Jens Filbrich ahead of the home World Cup:
“We want to step it up a notch”
The German biathlon men want to build on their impressive start to the season in the second trimester. Ahead of the first competition, Jens Filbrich spoke about the preparations for the home World Cup, the team structure, and expectations.
Mr. Filbrich, the Christmas holidays and New Year's Eve are behind the team, and now the home World Cup in Oberhof is coming up. How did the German men get through the competition break?
Very well so far, everyone is healthy. We were able to train here at the ARENA in Oberhof between Christmas and New Year's, and one or two athletes went up to the mountains again. We are happy with how things went.
Philipp Horn's first individual podium finish in Hochfilzen, Justus Strelow's fourth place in the mass start in France, and his victory with Janina Hettich-Walz in biathlon at Schalke: Can you build on the successes of the first trimester?
Philipp's podium finish was an important sign—for him personally, but also for the whole group. Successes like this boost confidence and show that several guys can compete at the front. Everyone is happy for each other. That's what makes this team so special.
Which consists largely of the base in Oberhof.
The training group here in Oberhof has always been very strong, even back in the days of Mark Kirchner and Marco Danz. We have athletes from very different regions: David Zobel from Bavaria, Danilo Riethmüller from the Harz Mountains, Justus Strelow from Saxony. They meet here at a top training center and form a really strong training group. The result is professional work that benefits the guys.
Even though – or perhaps because – they sometimes ask critical questions.
Yes, for example Justus. He is a very professional athlete who knows exactly what he wants. He questions training content and likes to discuss things – but always at a very high level. That's absolutely positive. You can clearly see that he is developing further, especially in running, which I am personally very proud of.
Which consists largely of the base in Oberhof.
The training group here in Oberhof has always been very strong, even back in the days of Mark Kirchner and Marco Danz. We have athletes from very different regions: David Zobel from Bavaria, Danilo Riethmüller from the Harz Mountains, Justus Strelow from Saxony. They meet here at a top training center and form a really strong training group. The result is professional work that benefits the guys.
Even though – or perhaps because – they sometimes ask critical questions.
Yes, for example Justus. He is a very professional athlete who knows exactly what he wants. He questions training content and likes to discuss things – but always at a very high level. That's absolutely positive. You can clearly see that he is developing further, especially in running, which I am personally very proud of. He consistently takes the right steps, and it's incredibly fun to work with him. What's more, he is now also the athletes' spokesperson for our team. He leads the way, stands up for the group, and is a very important pillar of support—for the team and also for me as a coach here in Oberhof.
You know the track in Oberhof very well. How do you prepare the athletes for the competitions?
We look at the track together. Even though we've been here many times before, it's important to check the current conditions every time – preparation, snow conditions, wind. This is particularly tricky here in Oberhof. The Birxsteig right at the start of the lap is one of the toughest climbs in the World Cup. You have to ski smart and pace yourself well. This is nothing new for the guys, but you can always make fine adjustments in the details.
And you have a hotline to competition director Peter Sendel.
Exactly (laughs). Peter asked Justus to check a certain section of the course to see if it might be too narrow. Justus measured it precisely with his skis and gave immediate feedback. My impression: The course is in excellent condition overall, and the conditions are top-notch. I'll be happy when the French, Italians, and Norwegians see that Oberhof still has real winter weather.
So there's a lot of anticipation for the home World Cup?
Definitely, especially for well-groomed tracks and winter conditions, where our ski equipment is sure to perform well. And we're looking forward to an incredible number of fans. The weekend in particular is well attended, and the atmosphere at Birxsteig will be really good. We want to perform well and, with the Olympics in mind, we want to step it up a notch.
Interview: Susann Eberlein
Photo for your free use:
Photo: Jens Filbrich
Caption: Jens Filbrich is the discipline coach for training group 1a.
Photo source: Christian Heilwagen/Oberhofer Sport und Event GmbH