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Heartbeat takes you inside the world of the unique Olympic sport of biathlon - a sport that combines the heart-pumping aerobics of cross country skiing combined with the precision element of marksmanship. The US Biathlon podcast brings you close to the athletes to dissect one of the most popularity of Olympic Winter Games sports.
[00:00:00] Tom Kelly: It is literally just days till the start of the Olympic Winter games. Biathlon in Antholz with us. Amen and amen. Thanks for taking time. From what I know is a busy schedule to join us on heartbeat.
[00:00:13] Armin Auchentaller: Thanks Tom for the invitation.
[00:00:16] Tom Kelly: So tell tell our listeners, where are you in the team right now as the Olympics are just a few days away.
[00:00:24] Armin Auchentaller: Well, right now we are in a training camp in right now in Italy. It's about one hour, 15, 20 minutes away from the Olympic venue in Antholz. And we are here since for, for for some two weeks. For some one week ish. Um, especially for those who came, came from Nové Mesto. They have a shorter camp. And the ones who we, we took out from the World Cup have a little longer, longer preparation because those guys had quite tough trials and, uh, they had a lot of racing already done.
[00:00:58] Tom Kelly: Yeah. And what is it? You've been racing all season. You've got a lot of preparation. What are the things that you're doing with the athletes in literally the week before the games begin?
[00:01:10] Armin Auchentaller: Well, for some, for some it's about just getting back to have good energy and rest a little bit. It's not much training anymore, more. It's about getting confidence, getting good energy, feeling good vibe. And uh, going into the Olympic Games, uh, hopefully healthy. That's the most important thing I would say.
[00:01:36] Tom Kelly: Yeah. Actually, on the health and wellness side, how do you manage that? Uh, as the games come closer.
[00:01:45] Armin Auchentaller: This season, we had, uh, the first season where we weren't affected almost at all so far. Cross fingers with, with sickness and and injuries. We had just two races where athletes couldn't couldn't race. And, uh, we had a health protocol since since the beginning of the season, which at times I think worked quite well. And before, uh, now, before the Olympic Games, we just rented a house where there's nobody there. Basically, we have a cook, and we try to restrict the exposure from athletes to, to the, to the public just to reduce the possibility to get sick.
[00:02:29] Tom Kelly: So you have a program with in the University of Utah. We had her on the podcast back in November. Has that type of program paying a little bit more attention to that? Has that been helpful?
[00:02:40] Armin Auchentaller: Absolutely. That has been helpful. And I would also mention, uh, Doctor Brad Crystal and Doctor Sam Stoke. And in this case, because the medical group is, is that's the heart with Annika. And they they try to set up as well. And trying to, you know, make sure that athletes stay healthy. But the health program also includes good nutrition, good supplements and, um, yeah, all of those little things which just make sure that athletes can recover also really well.
[00:03:15] Tom Kelly: As we get ready for the Olympics, let's run down the actual team. You have four men and four women who will be going to Antholz for the Olympic Winter games. First of all, give us a quick rundown on the four men who are racing for team USA.
[00:03:30] Armin Auchentaller: The men are, uh, Campbell Wright, Maxime Germain, Sean Doherty and Paul Schommer. Those are the four, uh, got selected for team USA on the men's side.
[00:03:43] Tom Kelly: And how about the women.
[00:03:44] Armin Auchentaller: And the women? We have Deidra Ervin, uh, Lucy Anderson and Joanne Reid and Margie read.
[00:03:53] Tom Kelly: A very interesting team, and we're going to dive a little bit deeper into that in just a minute. Let's go back and look at the season a little bit. And to start it out, what's the vibe like on the team right now? It's been a pretty successful season with some personal bests and and some new athletes emerging through. Uh, how would you characterize the vibe around the team as you go into the games?
[00:04:15] Armin Auchentaller: I think good. Uh, I think, um, both genders go along really well, first of all. And, um, the vibes are good. People look, look very happy at the moment. And, uh, foremost, they are healthy. And I think I think everybody is actually looking forward to these games. And, uh, so is the staff. And I hope we, we can continue the flow we have and, um, and, uh, try to do our best at the Olympic Games.
[00:04:48] Tom Kelly: Campbell Wright has, uh, had a great couple of seasons. Now, can you speak a little bit to how his season has gone so far.
[00:04:56] Armin Auchentaller: He season was very successful. I would say he's he has, uh, been very close to the podium on the World Cup, uh, for so many times. It was just almost a matter of a question that eventually he will reach the podium and he he managed it and, uh, in Nové Mesto in the mustard. And he's super consistent also in the World Cup, he's, he's up there and was always under top 15 and, uh, scored points uh, very consistently. I think if he stays healthy then everything is possible.
[00:05:32] Tom Kelly: And how about Maxime Germain? He seems to have taken a big leap up this year. Um, just basically building off the results he's had the last couple of years.
[00:05:42] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, he's he's training gets better and better. He's has more and more training years in his under his belt. And I think he just gets more and more consistent every other year. And we hope that he can continue this path because he is a very strong athlete, uh, himself too. And, um, he's he's doing well right now. He's he's seems to be in shape and especially in Nové Mesto, he I think he reached very good ski times. Uh, and hopefully we can maintain all of that.
[00:06:18] Tom Kelly: You have, uh, a little bit of experience on this team from past Olympics. How does, uh, having somebody like Paula and Sean, how does that help? Uh, kind of bring in a little bit of experience from past games to the team.
[00:06:33] Armin Auchentaller: And those two guys are super important because they, let's say, call them the veterans, and they have such, such good experience. And, um, they bring also their thoughts and their, their experience actually to the younger guys, which can be a maxim or a or a Campbell, or even Lucy and Margie who never had Olympics. And I think they share a lot among among themselves. And I think that experience, having already a couple a couple Olympic Winter games under the belt, is super important.
[00:07:09] Tom Kelly: One of the things that stood out to me this season so far is the relay. Performances and relays are a good indicator of how a team is doing overall. Why don't you start on the men's side? First of all, a couple of great finishes in Östersund and in Hochfilzen. On the men's side?
[00:07:25] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, I think, I think we found a solid relay team. I don't want to forget all the others who are running on the IBU Cup team, obviously, because there's very, very strong people there too. But um, because of them also, all the others on the World Cup stepped up a little bit and made the team stronger because the whole men's team is, is, is is strong and has a has a. More depth than in past. And that just made sure that everybody stepped up uh unconsciously if they wanted or not. They had to. And a little bit of competitiveness in the team is always good and and just produces that natural, that natural step up. I would say in performance.
[00:08:12] Tom Kelly: It was just about a week or so ago. The mixed gender relay had a fourth in Novo Mesto. Um, that had to be gratifying to see the men and the women come together with that almost on the podium finish.
[00:08:23] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, it was was super, super satisfying. I think we were so, so close. Like never in a in a relay. And it was especially for me, very, very nice to see that both genders together actually reached that. So uh, ladies and boys did a great job. So very satisfying. Hopefully we hope for more.
[00:08:45] Tom Kelly: Well, let's shift over to the women's team. Again, you have a really diverse team. You've got some experience from the past with Deidra and Joanne, but you've got some first timers in Margie and Lucy. In fact, let's start with them. Uh, they have only been in the sport of biathlon a few years. And of course, we'll be making their Olympic debut. Uh, to me, this is a real Testament testament to what US biathlon has been trying to do in recruiting cross-country skiers. And here they are all of a sudden going to the Olympic Winter games.
[00:09:16] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, I think, I think, uh, Margie and Lucy have done a great job in, in learning to shoot and their, um, development, their quick development. Um, brought up the team, I would say, and brought up also the all the, um, performances from any other, any other female athlete on on the team. I think it's the same discussion or same same thing like on the men's side, the deeper the the the the team is the the the better the performances will will actually be. And I think, um, even not talking about it, that's just, just helped everybody to step up a little bit and, uh, yeah, be better in this game.
[00:10:03] Tom Kelly: Dj Irwin had that experience in Beijing four years ago. Maybe one shot away from a medal. I imagine that she's eager to get another opportunity in Antholz.
[00:10:12] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, she's super motivated, I think. I mean, knowing what she did four years ago, I think she for sure her motivation is to replicate as good as possible what she she did she did there. And this season is the most successful season she might have had, uh, so far. So, um, the chances are good that she can continue the results, the performances she has done so far. Uh, also, this next month.
[00:10:43] Tom Kelly: Let's talk about Joy-Ann Reid. She had been out of the World Cup tour for some time. Uh, made a comeback bid and made this team. Earned her way back on the team. What have you seen in her in this season that maybe gives you a little spark? That she could do something at Antholz.
[00:11:01] Armin Auchentaller: I think she she she she first of all, she earned the the way back, um, 100%. She did all the things she needed to do to, to qualify. And and I think her skiing and her shooting both are at a very good level. And, um, yeah, I think she, she will be a big part of the relay team. And, um, I think, I think there's, there's, uh, some surprises to come here.
[00:11:30] Tom Kelly: Cool. Uh, one more thing. Going back to the men. Uh, Campbell. Right, with his medal performance at world championships. Certainly a lot of eyes on him as he goes in and hoping to get a medal for for us biathlon. He's been having a little bit more success now in the mass start event. And I wonder where will where will he be competing and where do you think he will be at his best in adults?
[00:11:54] Armin Auchentaller: I think every race is an opportunity opportunity here for also for any other athlete on the team. And um, we might, uh, we might just focus on on the process, on the work and go through the Olympic Games. Uh, day by day. I mean, biathlon is a sport where you don't really can predict what is going to happen. So we don't want to think too much, uh, to reach a medal or a great results. We actually want to think to be at our best at any given day. I think that's that's the goal we have. And, um, if that's happening, then the, the, the thought process will be actually on, uh, on the daily work and on the things everybody can do well and focus on the skills they have, on the capacity they have and not get too tensed about what if you know all of that is is is poisoning biathlon? You just need to do what you can control and all the other things is is just an outcome of your great performance. You might do.
[00:13:01] Tom Kelly: I know that one of the challenges for you as a coach, this is not unusual for coaches, is when you have an athlete who's in the spotlight like Campbell has been to minimize the distractions. And my impression of him is that he's been pretty chill about the whole thing. He may be the kind of favorite, so to speak, going in, but he's been pretty relaxed about it from what I can tell.
[00:13:21] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, I think he's totally relaxed. I think he's just focusing on his on his work and most so I think he just wants to have some fun and just, you know, uh, do what he can do. And like I said before, focus on the work and just go out ski fast and shoot clean. I think that's that's what he tries to do and have fun with it. And, um, well we'll see. Uh, hopefully, hopefully we can have a, a chill, a chill, uh, Olympic Winter games and not too much stress from outside.
[00:14:00] Tom Kelly: Thank you for that update. We're going to take a short show break. And when we come back we're going to talk about your hometown of Antholz on Heartbeat. We're back on heartbeat. Our guest today, Armin Taylor from the US biathlon team. And Armin, thanks for that update on the team and kind of who to watch over the next few weeks. And, uh, Milano Cortina for the 2026 Olympic Winter games. Let's talk about Antholz as an Olympic venue. And I know that this is very personal to you because you actually are from Antoine, and you're going to be coaching from your hometown. And I know that probably puts a lot more pressure on you, but what preparations are going on right now in Antholz to get ready for the games?
[00:14:51] Armin Auchentaller: I think Antholz is actually ready. Ready to go. Um, the doors are open. Um, the first teams, uh, are in Antholz, and I think, uh, we will reach soon. Antholz on February 2nd. We will travel on that day, basically. Um, the the place Antholz is ready and talking about pressure coaching at home. I don't feel it at all. Honestly, I just, I just I just want to really enjoy those 2 or 3 weeks now in Antholz because it's kind of a dream and not everybody has that chance to, to live that in, in its hometown. So I think or valley. And I'm very, very happy and excited to go there.
[00:15:40] Tom Kelly: Give us a little bit of an idea on what the the valley is like where it sits in the Dolomites, where it sits compared to some of the other venues. For those of us who will be watching on NBC back in the USA. Give us a little primer on what the Antholz Valley is like.
[00:15:58] Armin Auchentaller: The Antholz Valley is a valley which goes towards north and and is on the border to Austria. It's north of the Dolomites. So basically in the Dolomites and is about one hour away from Cortina. And it's the valley is a German speaking valley. And, um, we have a German history or an Austrian history and, um. Yeah, it's it's a very interesting place. Or most of the people speak two languages. Three languages. And it has a particular culture which is close to the Tyrolean culture and the Bavarian culture and is a is a is a valley where it's a small valley, not many, many people, but, uh, these people growing up, they're very hard workers. And I think, um, that made sure that they actually got the Olympic Winter games because there is a history of, uh, the mid 70s, uh, till now. And uh, it started back then and, um, they continued to do events and, um, suddenly now we have Olympic Winter games after so many World Championships and World Cups, they have done well.
[00:17:14] Tom Kelly: Let's go back to the 70s. And your family actually was very involved in getting biathlon going in Antholz.
[00:17:20] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah. My father was one of the few few guys there who founded the sports club in, in Antholz. And actually he was the chief of range for many, many years. He built the range in Antholz in first place with his buddies, and ended his work in 2007 at the World Championships, where he was last time in charge for for the venue. And, um. Uh, yeah, that's there's a lot of history there from my family side. And I just grew up there and trained there and, and brought many, many, many athletes to antholz. And, uh, in the second place, once I got the coach and, um, still do bring athletes to antholz like this summer, we had a training camp there with, with my team and, uh, they liked it a lot. Also during the summer time.
[00:18:11] Tom Kelly: Was that a little bit of a strategy for you to make your team more familiar? I know they go there every season, but you did some extra things this year to kind of make Antholz feel like home.
[00:18:23] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, I think I think what we did in the last four years, we, we booked our, um, housing Already at the moment when we knew that the Olympic Winter games, we booked our our house and we continued to book it over the years and during the World Cups, we always went in the same house, our Olympic house, and had the same cook for 2 or 3 years now. So the goal was already back then to get the the athletes a familiar a familiar environment. So they get used to it. So it's not too new. And what should I expect. And all of those, those things which at times can create some distraction. But I think the team goes to Antholz by knowing the tracks, by knowing the venue, by knowing Antholz in the summer time, by knowing Antholz in the winter time and feel actually familiar. In the meantime, there's some of our athletes who already know a couple of locals. So it's it's kind of like hopefully, uh, home games for them.
[00:19:34] Tom Kelly: I remember one of the things that intrigues me about the games in Milano Cortina with the snow venues, virtually every one of the venues, be that the women's Alpine Cortina, the men's Alpine and Bormio, the Nordic venues and FEMA and Biathlon and Antholz, these are all venues the tour goes to all the time. There's some of the best venues in the sport, and it's been quite a few years since most of these sports were competing in a venue that was a natural to them. Is that a what are the pros and cons of that? And going back to a place like Antholz that the entire circuit knows, uh, what are the pros and cons of that?
[00:20:15] Armin Auchentaller: I think, I think it's, there's a lot of pros, actually, versus cons. Uh, the pros are basically you can create venues or upgrade venues and make them sustainable. I mean, in future there will be again World Cups and other events, international events. And it's a possibility for for Italy in general to upgrade their venues and make them, uh, bring them to a level where they still can host, um, high level, high level events. Uh, second, I think that, uh, spectators and locals and finding volunteers, they are used to they're used to those events and they're psyched to have those events. And I think, um, also from the spectator side, we will see quite some, um, quite some spectators actually enjoying those games. And I think those spectators usually will be more experts than, um, somewhere, uh, random place where you don't have that history of, of a sport, you know. And so I hope that there will be a lot of cheering and sharing expertise and all of that along the tracks. Um, I think I think that's most of the things I would say that's very, very positive.
[00:21:40] Tom Kelly: Yeah. I think you can rest assured you're going to have that. From my experience, when I was in Aanholt's a couple of years ago for the World Cup, it was just astounding to me to see the fans. It looked like half of Germany was down in Italy for the weekend.
[00:21:54] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, half of Germany, but also so many other other nations coming, and the following the World Cups and some, some spectators just travel from World Cup to World Cup and they have like 2 or 3 in a row or several throughout the season. And, um, some become friends also.
[00:22:14] Tom Kelly: Strange. Okay, last question on that. And this is going to probably be a tough one for you, but your daughter Hannah is going to be competing in her first Olympics. So when you're trackside, Are you going to be cheering for the USA or for Italy?
[00:22:27] Armin Auchentaller: I'm gonna cheer for both, of course. I think I think, uh, my heart is with the US team, but my heart also beats for for the Italian team and particularly in this case, for for Hannah. And I hope she gets a raise. I hope she can start. And, uh, uh, if so, I hope she is successful and just enjoys every single step she might do and every single shot she will do. Um, it's a big honor, I think, um, for me at least, to see her racing or see her reaching that goal to be a part of the Olympic Winter games.
[00:23:05] Tom Kelly: Was she proud to talk to you after she made the team?
[00:23:07] Armin Auchentaller: Oh, she was super happy. And, uh, of course we talked about it. And, uh, I think for her, a dream comes true. And, uh, I think she can just continue to enjoy it and hopefully also. And this is just the coaching me thinking and talking. Hopefully she can just focus on the on the process and enjoy that process actually.
[00:23:32] Tom Kelly: Yeah, you got to have fun, right?
[00:23:34] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah, you gotta have fun. I think in the end, once you reach those, uh, events, it's important to have fun. And, um, especially because you train so long, you train so much, and, uh, there's so much you do day in, day out. Um, you wouldn't do it. An athlete wouldn't do it. A staff wouldn't do it if they wouldn't have fun. And they wanted to succeed. So in the end, when it comes down, actually to play the game then, then it's then it's fun time.
[00:24:05] Tom Kelly: Well, it'll be fun to watch. And for all of our listeners in the USA, if you want to watch the biathlon, get your subscription to NBC's Peacock. Right now. It's just 12 bucks a month and you'll be able to watch every single biathlon event live. You'll be able to watch it on demand. You'll be able to watch The Gold Zone with Scott Hansen and the Prime Time Show every evening back in the States. So we're going to move on to our on target section. I've got a few final questions for you. And the first one is let's keeping on the anthill theme. What's the most memorable moment for you in the sport of biathlon in your hometown of Antholz?
[00:24:43] Armin Auchentaller: For me, uh, it was always a dream to win a medal in Antholz, and we did with Susan Dunklee in 2020. And I think I want to remember that it was exciting. And the whole team who was there those days was a was an exciting team. And um, but having Susan winning that medal, which was back then almost also a little bit, uh, unexpected, but she did awesome. And it was always a dream for me as a coach to win something in my hometown. And maybe we can repeat.
[00:25:19] Tom Kelly: Eat well. Hopefully so. So, Armin, if you were able to take a day off during the Olympics and go to another Olympic event outside of the Antholz Valley outside of biathlon, what's the one other Olympic event you'd love to go to?
[00:25:38] Armin Auchentaller: Oh, that's a difficult one because I like so many different sports and I follow many different sports. But, uh, I think I would go to a cross country race one. But I would also like to see, uh, many events in Livigno, because I think Livigno will have great, uh, great events with uh, many different sports. It's going to be very exciting. Um, but downhill, alpine, downhill in Bormio, that's also one. And last but not least, I would love to see the hockey final with us, the US team in the final. That's. That will be.
[00:26:18] Tom Kelly: Us, USA, Canada going for gold? Yes. Men or women? Um, how about for the fans who'll be going there? What's the best pizza in the Antholz Valley? Oh!
[00:26:33] Armin Auchentaller: Ooh, I don't want to. There are many pizzerias. Go to all of them.
[00:26:41] Tom Kelly: Yeah, and they. And they all know you. So you have to be fed. Actually did pick a favourite.
[00:26:45] Armin Auchentaller: Okay. Which one did he pick.
[00:26:48] Tom Kelly: Did he pick camping.
[00:26:50] Armin Auchentaller: Okay I picked a good one.
[00:26:52] Tom Kelly: Yeah that's okay. We'll we'll we'll we'll blame it on fatty.
[00:26:55] Armin Auchentaller: Let's go to the camping. Pizza is actually really, really good there.
[00:27:00] Tom Kelly: In the last one. Yeah. What's, what's what's one fun thing to do in Antholz that has nothing to do with biathlon for the fans coming there. Something that they can do for fun that has nothing to do with biathlon.
[00:27:12] Armin Auchentaller: I think. I think, uh, what? Antholz is very well connected to the ski area at Kronplatz. So that's a very close. And there's like three shuttles, buses who just go there and tourists just can enjoy to go skiing on the Kronplatz resort. And in the summertime. I think Antholz has also, um, very, very beautiful mountains to, to hike up. And we have a nice lake at the end of the, of the valley where just people hang out and go to swim a little bit. It's a cold lake, but it's it's nice. And I think those are different things you can do really well. Hiking and chilling at the lake. I think that those are two things I would pick.
[00:28:00] Tom Kelly: It is a gorgeous place. Armin, thank you for taking your time to join us on heartbeat. We wish you all the best and we'll be watching in Antholz for the Olympic Winter games coming up soon.
[00:28:10] Armin Auchentaller: Yeah. Thank you. Everybody cheer for us and, uh, see you. Some of you there in Antholz. Thanks a lot.