Mountains that silence engines. A renowned former biathlete shares insights on why competing in Antholz is particularly challenging.
A typical resident of Kyiv, when traveling for vacation in the Ukrainian Carpathians, may already feel their ears popping or find themselves wanting to sleep the entire day after hiking in the mountains. These sensations can occur even at relatively low altitudes. So, what can be said about competing in high-level sports at much greater heights…
We pay particular attention to Antholz also because the biathlon competitions of the 2026 Olympics will take place in this picturesque part of the Dolomites. In the mountains, and not far away.
High mountains – low results, although not for everyone
High-altitude challenges became evident during the summer Olympics in Mexico City in 1968. Competing at elevations above 2000 meters turned into a nightmare for many seemingly well-trained athletes. After numerous finishes in various, mostly cyclical events, athletes collapsed from exhaustion, losing consciousness and struggling for a long time to recover.
This was effectively exploited by Olympic athletes from mountainous countries – their bodies were better adapted to the struggle against nature. In conditions of thin oxygen, running is difficult, but jumping in rarefied air? You can fly wherever you want! And perhaps this is what enabled the legendary American Bob Beamon to set an unprecedented long jump record…
There is also this fact. The highest football stadium is located in La Paz at an altitude of 3637 meters. It is here that Bolivians have historically and spectacularly triumphed over Brazilians and Argentinians in football. However, despite the protests from other federations, FIFA certified the stadium in 2007.
Mountain experience and important critical days
Since the time of the Mexican Olympics, competition calendars have been planned more meticulously, as have training methodologies. Gaining high-altitude air during the preparation period has become a must-have. Biathlon is no exception, as the World Cup stages, World and European Championships, and the Olympics are included in the calendars of high-altitude locations.
However, it is worth noting that in biathlon there are altitude restrictions – 1800 meters above sea level and not a meter higher! Thus, Antholz-Anterselva, with its altitude, meets this criterion. By the way, similar climate restrictions apply to low temperatures – competitions are prohibited at minus 30, and anything lower is subject to the organizers' discretion. But while severe cold has become an exotic condition, the altitude remains unchanged.
A former athlete recalls a well-known and successful biathlon story that explains another nuance regarding acclimatization.
Tell me your pulse, and I'll tell you your shooting performance
A biathlon official, drawing on personal experience, attempts to calculate how high altitude can affect biathletes in the context of the current competition calendar, specifically the 6th stage of the World Cup, which starts on Thursday, January 23.
The former athlete points out another significant nuance that often goes unnoticed.
How the body copes with the strain of the mountains also depends on the athlete's body composition.
Born in the mountains can "fly"
The ability to endure oxygen deprivation is also influenced by the terrain in which biathletes are born, live, and train.
According to Vyacheslav Derkach, for effective training in the mountains, one needs to spend at least 16-20 days.
Taking into account the altitudes of biathlon arenas, the competition schedule for the season is planned. The height is gradually increased – from stage to stage. Sudden changes, erratic training, and competitions always pose a significant stress to the body.
Altitude above sea level of locations in the 2024/2025 season
- Kontiolahti (Finland) – 100 m
- Hochfilzen (Austria) – 960 m
- Annecy-Le-Grand-Bornand (France) – 920 m
- Oberhof (Germany) – 820 m
- Ruhpolding (Germany) – 650 m
- Antholz-Anterselva (Italy) – 1630 m
- Lenzerheide (Switzerland) – 1450 m
- Nové Město (Czech Republic) – 620 m
- Pokljuka (Slovenia) – 1350 m
- Holmenkollen (Norway) – 300 m
Interestingly, in Antholz-Anterselva, there can be another factor that influences shooting results.
It’s curious that altitude can bring surprises in the Slovenian Pokljuka, where the penultimate stage of the World Cup will take place in March. We will share more about the quirks of this famous biathlon location in our upcoming publications.