1. European Athletics High-Performance Conference 23-24 November 2013, Frankfurt (GER)

2. Biathlon The most popular winter sport on the television and how Norway has been working to be the best nation in biathlon for a long period of time Erlend Slokvik, Vice President Sport Executive Board Norwegian Biathlon Association and Head of department Olympiatoppen Innlandet (Norwegian Olympic Committee)

3. Rules for the international races • World Cup, 120 men and 100 women starting in each race. The best nations have 6 athletes in each class. • To qualify for WC you have to be among the best half in the junior World Championship last year or to be under 20% after the average time of the 5 best in a IBU-cup race • In the World Championship the best nations have a quota of 4 in each class

4. The development of biathlon • Have had the same structure in the WC for the last 15 years. IBU gives financial support to each nation in every WC round. A nations cup with prize money • Are building up the standard for the IBU-cup with the same system as for WC • Important: The best athletes compete against each other almost every week

5. The international competition programe of biathlon • 16-17/11 National opening Norway, 2 races • 24/11-1/12 WC Østersund SWE, 4 races • 6-8/12 WC Hochfilzen AUT, 3 races • 12-15/12 WC Annecy FRA, 3 races • 3-5/1 WC Oberhof GER, 3 races • 8-12/1 WC Ruhpolding GER, 3 races • 16-19/1 WC Anterselva ITA, 3 races

6. Competition program • 30/1-4/2 EC/U25 Nove Mesto CZE, 4 races • 8-22/2 OWG Sochi RUS, 6 races • 6-9/3 WC Pokljuka SLO, 3 races • 13-16/3 WC Kontiolahti FIN, 3 races • 20-23/3 WC Holmenkollen NOR, 3 races • 26-30/3 Norwegian championship, 4 racesWC: 22 individual races, 6 relays OWG: 4 individual races, 2 relays

7. Norway • 8 out of 11 gold medals in the World Championship in 2013 in Nove Mesto (CZE) • Our goal is to be the best nation in the championships and among the two best in the total WC score. But no specific goal for the juniors, here the focus is on development • The main and most important principle is that the head coach is responsible for all the athletes on the team

8. Focus areas • High altitude training as a part of building the aerobic capacity, not only for acclimatization • Intensity, right intensity and amount of I3-5, work in periods with the different qualities (aerobic versus anaerobic capacity), we have more training on I3-5 than most of the rivals • Science, mainly focus on physical training and skis (structure and kind of skis) mainly • Coaching of the trainers both from NSSF and OLT

9. Development of top athletes • A clear philosophy for development from youngsters to elite athletes with what kind of training to do and how to perform on tests • Philosophy for physical training from 1996 for the national teams, for shooting from 2001 • Plan for development from beginner to top level has been in use in the hole organization from 2002 • Yearly meeting with the regional teams and the gymnasiums

10. Plan for development

11. Requirements

12. The structure in Norway • National senior team 6 of each gender • B team (young seniors) 6 of each gender • Junior team 6 of each gender • 5 regional teams for junior and young seniors • National training center in Lillehammer with 26 out of 36 athletes on the national teams living there. Several regional training centers • Close cooperation with Olympiatoppen and other Norwegian sport federations

13. Support and economy • There is a contract between each athlete and the federation covering different issues like financial support, medical services, witch training camps and competitions the athletes have to be at, it lists up their rights and duties. All kind of support is from the federation/OLT. • The athletes have the same clothing in national and international races. They can have one sponsor on the gun, one on the race suit and two on the ski binder

14. Leader of wax team 100% Leader of health team 100% Technical Coach20% Technical Coach 20% Technical Coach 80%

15. Building up the season • Evaluation with the athletes (season end), both as a group and alone with the coach • Evaluation with the coaches and support (April) • Season plan for the federation (April) • Season plan for the athlete (May) • Training plan for the athlete (May) • Detailed plan for the athlete (each period) • Evaluation after each training period

16. The training period for Norway • Training camps for the national elite team from the start of May until the season starts, this season a total of 123 days at 11 camps • When high altitude championship, several training camps in high altitude, this season 5 training camps with a total of 75 days. A normal season 2 training camps at high altitude

17. The Norwegian training season • May 8 days Mallorca (SPA) • May 6 days Tønsberg (OLT) + Oslo • June 10 days Lillehammer + Sognefjellet (skiing) • June 4 days Toten, test races roller ski • July 11 days Sirdal + Sandnes (Blink) • August 20 days Belmeken (BUL) • Sept 5 days Mo I Rana (NM roller ski) • October 19 days Tignes (skiing) + Bessans (FRA) • Nov 11 days Beitostølen + Sjusjøen • December 15 days Anterselva (ITA) • Jan/feb 14 days Pre-camp OWG

18. Thank you for listening Questions?