncup competitions in Östersund!!<3 :))) jååååååååå....

Have a nice summertime!! getting tanned, yeah..:))

The future in our hands!

2010-06-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a classmeeting in my hometown Polvijärvi, a small village with 5000 inhabitants and only 40km's away from the big city Joensuu. Well, we were around 90 of us who were studying in the primary school the last three years 2000-2003. Now it was time to see some familiar faces, ca 40 of us.. long time, no see! A funny evening after all with a lot of laugh and interesting histories!:) I think the most "awarded" person was my classmate, a husband and three kids (at the age of 23)! eh... I've a lot of to catch up!:D (I'm just 21y, though)..

Anyways the evening was long but nice... Celebrating in the local pub^^' But from now on my job is to train hard.. It's my summerjob, my all-year work and it's my hobby and it's my passion and 24 hours per day. Eh, dunno where is my husband and three kids (and a dog)?:D

So back to the business.. Only one doubt.. Our dear coach Anatoly will be staying in Russian next year and coaching the russian A-team. The reason for this change was after all, family! You know, sometimes there are bigger things than just sport.. like love for wife:) So I appreciate his decision and after all it's not even making such a diffirence to our trainings. Actually it's getting better!!!:) Anatoly will be still writing trainingprograms, and will be for example training with us in Otepää in July and later with me in Ramsau. Instead of this nobel man, we got three new coaches to compensate Anatoly! And I think it will be working perfectly!:) shooting coach and everything. So from this sudden fright and fear that I'll end up coachless, turned out to be a jackpot!

I didn't have any fear, though. I had already been thinking several oppoturnities, most of them linked to an exchange year abroad, moving to Austria or near by:)) (what a surprise!:P) And like usually things are always solved out somehow^^' But it's not my current though. Even if it would be more than great to make it true, rightaway!!:D supppa schen...

The first 3-weeks trainingcamp will begin next monday after this weekend's celebration when the "youngsters" are leaving the school with white hats and the others finishing other educations:) So I'll be working as a waitress a whole day tomorrow, and maybe ending it with one drink at the city;) I just got the trainingprogram for the camp, and it will be tuff job to fulfill it! (with joy, however:))! so eh, thumbs up and off we go^^'

so everything's fine..:) now sex and the city...? (2;))

And you know, it's only three weeks to go to Midsummer's day, bright and sun all night along....;)

ps. pics from 2010 and 2006.. I know, you get only dumber after taking the A-levels (das Abitur!):P

What the spring brings...?

2010-05-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

Heyyyy!
Long time no see^^' after the wonderful wintertrip to Sweden I had to head back to Finland to do the last exams and all missing schoolworks.. And of course the last funny race of the season, supersprint!:)

That was a funny one, with 4 shootings, supershort tracks and shiny sunny weather... a huge "lake" on the shooting range:D Anyways, that was a nice way to end the miscellaneous season with up- and downhills!
So it was time for off-season and recharging to the new one..

I did it by concentrating a bit to the schoolworks, and after that a marvellous trip in the middle Europe!:) so after celebrating the craziest week at the uni (before 1st of May!!) there are every evening going some party and the suit is always overalls! (for me the ugly yellow one).. :DD
But before the chilly rainy Finland overtook my bored mind I headed to Zürich and from there forward to Kreuzlingen, the city next to German boarders. That was a tiny chock when it was +25 when I arrived and -2 in Joensuu!!:D Loving sun<3

I celebrated 1st of May actually in Loney, Lausanne where my friend's friend had a small scandinavian party!!:)) It was really awesome to get to know new faces, and above when they all were funny and nice people!! I think I enjoyed a lot of this random trip to the southern Schweiz:) so around Switzerland.. Geneva, Luzern and so on.. I could say that the traveling is tuff job, but in this case it was brilliant. Nice views and good company..:) And how many of you has done morningrunning to Germany and back??;) or been at the gym where you have hundreds of different "powervehicles"!.. (and I used only a few of them:D) That's Schweiz!!!

So after almost one week in lovely Schweiz my german sponsor Steinbach picked me up from Kreuzlingen and we headed to rainy Meiningen. Then the day after to Oberhof to check the places...:) I had a short coffee pause with a biathlon friend while Manuel had some meeting.. It seems my trainingcamp in Oberhof in the autumn will happen! Even it's a bit unsure one, cause of other things... B-team trainingcamps and my coach will may have some other opinions..

Anyways, after Thüringer grillparty I headed by train to Paris!! Me and one of my best friends (from the early childhood.D) conquered Paris in 2 days. Louvre, Notre Dame, Eiffel, Champ's de Elysee and so on... And to mention we climbed up to the Eiffel by STAIRS!!:D hehe. Try it..,) I say it was a nice training^^' With hurting legs (from all this walking) we headed to Le Mans where my friend actually lives.. A beautiful city, warm sunny weather... what a gorgeous morning running in the near-by- forests:))

So then back to Finland via Paris and overnight in Helsinki.. My baggage arrived home after two days though cause of strike at Paris' airport!! So after this genious vacation I am ready to start training once again.. at full blast, the next 350 days, 24/ 7... you know.. this nice easy "work":D
We just had the first trainingcamp in Vuokatti..
The weather is perfect! +27c and sun at the moment! :) Yesterdays long training in our nationalpark Koli was one of the best ever!

Looking forward to the next weeks..

see ya later xox

Sweeeet Sweden!

2010-04-05T01:59:00.000-07:00

So back to the story:)) or fairytale..

Well, I arrived to Östersund early in the evening, and stayed by a biathlonfriend until my friend who had been in x-c SM in Skellefteå would arrive to the city:) Anyways, early in the next morning I was supposed to head to Lima, 340kms south from Östersund. Swedish Champs in Biathlon! Luckily I didn't need to drive by myself!:) (Would have been cheaper, though. Got parkingfees 2x 600kronor (60euros) Nice?:DD) In the end I got an excellent accommodation in a very cheap price, thanking Erik Gradin very much!!:)

So we had sprint and pursuit in the program! the weather was nice and sunny and there were nearly 20 of women on the startline!:) In Finnish Champs we hardly had 15th! so how did it go for the finnish champion?:D well, I lost over 3 minutes to the top.. Okey, ACO and Helena Jonsson were so much ahead of others! with clear shootin ACO won 40sec before Helena, then there were a gap like 2 minutes before the third woman Anna-Maria Nilsson! I was 11th, with two misses in the standing. It was tuff battle from 3rd place to 12th!! a bit over a minute..not bad!:) I was waiting for the pursuit to be interesting.. climbing up the "murderhill" 5 times would "kill" anybody":D

Anyways, I didn't get this chance.. The arrangers wanted me to start together with ACO (in the guestclass!) so that was that. I hanged with Aco.. a while *grinning* then I got company from Helena in the first and 2nd shooting.. ( I shot clean, Helena missed one!:D) but after that I started to gather penalties. twice from second prone and first standing.. so I barely saw anybody on the track. Anyways last shooting clean, and I could ski to the finish as 3rd..:) The tracks were tuffer in pursuit as the sun smleting the snow, and all the upphills were like playing swampsocker!:D Comparing to the other girls I would have been 7th.. What is in the end quite good:) So that was the last race of this season if I don't get a huge eager to race after one week in Kontiolahti...

I stayed one night in Lima, standing in the rain next day cheering up the others:D Then we horried up to Östersund where the season's best race and afterski was waiting for us!.D Unlucklily we missed the down-hillrace (with Redbull and Jägermeister) but the big dinner was in the evening!! nearly 100 x-c skier and biathletes gathered together in a secret place to eat a nice dinner, then heading to the city.. afterparty:D I would say, really awesome evening!! And I did see many of my friends..:)) and met also some news! Thanks New Sweden Team for arranging this geniuos happening!.)

The day after I was skiing.. enthusiastic!! Was so awesome to be back in the city and ski on the stadium:)) Hopefully I'll be skiing here again soon.. At least in December in biathlon WC:))

Anyways I spent the evening by a dinner with my friends.. Then heading to Åre, the best skicentrum in Sweden(?).D I got invitation a day earlier, and without thinking more I wanted to join this miscellaneous group I hardly knew...(I'm not shy ^^D)! Anyways, it was really fun.. ! Living in the luxorious hotel on the top of hill, in a suite! Spa and afterski.. lot of people and marvellous breakfast, for free!!:D eh. Not bad, isn't it?:))

Next morning the prefect weather, clear blue sky and -2! A nice skitrip in Åre.. then returning back to Östersund:)) This is it! I just say, what a trip.. spontanious, hilarious.. And I have still two days to go!!:))) I don't want to go back to rainy Finland, where all snow has nearly disappeared and the boring schoolstuff is waiting for me..^^'

I really have to book a flight to somewhere warm or south after 1st of May:D Before that it's impossible cause of school and univesity celebration... eh.D Okey, We'll see... Now I'll enjoy the last days in lovely Sweden..:)

Adjö!.)

Season's ending..:))

2010-04-05T01:19:00.000-07:00

Tjäna! Now it was time to update. It's been a bit hectic again, with the last races to this season and my trip to Sweden:)
After World Cup in Kontiolahti I managed to "visit" school and train to the remaining races. First in the program we had Cross-country finnish Champs in Kontiolahti. I was supposed to ski on Friday in the sprintrelay with Sarkku and on Sat we had normal relay 3x 5km! Well, briefly about the results, we got into the finals!:D We never expected that!:) In sprintrelay each team has two skiers (skating style this year) and each of them skies 1,2km at full blast.. then exchange and this 3 times per each!!:D tuff job I would say!!:) But to do it twice during a few hours... So we got the place 14th. I think it's very good among the world's best skiers like Saarinen, Kuitunen etc..!! and next morning I really felt like I had been doing something extraordinary^^' In biathlon you never had that kind of races! But how weird that sounds, it felt easier than in a while..maybe the sunshine and warm weather had risen up my spirit and musclework^^D anyways it was easy to reach my normal maxpulse.. It hadn't happened since december...^/ extremely cold weathers had taken the sharpest shape!

What comes to the relay on Sat. I took the second leg, and managed to bring us to exchange as 14th, having a good leg!! (oh, don't mention about the first exchange.. eh. maybe I was a bit "sleepy" cause I missed Sarkku's coming to the exchange area so that she had to wait me a while, me rushing past the girls in the queue:D) anyways, we didn't loose that much time:D we end up to the place 24th in the end, the last girl had just been sick so her goal was to ski into the finish! After all not bad races!!:) We'll have two biathlon races in April but let's see if there's any snow left then:D

Then I jumped into my car, rushed back to home, quick packing and coffeepause with a friend.. Off we go to Vaasa and early on Sunday morning to Sweden!!;) yeee. That I had been waiting so long time.. My coach wasn't really happy about my plans, but what he can do,) The season in Finland is pretty much over, and my urge to visit friends in Sweden was really strong. So after 500kms driving through Finland to the west coast I was in the night in Vaasa and at 8 o'clock (am) the pizzaboat headed to Umeå! (do not forget to change the summertime, "¤&#%%%!!^^) after 6 (!!!) hours of this horrible seatrip I rested a while in Umeå by my dear friend Anki, watching the last biathlon WCH race of the year!:) lovely! Congrats to Germany for the 1st place, to Norway for the 2nd place and of course to Sweden with the 3rd place!!:))

Then it was already time to continue to Östersund, accommodation still unknown:P That's in the next blog then...;) now off to sunshine and ski a while,) Ciao! I return here with some pics.. and stories from Sweden,)

Biathlon World Cup in Kontiolahti:)))

2010-03-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

How could I describe the week... Awesome, marvellous, hectic, stressy, warm, cold, new experience, new faces, super athmosphere, nice views, cute guys, tuff races and extreme excitement...!!:D How come..

We arrived to Joensuu on Monday afternoon after trip to Otepää. at 4 o'clock I had to be already at the airport welcoming Canadian team as a Chief of Attachees:D of course my other attaschees were there as well, but anyways I wanted to do my job well:)
The same pattern continued the next three days as we welcomed team in the afternoons, arranging things in the hotels and so on.. I started mornings by "chief" meetings @8am and was training mostly in the afternoon with other athletes, until Friday! I thought our coaches had put me to the lists as a reserv.. Cause Sarianna had been a bit ill and 5th named girl Annukka was at that point in Pokljuka! But no way.. As you know Mari got some fever and "everybody" thought I could replace her.... But this small mistake, not being on the list and IBU-rules. No start for me!! From this point I could forget skiing and I continued as a attaschee and working for dopingcontrol, picking up the athletes from the hotels etc...

Never mind, I had a wonderful weekend:) Getting to know more people than what I would have done as an athlete. Racing on the hometracks would have been great, though!! I enjoyed my job, and last night's delivering of drinkingtickets..:D hehe. I don't tell who and what and how. I just say what happens in the parties, stays in the parties:D School started at 8am on Monday.. was really a horrible back to the reality^^' walking straight from the *** to the university.. with a dizzy feeling "I should be somewhere else":D Somewhere else.. could have been Holmenkollen. Would have been brilliant But it didn't really surprise me that they took there only a few.. maybe next year we will have only 2 places in the WC:D LOL. nice job^^' Luckily there will be some changes within two months...

My gorgeus little brother got his first chance in World cup!! He shot nearly perfect, only one penalty. Unfortunately he got some "sting" in the lungs during the second loop so the skiing was not normal.. Anyways, I'm proud of him:) He will get some new chances next year too, I'm sure!!:))

Now it has taken two days to recover from the weekend^^' I think I still need a couple of days to be normalfit:D This weekend I'll be working as a skiteacher, next weekend we have Finnish Champs in cross-country here in Kontiolahti! I have sprintrelay and relay in the program:)
Straight after these competitions I'm heading to Sweden!! Biathlon Swedish Champs in Lima... and then I'm probably continuing to Östersund to celebrate Easter:)) Looking forward....

Thanks all my biathlonfriends from last weekend! See ya within a half year again.. :))

xox

European Champs, part 3

2010-03-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

What did I tell last time?.D since I wrote here last time had passed only 10 days.. but I've been "working" and running around the clock since then so excuse me for late updating:)

European Championships in Otepää ended with sprint and pursuit races in the lovely weather! Sunshine and minusgrades made me smile, although my own races were far away from satisfying level! In Sprint i got 1+1 penalties and ended up to the place 34.. my uncourageous skiing didn't bring me up on the lists. But there were at least one good point in that race, the last loop was fastest and only there I could try a bit harder skiing^^' you know, lactat can kill... 0_o

Anyways after three races I was already exhausted.. I was back to the hotel not earlier than 5pm. And what says our "genious" teamleaders (Not my own coach!!) "Everybody must be at the stadium for medalceremony at 7pm! wise move.. after race no time for rest, no finnish on the podium and outside -9!! great! And no other athletes from other countries there if not necessary!! I was refusing this foolish order but went with the others.. No wondering about the effects to Sunday! Other nice business from this armyleader. Come to knock our roomdoor at 7.30 am, when knowing we have a race in the afternoon..just saying " oh girls did I wake you up? lunch starts at 11am.bye!.. " If we had already known... Cause we didn't have any properly teammeeting either! we just found out the facts ourselves!! And just finally to mention, our leaders didn't understand a word in the teammeetings^^' LOL. I just say a word: disaster.

So on Sunday we had pursuit. I just have the same speed all the races! you know.. I could have skied 10 races one after another without a pause^^' anyways shooting was okey, except first standing! I thought I would be going to the place 11.. but they showed me the place 30!! last time they didn't fill it.. so from this steep small downhill I had to break fast to the last place and I think that scrambled my mind. Summa summarum, at least I got a lot of experience in these competitions. What i needed most was my relaxed skiing! these 100 weeks in the freaking cold weather didn't help either.. Anyways.. Now I'm on the road again:) unfortunately there are only few races left...

We left the city straight after pursuit so there were hardly no time for farewells.. pity! damn coaches! Luckily I saw a couple of mates here again in Kontiolahti World Cup..:) I missed some athlete's party, though.)

that's the next subject,) oh mann....

European champs, part 2

2010-03-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the lovely sunshine!!! I just ended my best classic training this year! -3 and the superior tracks:) loving it!

What comes to the relay yesterday it was a pretty much fighting from the last place. Even though with better shooting we could have managed to reach even better places. This young team will get a new chance, though...

So penaltyqueens skied 5 times 150meters extra loop what doesn't really help when we loose already in skiing!! I myself managed to drop all the targets, using 5 reservbullets to hit my 2 misses^^ What comes to the weatherconditions it was snowing but temperature falling to -3c. Skiing is all the same! where the relaxed good technik? where's the hard-pushing girl what we've seen earlier this winter? dunno, only thing what I can do for the rest of the races is to focus my mind on shooting and not trying to try more what I can..

So tomorrow off we go for Sprint and then probably pursuit!.) Yesterday there were athelete's party, but for me it was only a small visit to the local pub and then I went quite early to the bed^^' good girl!

Finland got 4th place in mixed relay! Congrats.! My perfect-shootiing little brother skied the second fastest legtime and was amazing! :)) Proud of him, and also others in the team..!

Wish me luck, now's the time for the last chance to show....

..

European Champs in Otepää!

2010-03-03T01:14:00.000-08:00

Here we are again!!:) Since end of July there's a lot of snow and the city looks a bit different, quite sleepy actually!
We travelled by bus all day on saturday to get to Helsinki and then continuing to Tallin and Otepää in the afternoon on Sunday. Luckily we got the best hotel in the town and at least food is something eatable.. (compared to some previous meals during the years.D)

Day 1.
Anyways racing started on Tuesday with Individual race. It's been snowing/raining already a couple of days, temperature just above +0 c! In the morning before start it was also windy and the new snow falling made a light "glue" under the skies^^' But I felt better than last weekend in -20c!:) So startnumber 3 and off we go. In zeroing the wind was calming down a bit and also snowing seemed to stop. Well, during the next 15 minutes it started to snow heavily.. and it got thicker all the time during the race. The tracks were soft and not really helping my poor skiing. It was like a repris from Hochfilzen. Only the tracks were not yellow ones.D

I shot 1+1+2+2 which was absolutely too much! For me it was like a lottery on the shooting range when the wind was blowing strongly. I ended up to the place 40 what in this case didn't satisfy me, nor my coach. And if I would try to not to fall down in the biggest downhill on the last loop helps a lot to get better placements^^'
It didn't prevent the top girls to make a good performances, though! Congrats German team!! Klasse!
So what can I do... More training. My season will be pretty much over after these champs so I'll try to show my best in tomorrow's relay and the weekend's races. Sprint and pursuit will be also on the program..:)

The weather getting colder and they have even forecasted some sun to the weekend so I'm excited!.) Thumbs up again.. I haven't lost my hope^^')

Oh it's time for Olympics!

2010-02-24T10:14:00.001-08:00

Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler are now in the world's spotlight. It's been nice to watch races (especially biathlon and cross-country). We've seen some nice surprises and also bad presentations. Luckily Svendsen, Fourcade, Ferry and Neuner didn't let me down.:)) Congrats.. Maybe after four years you'll see me 5 circles on the chest.) From the finnish viewpoint the Olympic games has been worse than ever before. Weather, snow, skies etc.. Maybe we should really have hired a psychologist...

I had my own games at the weekend, Open Biathlon Nordic Games in Hämeenlinna. How nice to get some dear biathlon concurrents from Sweden and Estonia!:) What comes to the races it was so horrible freezing weather. -19c (official temperature^^') plus biting wind 10m/s didn't not really give a chance to all to compete. All the competitions should have been canceled, but no way, of course they had to arrange races to get the money and fame^^ So Friday evening we had relay where I was in the 2nd team, getting the place 3 after the victorious swedish girls! Grattis! They really did good performances and showed to our 1st team, including 2 worldcupskiers, how to shoot!
On Saturday the weather looked sunny and great, but it was still windy and I got my nose and toes frozen. (The nose was the only thing what you could see under the buffs, tapes and hats:D)
1+1 and I was 3rd, 30seconds behind Sarianna. My riffle has still problems in the extreme cold weathers, co-operation is just temporary. Unfortunately, every raceday I had to use some reserve bullets to make five shots, my bolt spitting my bullets away one by one...^^/ this cost a lot of time.. And may have cost also the world cup place!!
On Sunday Elisabeth and Carro managed to catch the podium place after our outstanding winner, Teija!! I ended up to the place 5 with 2+1 penalties, skiing pretty good compared to the others. (not including Teija:D)

So why we really did 3 races? We wanted to have some good races before the headgoal of the season, European Championships in Otepää, Estonia. There were only a few things good to tell from the competitions, though. I'm really getting pissed off when the temperature is all the time below -20 and when it's not so it's snowing like hell and blowing it against your face^^ So the Preparation to the big champs hasn't been the perfect one. We'll see what happens. Anyways I'm more than glad to get out of the city and country! Otepää has either never let me down..

When it's cold you just can't train very well. So I was hardworking and managed to do my Bachelor Degree- exams, including 20 pages shit about swedish grammar:D I'll probably get my "papers" out in May. I still have to do a couple of small "things" with sportmedicin... Anyways, I'll be ready to do something else. I'm planning to take a year off in Austria or Germany, or maybe moving back to Östersund. (At least I know how to train there and have already friends there:)) Only "preventing" thing might be my coach Anatoly who just said he'll be here in Finland until next Olympic Games in Sochi 2014! We'll see. I'll be thinking about the oppoturnities...At least I'll be abroad, trainingcamps and so on.. as much as i can. Oberhof, September and then Ramsau here I come!:))

Then some bad and good news! I won't be skiing in the next world Cup in Kontiolahti. The big bosses had been again doing some random drawing.. never explaining where is the qualification race and when or what's the deciding "thing". Anyways, seems like Finnish champs were not. Maybe the first (and only the first) race in Hämeenlinna was the "one". At least that's the only race where I've lost during the last month to Sarianna... I must say that I'm pissed off about the way how they make the decisions..but my chance will still come. Fuck off! I'll kick my ass off in Otepää, for sure!! Anyways, you will see me working in the world cup as a Chief of Attasees!! Hopefully it's a nice job. Otherwise I'll take a snowboard and flight to Austria and never come back!

Then the good ones.. You will see at least one Toivanen racing in Kontiolahti! My gorgeous little brother Ahti managed to beat every single men in Hämeenlinna and so he got a place in the World Cup!!! Awesome! Thumbs up!:))) He will probably ski also in Holmenkollen.. Maybe I'll join him to Norway and watch the races and so on;)

So next week I'll be in Estonia:)) I've always liked the place.I haven't been there in the winter, though. After that week only working in the WC I'll perhaps head to Sweden and to swedish Champions in Lima and continue to Östersund to celebrate Easter!!:))

Now time for OS again. Men's relay...:) Hopefully some of my secret favourites will be in the front line;)

adios

Finnish Champs, Frozen and Happy Ending:)

2010-01-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

Maybe you could even see it? Me smiling wider than Grand Canyon:D

We had Finnish Champs this weekend in Kauhajoki, a small city on the other side of Finland!
On Friday I woke up 6 am to get into the car... and starting the 7-hours-journey! Zeroing starting at 3 pm, so we had hardly any extra time to go^^' Eh, stupid minds.. Better to get there day before, but never mind, we got there early enough and the sprint race was first in the program!:)

I must say that Kontiolahti is too perfect place for training, cause in Kauhajoki the matts were slippery and icy, shooting race full of "wholes" and some extra "stuff" on the tracks was not really good for my skies^^ Anyways, we did zeroing in the daylight, and the sprint race was later in the evening, starting 5.15 pm so that it really was dark, and the lights on the range were really poor. What comes to the weather it was as chilly as it can be on my scale. -16 c degrees and mild wind (getting harder in the evening..^) aren't really my favourites..

The courses were not so difficult so the only "differing" thing between the best girls was just shooting! Well, I shot horrible 3+1 penalties. Compared to Maija who won the race with fast and perfect shooting, I did have really problems with my shooting and specially with my riffle! It didn't want to co-operate with me that day, throwing out my bullets one by one so that my standing took nearly one minut!^/ Pity, cause I lost only 1 minut to the leader although I had 4 penalties more!

Well, Pursuit next day went a "BIT" better. From the place 6 I lightly moved upwards on the list.. shooting 0+0 on prone stages then two misses on the first standing and finally the last shooting zero!!:)) Well, that's how it should be. That's the normal me, and that's what I can!! Well, The sprint winner just ended her one penalty loop(of total 3 in pursuit) when I rushed out from the shooting range. To the final loop together, skiing in the lead and taking the last "sprint" to the finish!:D yeee. 5 seconds ahead. I was happy. My first never ever personal gold medal in senior class!!:)) Last year I got my first junior gold but now it was already senior... step by step I will be going to the top. Hoping to catch the world's bests after a couple of years:)

I had to admit that the race would've been a bit different if our best biathletes would have been there. Top three women are still in World Cup Anterselva so we had only a fight of the "fourth".. who knows how they had managed here in Finland..

So The first and the last Finnish Champs this year!! Olympics are now in February so I have barely any races^^ If you didn't already know so Finland will have only one woman and one man in Vancouver.. Pity, cause Finland has 5+5 places!! And not filling the places, I think it's just stupid. "Money, money, money..." or whatever would be the reason.. (Okey we should be only skiing and shooting better, simple thing^^')

Now I'll fix my school things, do my candidate exams- thing (B-level?) and train for the European Champs, hold in the beginning of March in Estonia!:) I was also planning to compete in IBU-cups in the Alps, but my coach thinks it's wiser to stay at home^^ (dunno why he still thinks I'm getting into troubles abroad or something!?:D)

back to the roots.. back to the books. and the training. Thumbs up for the ladies and gentlemans in Vancouver. So many of them I already know.. amazing!:) Luckily Sochi is only 4 years to go..

"We are the kings and queens of Promise, We are the Phantoms of ourselves, Maybe the children of a lesser god , between heaven and hell..." =good song:)

hugs/ Lara CrAft

Funnies and bunnies of the year^^'

2010-01-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

A month passed without a sign of living, don't worry it means only that I've been quite busy..(or lazy.D)
After arriving home for Christmas I got sick and missed a few days of training.. and that's why New Year was also quite peaceful. Symphony concert a la J. Strauss and listening to Wiener Walz was just a comfortable way of welcoming the new decade. and above all I was planning to race the day after the new year's day so there were no point for harsh celebrating!.D
Temperatures has been down already a long time and also the q-races were just inside the limits, only "-20" on the startline. Stupid or not, I wanted to start! (not having any fever, though like in Canmore!!)

So considering the fact that I was not the topfit, I still ended up in sprint as 2nd with one penalty and only 9 seconds after my dear teammate Sarkku! well, that was enough anyways. She got the tickets to Oberhof and Ruhpolding. But Maybe it was only good for me to stay home and train.. don't want to be embrassed again when not being the absolut fit^^ I have time to come there! Beware Germany!,)

I've been at school a little bit, doing all the great exams what I should have done in Dec...:D Thus far, I've survived good enough! and passed:D that's enough. In addition to reading for the school, I've been training alone, well, basic training.. That's all good on the way to the European Champs in March!:) I did actually one race here in Finland last weekend, shooting 0002(best shoot this year!)... pity, that the all the best girls are in Germany and not even competing in Finnish Champs this weekend! I'll let you know the results later then.:)

In the end I was thinking about the higlights of the year 2009!!

January.. My first and last junior World Champs. Journey to Canada and all the new friends I got from there... I'll never forget!:))

February I got my only sight of my swedish dear friends, when racing in the juniorlandskamp. The absolut MISS of the year is of course Sweden and Östersund. fyy, va jag saknar dit..:))

March was the month to get the first gold medal in Finnish Champs in the W21!:) Before that I had a lovely IBU-cup trip to Italy, and I got my first Sponsor from Germany! danke schön Firmengruppe Steinbach!:))

April is the month of recovering (and partying at the university(!!?):p
1st of May was my lucky day and the week before..<3. In the beginning of the month I had a nice journey to Tenerife! No more english breakfast, plz;)!

June.. the Midsummer's day!! no more words:D
July trainingcamp in Estonia Otepää! As lovely as always.. It was already 6 th summer in a row!!:)
August was full of summer biathlon races.. more medals:) and the lovely summer heat weathers:)) (already waiting for..^^')

September; beginning of the schoolyear. Summer biathlon World Champs in Oberhof was the top!:)) getting the places 7th and 9th...:) And not forgetting the wonderful trainingcamp in Ramsau, two weeks!! continuing until 11th of October:) and I got to know one very special person, really worth of missing some teammeetings:)) Next year I'll be skiing on the glacier!!:)

November is always the hectic start of the season and this year I also started very well so that..
In December I had my first World Cup race in Hochfilzen!! and then the last but hopefully last sight to Austria was made in Obertilliach... Unfortunately the things didn't work out as I wanted. Well, Christmas comes always to the end and new friends what I've got on the journies saves the year:)
Absolut lovely song of the year: Oasis - Wonderwall

Then .. thankyou, sorry and cheers!! and now the new year!!:) What it will bring.. We'll see!:) Hopefully a lot of traveling and new friends.. and Of course seeing the old ones first!:)) Sweden is the first desire, then Europe.. everywhere:))

See ya!:) xxx

To the world and finally back home for Christmas!.)

2009-12-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

I spent our Independence day in a hotel room of Helsinki airport planning to be home after a week's journey. After all what I had been thinking about before the trip turned out to be something very different..

The first world cup ever for me, place: Hochfilzen, time: 11th of December 2009, race; sprint 7,5km women. Oh dear, at the first sight everything there in this big circus seemed to be like the same as I'm used to see in Junior WorldChamps and in many other competitions. BUT somewhere in my little mind I made it absolutely too big! Well, that's the excuse what I made myself of my abnormal performance on the shooting range and on the tracks.. and what comes to the weather.. well, you saw it. but It's the same for everyone.. Others handle it only better than some others! So shame on me! Luckily I can only get better now, and there will be more oppoturnities, I'm sure!!:)

As Raphael Poiree said in IBU-cup athlete's party: "Don't worry dear girl, I was also a total shit at the first time in WC! What you need is experience.." So he's right, I hope:) Now head up and to the new races..

The relay in Hochfilzen went a bit better for me. no penalties, and that weather really was much more enjoyable:) At the weekend there were approximately 13 000 spectators per day. I refused to look at the crowd before start.. afterwards it was only funny to see so much people crowded to a tiny stadion:D so we were 16th in the relay. Pity, we can do better, but that was that day's prestation.. maybe next time relayteam will be luckier!

After races in Hochfilzen I made a quick desicion to travel to Ibu-cup in Obertilliach. I just didn't want to go home yet after such a week. I do like Austria.. so one week more in the Alps! yes, my pleasure. My german sponsor Manuel Steinbach drove me there (on the way to Pokljuka). The sun welcomed me to the town, such nice views!:)) I stayed in Obertilliach with four other finns coming straight from ibu-cup in Ridnaun. Well, I survived this week well.. Living together had also it's "other" sides, though.

What comes to the competitions, the sprint on Friday was a sign of better days on the shooting range, only one penalty. In a such cold day with -16c and high altitude I was a bit scared of skiing (too) fast so I didn't get any good placement. In Pursuit I was nearly doing the normal-me, fortunately.) I got up 10 places with 3 penalties, and skiing past a japan girl on the last course;DD whoo, so place 36. After this race I can be comfortable with myself.. Getting better, and the goal is in March and European Champs..: ) Looking forward to go to Estonia!

I stayed in Obertilliach alone two more days by training and enjoying the sun and awesome landscapes.) Two hours skiing in the sunshine without taking the same track twice was sooo brilliant!! Only the minus grades getting below 15 were not good to my freezing toes^^ At least I had a peaceful time there. Missing some friend(s), though.

After leaving Obertilliach it took only two days to get home. At first the ride(with Steinbach) to München, and lunch in Salzburg took a half day. Then the flight to Copenhagen was late, and the another plane in Copenhagen never started. An engineproblem forced us to stay overnight in the airport hotel. Well at 3 am I was sleeping after waiting for 3 hours in a queue to the new check-in arrangements, then waiting 1 hour to get taxi who wants to take me and my skies in!!:DD Unbelievable..

Luckily I met one finnish girl on the flight and we could survive together from all this SAS shit. I met also one nice guy at the airport hotel, he helped us with the baggage.. and turned out to be a finnish personaltrainer- guy, only living in Schwitzerland! cool! what a coinsidence!:) Thanks Heidi and Tommi!! The journey without them would have been very miserable history...

So home for Christmas. I did it!:) Now it's time for relaxing and some good traininghours here in Kontiolahti, not forgetting mum's tasty christmasfood and all the family gathering together:)
Next races are after two weeks so a short break during the season is always welcomed:))
Gingerbread and glühwein.. mmms:P and It's really snowing!!

Merry Christmas for everyone!:) God Jul! S Razhdestvom! Frohe Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël! Feliz Navidad!

hugs, Laura

The season opened!

2009-11-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, it's raining and plus 5c degrees! Where the hell is all the snow??^/ Oh. It doesn't really feel like winter coming and biathlon season starting.. The only place where you can ski at the moment is Kontiolahti. (well, we have been there all the time so that doesn't make any difference^^') but anyways, first competitons are behind with mixed results!!

Last weekend we still had snow. Everywhere and it felt like christmas!! minus 5 and calm weather. What would make me more happy before the first race!?.)) Well, seems like my mood was as light as the weather. I managed to make a good first race for this year. Sprint, with one penalty in prone and okey skiing! Only 2 seconds after Slovakian Halinarova (0+1). Well, that was a surprise.. cause she's a good biathlete, being in WOrldcup top 30...!!!^^
It seems like we have been training good.. Well, that didn't help me this weekend, though.! I shot very bad...and in a meanwhile my skiing is getting better and better.. well, with penalties 3+1 in sprint and altogether 5 in pursuit I had no chance to challenge the world's bests.. Kuzmina, Mäkäräinen.. I was just too much behind! Well, the rainy weather and soft snow.. plus biggest uphills we can find made my legs trembling and my mind confused!! But that's biathlon!!:)) that's why I've chosen it..:)

Anyways, even if I was shooting bad, my skiing,otherwise, was third best (of finnish girls). I didn't get a chance to compete in Östersund World Cup. (really pity, my 2nd homeplace!!!) My teammate Sarianna will be skiing there, at the first time in WC. She deserved that place, shooting only 3 penalties during the weekend!! comparing to me ... ^^'

BUT I can start now in Hochfilzen and Austria! So here we come. the First World Cup ever..!!!:D but for sure, not the last one I bet!!:) Well, Now I should be happy:) And I am.. My german sponsor is as well, hopefully even somebody else. Dunno if somebody thinks I didn't deserve this place. but "make a chance, take a chance and breakaway.." !!:) That's how it goes.. Sweden and Östersund will wait for me. Hopefully I'm there then later.. next year, for sure!!:)

Now it's time for training here at home. two weeks and I'll head back to Austria <3
Maybe I'm able to stay there one week more.. training near by Ramsau.:) maybe, maybe not. My coach doesn't want me to stay "away" from his eyes.:D Am I too bad and crazy? I'm able to take care of myself:DD No problems, and always surviving:))! Don't claim anything else!:) And I would be training good, of that I'm really sure. If only there's a free place in accommodation...^^'

So I'll skip some schoolexams now, being able to do them in January! or later.:) It's not worth of worrying cause the teachers wll understand.. and hey, I don't even have that much school!:D

Thumbs up and off to Hochfilzen!!:) Need to find my "normal Laura" at the shooting range and everything's fine..

Take care! see ya at Christmas.. or how it was. or when it was? or Where I am then?:D Somebody's calling...;)

xox

Snow!! ojeje.

2009-11-10T10:51:00.000-08:00

The first snow was falling down already a long time ago, but today it's been snowing hardly. The trees are white, and the ground has over 20cms snow! Feels like Christmas!!:)) Well, my afternoon training didn't go so well cause my classic skies getting 10cm snow to the point where the stopperwax should be!:D Nice..

Last weekend we had very easy week with the trainings. My coach was at home in Moscow, so we had to survive here without his controlling eyes^^' well, it didn't really matter cause the amount of training did not astonish.D In a meanwhile I wanted to make " holidays" somewhere in the south, well at this point in Austria.. But wishes didn't came true and I stayed here in Joensuu studying Russian and Swedish. I don't find any big motivation towards my studies, though. I'm too lazy to start and I'm more likely to sit here in front of the computer than opening my books!! oops. Skype is good. But I'm getting more and more confused when I'm using many languages at the same time! So seems like I'm not charging to Russian.. maybe.D

What comes to studies I'm trying to avoid big school groups and lessons nowadays( for a good reason, though!:D). The H1N1 -virus is spreading also here in Eastern Finland.. And now when having only 4 days to the season start it would be horrible to get that high fever and so on. Although it would not kill me. who knows!^^' So on Saturday the season starts with an unofficial race here in Kontiolahti. Week after that there are GP-races in Kontiolahti and I'm hoping to see more nations than at this weekend. Russian, Belarus, Slovakian and some other groups are training here, so would be nice to see if Domracheva has got more speed during two months. In Oberhof in the end of September she didn't make an effort.. Losing minutes to Neuner! And that's a lot!

Seems like many teams are now training in Lappland and Scandinavian. Well, our team decided (just) to stay here. That wasn't a surprise, though. We have 5kms good track, having all the tracks what come to World Cup in March. It is only a little bit boring to ski here all the time. Missing some friends;_; But I won't say a word aloud. I was allowed to train over three weeks abroad... so I'm already satisfied!! More than last year anyways!!:D Now I would like to be somewhere in western neighborcountries. Why an earth it has to be so long way over the "waters"... pity. Saknar till Sverige!

Anyways after two weeks I'm in Sweden!! It will be lovely... Long time, no see. And now even the coach let me go! And thus far I haven't had any big problems with health so that shouldn't be a problem:) yeop. Hope too see...:)) Idre and IBU-cup. here we come. From there to Östersund.. would be a dream. But it's not time to think about it!

Now back to the business^^' stretching and a cup of tea. It's nice to see so much white utside. aww.

I'll update after the first races:)

x0x
Lara

The lovely traveling^)

2009-10-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

I love traveling. That's my conclusion after being abroad over three weeks^^' After the competitions in Germany we drove to Austria and the Alps!! For me who never has been in Austria.. only driven once in a while through it.. It's awesome!:)

Well, I must admit. It would be a place worth of living.. some longer times:) Like my dear Östersund!! The landscapes are brilliant.. some mountains, not a big city life. Well, dunno if I would like it in a longer run but anyways:) The sun was shining most of the days so that we could do trainings in shorts!!! wow.. And in the meanwhile it was pouring rain and only a couple of plus degrees in Finland. eh, I was a bit glad to hear that:D

Two weeks passed very fast.. and once again I didn't want to leave. (That's not the first time, though) I could do many good skiing trainings up there.. at the glacier. 2700 meters above the sea. WOw.. I' m sure I'll come back next year!! if not earlier;)

Among the trainings I had one sponsormeeting and some other "unofficial meetings":)) I got thousand fancards.. eh so Who wants one card, me and riffle in the front, so just say:DD It's just so ridiculous that I have such things^^' I'm not so "proffs" yet:)
So some shopping I did as well.. hats, jeans (totally too expensive, but i took them anyways:D) in Austria the shops are open only from 8 to 12 am.. then 2,5 hours "rest" and then once again.. I found it a bit funny.. compared to Finland where shops are open nearly around the clock:D And well yea, In Austria the youngsters at the age of 16 are allowed to buy alcohol.. to vote at the same age.. then drive the car at their 17's.. and buy whatever at the age of 18!!! unbelievable!:D

Anyways the trip there was sooo awesome:) there were also lot of other teams as canadians, russian, Austria biathlon teams and so on.. well, funny thing. I had a "date" with a local boy.. one gorgeous biathlete:) And now it seems it could lead somewhere.. eh. dunno:)) these are always the questions... try or not to try.. I'll try. Always when I feel like that..^^)

The season is coming soon. only 4 weeks and we'll run the first races.. then who knows where I'll end up. My goal is to qualify to IBU-cup first.. the maybe even Worldcup.. the season starts in Östersund!!! so all that would be more than awesome:)) we'll see...

I arrived here to Joensuu on Sunday.. and it was freaking cold!!:D minus grades and snow.. compared to warm and lovely temperature in Ramsau:) but never mind. Now we can ski here in Kontiolahti at the cooled track.. 3,5kilometers!! well, feels quite nice. And above all my coach is more than happy to see me in the trainings here:D He was already worrying if I'm coming back at all,).. Well, it was near.. so near that I didn't continue my trip to Barcelona for a few days...:)) Having a nice rest .. with this cute austrian boy:)) he would have even paid my flight.. but then well. I came back here for some reason 0_o. But no worries.. he's maybe coming here for a trainingcamp next week:))

Next week I'll do one exam in Swedish.. although, that should be a piece of cake.) On wednesday I'll drive to Vuokatti to make some tests.. or a test..:) We'll see if there has been some progress during the year.. It should be, anyways...^^'

Returning back here later..:)
Take care!
xox

all around Europe!

2009-10-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Deutschland über alles..^^' or not.)

Last weekend we had summer biathlon World Champs in Oberhof, in lovely Thüringen. I must say the ladscapes were brilliant and I did enjoy the atmosphere in that tiny village!:)

Our journey started on Wednesday when we headed to Helsinki, just planning to fly to germany early in the morning. Then sitting in the car three hours before we found our way from Frankfurt to Oberhof... Well, I didn't realize it was soo small city^^) But they really live for biathlon!! And how I know it? well, Every single day when we had rollerskibiathlon races there were about 6000-8000 spectators! and it felt like WOW... i just try to imagine how it feels when there's 6 times more people in the winter!!!

So arriving on Thursday evening, then we were already "in fire" on Friday afternoon.. Dunno what I was thinking, but I got a bit nervous before the relay... eh. starting there next to world's best female biathletes, in front of thousands of people.. without having checked the trackproperly, or even tried to shoot to metal!! and here we come. the results! First loop only 15 seconds behind Magdalena Neuner, world's fastest skier..(biathlon):D one penalty loop with 8 bullets, and cosh.D i was the last.. very ashamed..embrassed and so on.. óh dear. And after all I had my german sponsors there as well. so I was reallly really ashamed.

Luckily I could normalize my skiing and shooting during the individual races. In sprint ending up to the place 9 with 2 penalties... which I did sooo slowly, and having difficult rollerskies as well!!:/ i hardly stood up there!!:D Luckily I was still so "high" on the resultslist.. I must say it was a surprise!!
well, Next day in pursuit I could do even better!!:)) I'm quite satisfied with the place 7.. World Champs. And I still got the feeling I was disappointed. Maybe because I was still far away from my normal shooting times, and even on the track I could have done otherwise. But nevermind, now I'm on the way where I should be, and I got this revansch what I wanted. After horrible Junior World Championships in Canada in january^^

so well done. Not bad, not good. Now I'm at the training camp in lovely Austria, training together with finnish biathlon A-team. I must admit that the landscapes are even better here!!:)) soo awesome. And what else... I've seen many friends here!! Italy, Austria.. and you name it:D Nice too see biathlonfriends before the season starts and everybody's going back and there.. trying to qualify to IBU-cups, Worldcups and Olympic games.. For me the first point is to qualify to Idre and IBU-cup.. maybe I'll be fit and also ski in Östersund!!:)) who knows.. never..:D

i just came from sauna, sitting there as an only woman, rounded by ten good-looking canadians, and some others:) then swimming and eating. Altough I'm tired after skiing over two hours on the glacier I'll go and see my Austrian friends now:) Tomorrow is rest day and I'll meet my sponsor and get some autographycards:D Anybody want?:D

so keep in touch. returning back later with some photos:)

Viele Grüsse! Eure Laura

Dear university!

2009-09-13T11:19:00.001-07:00

After all, the first week at the university wasn't bad at all!! I really enjoyed seeing friends and having this perfect student lunch! yammy!.) Long time, no see. Many of my schoolfrineds have been somewhere abroad, in the language practise during the summer, or just been somewhere else.. maybe earned a bit money by working!! (what's that?:D) My time went smoothly by training and training..:) Three weeks in Otepää, Estonia was my "headhappening", all the other weeks just passed as fast as they began! (Like this week as well!.o)

So on Monday morning I was sitting in the big studenthall, planning to start spanish lessons! And surprise, I met a couple of friends and got some company! It was really fun to start spanish, but I think I have to skip it, thus far. Well, I did start also russian lessons!!:D So maybe I just gathered too much ...^^' So now I've only russian lessons.. and swedish and germany.. :D cool!

But the head point is still in training of course. That's why it's quite irritating when I CAN'T be at school as much I would like to.. But the time for that will be later then:) Seems like I'll be ready with kandidat exams anyway before June!:O Believe or not! After that..) Maybe i'll head to Germany or back to Sweden.)
It all depends on how's the coach thing moving on...

Ten days here, and I'm in Germany!!:) yeeees. Time flies fast.. As Katri is writing!!:D in Qatar. the time is same! Going too fast when it shouldn't!!
If you are near by Ramsau or Oberhof during the next three weeks. just make some voice:) Even if we are training a lot there, there's always a chance to have a little meet...

Now I'm planning to watch the last athletic GP-race.. Jukka Keskisalo!! GoGo!!
Next week hard training, and a bit school. Normal life continues.. see ya!:)

Hey Ho new flat!!:)

2009-09-05T09:23:00.001-07:00

Finally!!.)
I got a new flat from Joensuu. And it's sooo nice! I can see sun setting down in the evenings and I do have also more space here! Not only I have my own room, but also this kitchen is brilliant.. Now I'm cooking eagerly than ever before! Such a pleasure:)
Living together with my little brother is not bad at all! At least I have somebody to clean up sometimes, make food or just chat with^^' Eh. Only problem seems this 3 km way to the city centrum.. I'm sooo lazy.:D LOL. That "extratraining"-cykling- just doesn't fit me.. Well, I have to get use to it!:))

Now I've packed out my things.. I had maybe ten bags of clothes but somehow I managed to get them into the closets:p hah. You can already see the floor!!:D Now my plan is to find a mirror so I won't look like a mess going to the university... next week!! oh. I've missed my friends. dunno about the school. I'll start a course in russian.. german, swedish, english..:D Not forgetting my sportmedicin studies!!.D I survived from the last big essay! getting 23 pages of mental training in athletes, specially in biathlon.) So I'm finished with that! sooo glad.))

Last weekend we had also Finnish Championships in summer biathlon. Rollerskiing sprint and individual races^^ On Saturday I (again) ended up to the place 2 in junior class with horrible shooting (hitting only 50%) I skied pretty well.. Or I just think so, getting a silver medal!:D
On sunday we had a lot of rain, but never mind! Everybody started like normally, just a bit more careful at this time. 15 km track suited me quite well, and once again I could ski pretty well! I got four minutes penalties, nevertheless, I was 4th!! So no reason to be really disappointed.. BUT only 2 mm.. two times and I would have been 2nd.. in Senior Class! Just behind Kaisa Mäkäräinen.. Pity^^) Next time then..

So I've moved now, had the competitions and starting the school next week!! This week I've been training together with A-team, and getting to know how they are training. I got some new inspiration.. knowing I'm not actually so far away from the "team" girls!!:) *joy*

After two weeks I'll be traveling to Germany and Oberhof! Summer biathlon World Championships are hold in Thüring.. and the centrum of German Biathlon. It's like Östersund in Sweden or Joensuu/ Vuokatti in Finland.) I'm looking forward to compete last time as a junior..!!! and revench from the winter junior World Chamionships when I was sick^^/ After that I'm old, in the senior class, together with ..everbody!!^^' oh.. We'll see how it goes:)

But anyways, I'm on the road soon. And straight after WCH I'll head to Austria and Ramsau. I'm having two weeks training camp there on the glacier.. Alps..:) Oh wie ist das schön!! Good training with A-team is waiting for me.. as well I'm looking forward to see a couple of friends!! Long time no see. So what would be better:))

Off I go now to see my friends having "welcome to my new house"-parties.. Maybe I'll find my eager partymouse-brother from there as well:D hehe. no doubt, he's a real biathlete!

After the sunset.. see ya!:) xx

hectic life 0_o

2009-08-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting colder and the trainings are tuffer and tuffer.. Well, we still have sun!:) So no complaining, actually I wait for the autumn and beautiful colours of the trees^^'

Only one and a half weeks to go to rollerski finnish champs and 6 weeks to my Germany trip!!.D It seems I can really travel there and continue to Austria as I've been secretly planned already a long time :) But as I told maybe already before I'm allowed to train with A-team after the races, and perhaps in Ramsau as well! JOY!:)

Some good news anyways, I got a new flat now!! 2-rooms flat with sauna and balcony.. and the views are really fantastic!!:) So from the beginning of September you are welcome to visit me in my new apartment. I'll share it with my little broo but it shouldn't be a problem, though:D
Not only we have a training camp now, but I still should be packing my things here and trying to do the last big essay in my sportmedicin studies! argh. I just don't have time.. or I'm not just eager to make it, before it's already too late:D
somehow I should make it anyways.. I've still one week before the "final day" to return the Pro Gradu- essay. Meanwhile I just train more than before during this summer.. The results we'll see later then:))

On Monday one of my good friends left to Qatar.. to make an au pair year there! Nice evening we did have with all my "old" friends:)) My pleasure...
She will survive there! I know.. It's just a bit more far away than Sweden where I was last year doing my studies:D
But you have to travel when you are still young and free, and able to do it^^'

Now off to bed.. I'll chat later..:))

The first finnish champs^^

2009-08-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

Last time when I wrote I had just arrived home. It seemed that the 4-hours traintrip was too much for me^^I got ill just two days after being at home! So the traininghours have been just above 5 hours the previous two weeks. Altough, my sportclub wanted me to the startline in cross-biathlon finnish champs.. on the other side of the Finland!! I didn't like it, but as I had a little bit better feeling in my body I jumped into the car and sat there 6 hours^^' cool..0_o

Anyway there we were, running in the extremely hot weather!! +30 at least.. competing in that temperature is just pure torture^^
But above all distracting things I managed to do my best.. what I just could imagine after all:)
I shot awesome 0+0 in sprint, ending up only 5 seconds behind my dear and best changeller Sarianna. My running was pretty good considering the fact I had barely done anything during the previous week!! So I don't need to worry...
As usually we two girls are always making the best "fight" on the track:P Next year we make our own races here in Kontiolahti, others can join if wanted^^')
My little brother is in an excellent shape, ending up to the 2nd place with 3 penalties! good run and only 5 seconds to the winner.. pity that he can't shoot like his sister;)

In the individual competition, I felt like playing swampsocker!! the ground was soft, and the sun was turning the muscles lazy and tired.. even before the start!:D Anyways, once again I managed to fight my way to the podium.. 2+1+0+0 penalties garanteed the second place, just 30 seconds after the winner.. not bad at all! And the feeling with running was horrible, but still enough!:o surprising.. ridiculous^^'
the last day we had relays, everybody feeling pain in the muscles.. oh well. Three starts within 3 days is quite much! but with 3 silver medals I could come back home smiling a bit, knowing that I'm on the right way!

Our traningcamp in Otepää included also two races.. there we started the running season and now we ended it. Dunno If I find some 800meters race that could fit in my timetable, but otherwise.. no official running races anymore!:D

Now we start a trainingcamp here in Kontiolahti. After three weeks we'll have finnish champs in Rollerski-biathlon.. I'm really looking forward to them! As they are the competitions what effects on the program in September! If I'm in good shape we'll go to Oberhof summer World Championships .. After that I'm perhaps again training with A-team in Ramsau and Austria! Maybe!!!:) Hopefully.. But now it's time to relax. Today I had a rest day.. in the lovely sunshine and +32 C degrees B)
Tomorrow I'm going to find a new bigger flat from Joensuu.. Then off we go to the trainings..

And as you could read between the lines.. I wont' be coming to Östersund next week!! ^^// I'm very sad.. but my coach wants me to be here and train, cause I missed quite a lot trainings during my illness^^/ but anyways.. I'll be there soon..: ) I really want to my second home..

greets and hugs /
Lara

The new blog^^'

2009-07-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Oh well, seems that my previous blog in livejournal is forgotten now. totally!!:) I think it's better in this way as there are no limits what comes to the visitors and so on!

I'm back in Finland now, sweet home in Joensuu!.) After 3-weeks trainingcamp in Otepää, I'm more than happy to have some rest here.))

Next two weeks we'll have a sportcamp here in Kontiolahti. In a meanwhile there are Finnish champs in cross-summerbiathlon.. I'm looking forward to racing. eh.. B)
After Finnish champs I'm heading to Sweden and to the dearest place there, Östersund!! my home from last year:)) Hoping to see my friends and taking part to the IBU-cup and a couple of rollerski races..:D

Now time for green tea and Ice Age 3!:) Chilling is great sometimes :P

greets and hugs**