The Norwegian biathlete Vetle Christiansen has long arrived at the top of the world, he always shows top performances and collects great results. But for this year his big goal is the big crystal globe, he told us in the interview and also how it all started with the biathlon sport.
How did you start with biathlon, did you do any other sports before that?
Yes, actually I was an alpine skier, my father was responsible for an alpine ski center in Norway. That's why I originally started with alpine skiing and then once I was with a friend from school who did biathlon, at home. Because my parents worked all day, so I had to join what he was doing and we went to training. We were eight or nine years old. And for an eight-year-old, of course, shooting is super fun. Then I didn't look back and quitt the alpine skiing (I wasn't that good at it either 😊) and started biathlon, I just liked shooting better. So when I was eight years old I pulled the trigger on the gun for the first time and it was great fun for me, especially because here in Norway you shoot with the real caliber right away and not with a air gun.
And do you still go skiing sometimes now?
Yes, of course, as often as I can. I just do it for me for fun and I really enjoy it. I think my body is also made a bit better for alpine skiing than for cross-country skiing. That's why I always try to ski a lot in the spring around Easter and it's even a little more fun than cross-country skiing, but we don't tell that to the coaches 😉
What are your goal for the next season?
I think my goal is to compete for the big crystal globe. I think my best chance for this goal is this winter, after the Olympics some other athletes are maybe still a bit saturated from their success in Beijing and haven't trained quite as hard in the summer as the other years. The Norwegian team has done a good job and I know that the other guys from the team are also fighting for this goal and of course some French, Swedish and German guys. But the situation this year that Oberhof is not my favorite World Cup venue because of the track, because of the steep part right at the beginning of the track and that it doesn't count to the overall because of the World Championships, but right in January the races in Pokljuka, that suits me very well. That's why I think that if I have a chance to be at the top, then it will be this season and I will do my best for it.
Fotos: K.Voigt