Biathlon World Championships
Men -- Team
Table:
Season

Winner

Runner-up

Third

1989

Soviet Union
Juri Kashkarov
Sergei Bulygin
Alexandr Popov
Sergei Tchepikov

West Germany
Franz Wudy
Herbert Fritzenwenger
Georg Fischer
Fritz Fischer

East Germany
Andreas Heymann
André Sehmisch
Raik Dittrich
Steffen Hoos

1990

East Germany
Raik Dittrich
Mark Kirchner
Birk Anders
Frank Luck

Czechoslovakia
Tomáš Kos
Ivan Masařík
Jiří Holubec
Jan Matouš

France
Christian Dumont
Stéphane Bouthiaux
Hervé Flandin
Thierry Gerbier

1991

Italy
Hubert Leitgeb
Gottlieb Taschler
Simon Demetz
Wilfried Pallhuber

Norway
Sverre Istad
Jon Åge Tyldum
Ivar Michal Ulekleiv
Frode Løberg

Soviet Union
Anatoliy Zdanovich
Sergei Tarasov
Sergei Tchepikov
Valeriy Medvedtsev

1992

CIS
Eugeni Redkine
Alexander Tropnikov
Anatoly Zhdanovich
Alexandr Popov

Norway
Frode Løberg
Jon Åge Tyldum
Sylfest Glimsdal
Gisle Fenne

Estonia
Aivo Udras
Hillar Zahkna
Urmas Kaldvee
Kalju Ojaste

1993

Germany
Fritz Fischer
Frank Luck
Steffen Hoos
Sven Fischer

Russia
Aleksei Kobelev
Valeri Kiriyenko
Sergei Loschkin
Sergei Tchepikov

France
Gilles Marguet
Thierry Dusserre
Xavier Blond
Lionel Laurent

1994

Italy
Pieralberto Carrara
Hubert Leitgeb
Andreas Zingerle
Wilfried Pallhuber

Russia
Vladimir Drachev
Alexei Kobelev
Valeri Kiriyenko
Sergei Tarasov

Germany
Jens Steinigen
Marco Morgenstern
Peter Sendel
Steffen Hoos

1995

Norway
Frode Andresen
Dag Bjørndalen
Halvard Hanevold
Jon Åge Tyldum

Czech Republic
Petr Garabík
Roman Dostál
Jiří Holubec
Ivan Masařík

France
Thierry Dusserre
Franck Perrot
Lionel Laurent
Stéphane Bouthiaux

1996

Belarus
Petr Ivashko
Oleg Ryzhenkov
Alexandr Popov
Vadim Sashurin

Russia
Vladimir Drachev
Pavel Mouslimov
Viktor Maigourov
Sergei Rozhkov

Italy
René Cattarinussi
Hubert Leitgeb
Pieralberto Carrara
Patrick Favre

1997

Belarus
Oleg Ryzhenkov
Petr Ivashko
Alexandr Popov (4)
Vadim Sashurin

Germany
Carsten Heymann
Mark Kirchner
Frank Luck
Peter Sendel

Poland
Wiesław Ziemianin
Jan Ziemianin
Wojciech Kozub
Tomasz Sikora

1998

Norway
Egil Gjelland
Halvard Hanevold
Sylfest Glimsdal
Ole Einar Bjørndalen

Germany
Ricco Groß
Carsten Heymann
Sven Fischer
Frank Luck

Russia
Vladimir Drachev
Alexei Kobelev
Sergei Rozhkov
Viktor Maigourov

Based on the accompanying table plus the article excerpts provided.

State the answer to the question: What Oblast is in the northern direction of the nation that was second runner-up at the 1997 world biathlon season ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

The 24th Biathlon World Championships were held in 1989 in Feistritz , Austria . These world championships were the first to hold the men 's and women 's championships simultaneously .
The Soviet Union , [ b ] officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR or СССР ) , [ c ] was a federal sovereign state in northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991 . Nominally a union of multiple national Soviet republics , [ d ] in practice its government and economy were highly centralized . The country was a one-party state , governed by the Communist Party with Moscow as its capital in its largest republic , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) . Other major urban centers were Leningrad , Kiev , Minsk , Tashkent , Alma-Ata , and Novosibirsk . It spanned over 10,000 kilometers ( 6,200 mi ) east to west across 11 time zones , and over 7,200 kilometers ( 4,500 mi ) north to south . Its territory included much of Eastern Europe , as well as part of Northern Europe and all of Northern and Central Asia . It had five climate zones : tundra , taiga , steppes , desert and mountains . The Soviet Union had its roots in the 1917 October Revolution , when the Bolsheviks , led by Vladimir Lenin , overthrew the Russian Provisional Government which had replaced the autocratic regime of Tsar Nicholas II during World War I . In 1922 , after a civil war ending in the Bolsheviks ' victory , the USSR was formed by a treaty which united the Russian , Transcaucasian , Ukrainian and Byelorussian republics . Following Lenin 's death in 1924 and a brief power struggle , Joseph Stalin came to power in the mid-1920s . Stalin formalized the Communist Party 's ideology of Marxism-Leninism and replaced the market economy with a command economy which led to a period of rapid industrialization and collectivization . During this period , rapid economic development resulted in dramatic improvements in the average standard of living , particularly in urban areas .
Juri Fyodorovich Kashkarov ( Russian : Юрий Фёдорович Кашкаров ; born 4 December 1963 ) is a former Soviet biathlete .
Sergei Ivanovich Bulygin ( Russian : Серге́й Иванович Булы́гин ; born 10 July 1963 ) is a former Soviet biathlete . During his career he won an Olympic gold medal as part of the Soviet Union 4 × 7.5 km relay team in the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo and 4 gold medals and a silver at the World Championships .
Alexandr Vladimirovich Popov ( Russian : Александр Владимирович Попов ; born 22 February 1965 ) is a Russian biathlete who competed for the USSR , the Unified Team and Belarus . Since 1999 he has been the head coach of the Belarus National Biathlon Team .
Sergei Vladimirovich Tchepikov ( Russian : Серге́й Влади́мирович Че́пиков ; born 30 January 1967 ) is a Russian politician and a former Soviet-Russian biathlete and cross country skier who competed at six Winter Olympics , five in biathlon ( 1988 , 1992 , 1994 , 2002 and 2006 ) and one in cross country skiing ( 1998 ) . His last Olympic performance was a silver medal in the 4 × 7.5 km relay at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin . Tchepikov has two World Cup titles ( 1989/90 , 1990/91 ) . He has had 25 podium finishes , six in first place , thirteen in second , and has come third six times . In the Olympics , Tchepikov has two gold , three silver , and one bronze medals . In the World Championships he has won 14 medals , however only two gold medals .
West Germany was the informal name for the Federal Republic of Germany , a country in Western Europe , in the period between its formation on 23 May 1949 and German reunification on 3 October 1990 . During this Cold War period , the western portion of Germany was part of the Western Bloc . The Federal Republic was created during the Allied occupation of Germany after World War II , established from eleven states formed in the three Allied zones of occupation held by the United States , the United Kingdom and France . Its ( provisional ) capital was the city of Bonn . The Cold War era West Germany is also retrospectively designated the Bonn Republic . At the onset of the Cold War , Europe was divided among the Western and Eastern blocs . Germany was de facto divided into two countries and two special territories , the Saarland and a divided Berlin . Initially , the Federal Republic of Germany claimed an exclusive mandate for all of Germany , considering itself to be the sole democratically reorganised continuation of the 1871-1945 German Reich . It took the line that the German Democratic Republic ( GDR ) was an illegally constituted puppet state . Though the GDR did hold regular elections , these were neither free nor fair . From the West German perspective , the GDR was therefore illegitimate . Three southwestern states of West Germany merged to form Baden-Württemberg in 1952 , and the Saarland joined the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957 .
Herbert Fritzenwenger ( born 7 October 1962 in Ruhpolding ) was a West German cross country skier and Biathlete who competed in the late 1980s , including the 1988 Winter Olympics . During his career he collected a silver medal and 2 bronze medals at World Championships .
Georg Fischer ( born 10 November 1960 in Kelheim ) was a West German cross country skier and biathlete who competed in the 1980s . He finished seventh in the 4 × 10 km relay at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary .
Friedrich Fritz Fischer ( born 22 September 1956 ) is a former biathlete from Germany . He won a gold medal with Germany in the 4 × 7.5 km relay in the 1992 Winter Olympics . After ending his competitive career Fischer served as a coach for the German biathlon team for many years before retiring in 2014 .
East Germany , officially the German Democratic Republic ( GDR ; German : Deutsche Demokratische Republik [ ˈdɔʏtʃə demoˈkʁaːtɪʃə ʁepuˈbliːk ] , DDR ) , was a state that existed from 1949 to 1990 , the period when the eastern portion of Germany was part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War . Commonly described as a communist state in English usage , it described itself as a socialist workers ' and peasants ' state . It consisted of territory that was administered and occupied by Soviet forces following the end of World War II - the Soviet occupation zone of the Potsdam Agreement , bounded on the east by the Oder-Neisse line . The Soviet zone surrounded West Berlin but did not include it ; as a result , West Berlin remained outside the jurisdiction of the GDR . The German Democratic Republic was established in the Soviet zone , while the Federal Republic was established in the three western zones . East Germany was a satellite state of the Soviet Union . Soviet occupation authorities began transferring administrative responsibility to German communist leaders in 1948 , and the GDR began to function as a state on 7 October 1949 . However , Soviet forces remained in the country throughout the Cold War . Until 1989 , the GDR was governed by the Socialist Unity Party ( SED ) , though other parties nominally participated in its alliance organisation , the National Front . The SED made the teaching of Marxism-Leninism and the Russian language compulsory in schools . The economy was centrally planned and increasingly state-owned . Prices of housing , basic goods and services were set by central government planners rather than rising and falling through supply and demand ; and were heavily subsidised .
Andreas Heymann ( born 26 December 1966 ) is a French biathlete . He competed in the men 's 20 km individual event at the 1998 Winter Olympics .
André Sehmisch ( born 27 September 1964 in Steinheidel-Erlabrunn ) is a former German biathlete .
Raik Dittrich ( born 12 October 1968 in Sebnitz ) is a retired East German biathlete who won two World Championships medals . He represented the sports club SG Dynamo Zinnwald / Sportvereinigung ( SV ) Dynamo .
Steffen Hoos ( born 29 January 1968 ) is a German biathlete . He competed in the men 's 20 km individual event at the 1992 Winter Olympics .
The 25th Biathlon World Championships were held in 1990 for the third time in Minsk , Belarus , at that time part of the Soviet Union , in Oslo , Norway and in Kontiolahti , Finland . Due to unconducive weather conditions during the season it was only possible to hold the individual competitions in Minsk . The sprints , the women 's relay and team events were held in Oslo and the men 's relay was finally held in Kontiolahti .
Mark Kirchner ( born 4 April 1970 ) is a German former biathlete .
Birk Anders ( born 3 November 1967 ) is a former East German biathlete . During his career he won two gold medals at the World Championships .
Frank Luck ( born 5 December 1967 ) is a former German and , before 1990 , East German biathlete .
Czechoslovakia , or Czecho-Slovakia ( /ˌtʃɛkoʊsloʊˈvækiə , -kə- , -slə- , -ˈvɑː-/ ; Czech and Slovak : Československo , Česko-Slovensko ) , was a sovereign state in Central Europe that existed from October 1918 , when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire , until its peaceful dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993 . From 1939 to 1945 , following its forced division and partial incorporation into Nazi Germany , the state did not de facto exist but its government-in-exile continued to operate . From 1948 to 1990 , Czechoslovakia was part of the Eastern Bloc with a command economy . Its economic status was formalized in membership of Comecon from 1949 and its defense status in the Warsaw Pact of May 1955 . A period of political liberalization in 1968 , known as the Prague Spring , was forcibly ended when the Soviet Union , assisted by several other Warsaw Pact countries , invaded Czechoslovakia . In 1989 , as Marxist-Leninist governments and socialism were ending all over Europe , Czechoslovaks peacefully deposed their government in the Velvet Revolution ; state price controls were removed after a period of preparation . In 1993 , Czechoslovakia split into the two sovereign states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia .
Tomáš Kos ( born 31 December 1967 ) is a Czech biathlete . He competed at the 1988 , the 1992 and the 1994 Winter Olympics .
Ivan Masařík ( born 14 September 1967 ) is a Czech biathlete . He competed at the 1992 , 1994 , 1998 and the 2002 Winter Olympics .
Jiří Holubec ( born 3 March 1966 ) is a Czech biathlete . He competed at the 1988 , 1992 , 1994 and the 1998 Winter Olympics .
Jan Matouš ( born 30 May 1961 ) is a former Czechoslovakian biathlete . At the 1987 World Championships in Lake Placid , New York . Matouš won a bronze medal in the 20 km individual . He also won a silver medal in the team competition at the 1990 World Championships in Minsk . Matouš 's best Olympic placing was a 9th place in the sprint event at the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Christian Dumont ( born 19 March 1963 ) is a French biathlete . He competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics and the 1992 Winter Olympics .
Stéphane Bouthiaux ( born 26 March 1966 ) is a French biathlete . He competed in the men 's sprint event at the 1994 Winter Olympics .
Hervé Flandin ( born 4 June 1965 in Modane ) is a former French biathlete . He was born in Modane . At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer , he won a bronze medal with the French relay team , in 4 × 7.5 km relay .
Thierry Gerbier ( 21 September 1965 - 13 November 2013 ) was a French biathlete . He competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics and the 1992 Winter Olympics .
The 26th Biathlon World Championships were held in 1991 for the second time in Lahti , Finland .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Hubert Leitgeb ( 31 October 1965 - 4 February 2012 ) was an Italian biathlete .
Gottlieb Taschler ( born 21 August 1961 ) is a former Italian biathlete . He competed at the 1984 , 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics . Currently he is a Vice-President of the International Biathlon Union . At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo , he finished 5th in the 4 × 7.5 km relay with the Italian team . At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary , he won a bronze medal in the relay , and finished 11th in the 20 km individual . In 2010 he contacted doping doctor Michele Ferrari to set up a meeting with his son Daniel Taschler . Wiretaps show that his son then acquired EPO from Dr. Ferrari .
Wilfried Willi the Kid Pallhuber ( born 4 August 1967 ) is a former Italian biathlete . At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin he competed in his fifth olympics .
Norway ( Norwegian : Norge ( Bokmål ) or Noreg ( Nynorsk ) ; Northern Sami : Norga ; Lule Sami : Vuodna ; Southern Sami : Nöörje ) , officially the Kingdom of Norway , is a Nordic country in Northwestern Europe whose territory comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula ; the remote island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard are also part of the Kingdom of Norway . [ note 2 ] The sub-Antarctic Bouvet Island is a dependent territory and thus not considered part of the kingdom . Norway also lays claim to the Antarctic territories of Queen Maud Land and Peter I Island . Norway has a total area of 385,207 square kilometres ( 148,729 sq mi ) and a population of 5,312,300 ( as of August 2018 ) . The country shares a long eastern border with Sweden ( 1,619 km or 1,006 mi long ) . Norway is bordered by Finland and Russia to the north-east , and the Skagerrak strait to the south , with Denmark on the other side . Norway has an extensive coastline , facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea . The maritime influence also dominates Norway 's climate with mild lowland temperatures on the sea coasts , whereas the interior , while colder , is also a lot milder than areas elsewhere in the world on such northerly latitudes . Even during polar night in the north , temperatures above freezing are commonplace on the coastline . The maritime influence brings high rainfall and snowfall to some areas of the country . Harald V of the House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway . Erna Solberg has been prime minister since 2013 when she replaced Jens Stoltenberg .
Sverre Geir Istad ( born 3 January 1965 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . He was born in Voss as the son of Jon Istad , and represented the club Voss IL . He competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary . He won a silver medal in the team event at the Biathlon World Championships 1991 .
Jon Åge Tyldum ( born 26 October 1968 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . He won the overall World Cup in 1992 and 1995 . At the World Championships he has won seven medals . In 1998 he retired from the sport .
Ivar Michal Ulekleiv ( born 22 May 1966 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . He was born in Dombås , and represented the club Dovre Skiskytterlag . He competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer . He won a silver medal in the team event at the Biathlon World Championships 1991 , together with Sverre Istad , Jon Åge Tyldum and Frode Løberg .
Frode Løberg ( born 23 January 1963 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete .
Sergei Petrovich Tarasov ( Russian : Серге́й Петро́вич Тара́сов ; born 15 February 1965 ) is a former Russian biathlete . In the 1990s , he was one of the dominating biathletes , winning four Olympic medals and seven World Championship medals over the course of his career .
Valeriy Alekseevitch Medvedtsev ( Russian : Валерий Алексеевич Медведцев ; born 5 July 1964 ) is a former Russian biathlete .
The 27th Biathlon World Championships held in 1992 in Novosibirsk , Russia were only for the team events because these were not part of the Olympic programme in Albertville .
The Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) ( Russian : Содружество Независимых Государств , Sodružestvo Nezavisimykh Gosudarstv , initialism : СНГ , SNG ) is a regional intergovernmental organization of nine ( originally ten ) member , plus two founding non-member , post-Soviet republics in Eurasia . It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 . It covers an area of 20,368,759 km² ( 8,097,484 sq mi ) and has an estimated population of 239,796,010 . The CIS encourages cooperation in economic , political and military affairs and has certain powers relating to the coordination of trade , finance , lawmaking , and security . It has also promoted cooperation on cross-border crime prevention . The CIS has its origins in the Russian Empire when it was proclaimed in 1721 . After the October Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the leading republic in the Soviet Union ( USSR ) upon its creation with the 1922 Treaty and Declaration of the Creation of the USSR along with Byelorussian SSR and Ukrainian SSR . When the USSR began to fall in 1991 , the founding republics signed the Belavezha Accords on 8 December 1991 , declaring that the Soviet Union would cease to exist and proclaimed the CIS in its place . A few days later the Alma-Ata Protocol was signed , which declared that the Soviet Union was dissolved and that the Russian Federation was to be its successor state . The Baltic states ( Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania ) , which regard their membership in the Soviet Union as an illegal occupation , chose not to participate . Georgia withdrew its membership in 2008 . Ukraine ended its participation in CIS statutory bodies on 19 May 2018 .
Eugeni Leonidovitsch Redkine ( Russian : Евгений Леонидович Редькин , born 2 February 1970 in Khanty-Mansiysk ) , known as Eugeni Redkine ( also transliterated Evgeni Redkin or Yevgeny Redkin ) , is a former Russian biathlete . He won a surprising gold medal over 20 kilometres ahead of Mark Kirchner and Mikael Löfgren at the 1992 Winter Olympics .
Sylfest Glimsdal ( born 9 October 1966 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . In the 1991-92 season , Glimsdal came third in the overall World Cup standings , behind Jon Åge Tyldum and Mikael Löfgren . During his career he won one gold , one silver and one bronze medal at World Championships . In 2000 , he ended his career as a biathlete .
Gisle Oddvar Fenne ( born 9 June 1963 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . His best-known international achievement was the silver medal in the 20 km individual in the World Championships 1989 in Feistritz an der Drau . He succeeded in many duels with teammate Eirik Kvalfoss . He was among the top Norwegian biathletes from the mid-1980s until the mid-1990s , and became twice the Norwegian champion in the 20 km individual . He is the father of biathlete Hilde Fenne .
Estonia ( Estonian : Eesti [ ˈeːsʲti ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Estonia ( Estonian : Eesti Vabariik ) , is a country on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe . It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland with Finland on the other side , to the west by the Baltic Sea with Sweden on the other side , to the south by Latvia ( 343 km ) , and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia ( 338.6 km ) . The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland and of 2,222 islands in the Baltic Sea , covering a total area of 45,227 km2 ( 17,462 sq mi ) , water 2,839 km2 ( 1,096 sq mi ) , land area 42,388 km2 ( 16,366 sq mi ) , and is influenced by a humid continental climate . The official language of the country , Estonian , is the second-most-spoken Finnic language . The territory of Estonia has been inhabited since at least 9,000 BC . Ancient Estonians became some of the last European pagans to adopt Christianity - following the Livonian Crusade in the 13th century . After centuries of successive rule by Germans , Danes , Swedes , Poles and Russians , a distinct Estonian national identity began to emerge in the 19th and early 20th centuries . This culminated in independence from Russia in 1920 after a brief War of Independence at the end of World War I . Initially democratic prior to the Great Depression , Estonia experienced authoritarian rule from 1934 during the Era of Silence . During World War II ( 1939-1945 ) , Estonia was repeatedly contested and occupied by the Soviet Union and Germany , ultimately being incorporated into the former . After the loss of its de facto independence , Estonia 's de jure state continuity was preserved by diplomatic representatives and the government-in-exile . In 1987 the peaceful Singing Revolution began against Soviet rule , resulting in the restoration of de facto independence on 20 August 1991 .
Aivo Udras ( born 15 March 1970 ) is an Estonian biathlete . He competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1994 Winter Olympics .
Hillar Zahkna ( born 1 February 1968 ) is an Estonian biathlete . He competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1994 Winter Olympics .
Urmas Kaldvee ( born 20 November 1961 ) is an Estonian biathlete . He competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1994 Winter Olympics .
Kalju Ojaste ( born 8 December 1961 ) is an Estonian biathlete . He competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics , the 1994 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics . His daughter is cross country skier Triin Ojaste .
The 28th Biathlon World Championships were held in 1993 in Borovets , Bulgaria .
Germany ( German : Deutschland , German pronunciation : [ ˈdɔʏtʃlant ] ) , constitutionally the Federal Republic of Germany ( German : Bundesrepublik Deutschland , listen ( help·info ) ) , [ f ] is a country in Central and Western Europe . It borders Denmark to the north , Poland and the Czech Republic to the east , Austria and Switzerland to the south , France to the southwest , and Luxembourg , Belgium , and the Netherlands to the west . Germany includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres ( 137,988 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With 83 million inhabitants , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia , the most populous state lying entirely in Europe , as well as the most populous member state of the European Union . Germany is a very decentralised country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country 's busiest airport . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before AD 100 . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire , the German Confederation was formed in 1815 . The German revolutions of 1848-49 resulted in the Frankfurt Parliament establishing major democratic rights .
Sven Fischer ( born 16 April 1971 ) is a former German biathlete . He trained with the WSV Oberhof 05 club , and was coached by Frank Ullrich and Fritz Fischer ( national coaches ) and Klaus Siebert ( club coach ) . After the 2006/07 biathlon season , he retired .
Russia ( Russian : Росси́я , tr . Rossiya , IPA : [ rɐˈsʲijə ] ) , or the Russian Federation , [ e ] is a European country located in Eastern Europe with a vast expanse of territory that stretches across Northern Asia . At 17,125,200 square kilometres ( 6,612,100 sq mi ) , it is by far the largest country in the world by area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , spanning eleven time zones , and bordering 16 sovereign nations . The territory of Russia extends from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east , and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus in the south . With 146.7 million inhabitants living in the country 's 85 federal subjects as of 2020 , Russia is the most populous nation in Europe and the ninth-most populous nation in the world . Russia 's capital and largest city is Moscow ; other major urban areas include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod , Kazan and Chelyabinsk . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states , until it was finally reunified by the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the 15th century . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR/Soviet Union ) , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state .
Aleksey Kobelev ( born 27 July 1971 ) is a Russian biathlete . He competed in the men 's sprint event at the 1998 Winter Olympics .
Valeri Viktorovich Kiriyenko ( Russian : Валерий Викторович Кириенко ) ( born 13 February 1965 in Murmansk ) is a Russian biathlete , who won two silver medals at the Winter Olympics , and three silver medals at the World Championships .
Gilles Marguet ( born 3 December 1967 in Pontarlier , Doubs ) is a retired French biathlete . He was born in Pontarlier . At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , he won a bronze medal with the French relay team , in 4 × 7.5 km relay .
Thierry Dusserre ( born 25 July 1967 in Romans-sur-Isère , Drôme ) is a French biathlete . He was born in Romans-sur-Isère , Drôme . At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer , he won a bronze medal with the French relay team , in 4 x 7.5 km relay .
Xavier Blond ( born 18 June 1965 ) is a French biathlete . He competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics and the 1992 Winter Olympics .
Lionel Laurent ( born 10 October 1964 in Moûtiers ) is a French former biathlete . He was born in Moûtiers . At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer , he won a bronze medal with the French relay team , in 4 × 7.5 km relay .
The 29th Biathlon World Championships held in 1994 in Canmore , Alberta , Canada were only for the team events because these were not part of the Olympic programme in Lillehammer .
Pieralberto Carrara ( born 14 February 1966 ) is a former Italian biathlete . He grew up in Serina . At the 1998 Olympics he won a silver in the 20 km individual . In the 1992-93 season he ended in third in the overall World Cup standings behind Mikael Löfgren and Mark Kirchner .
Andreas Zingerle ( Italian pronunciation : [ anˈdreːaz dzinˈdʒɛrle ] ; born 25 November 1961 ) is a former Italian biathlete . At the 1988 Olympics in Calgary , Zingerle won a bronze medal in the relay . At the World Championships Zingerle accumulated one individual gold medal and three golds and a bronze in relay and team events . He has later become the head coach of Italian National Team . Under his tenure the Italians collected several medals at the Olympic Winter Games and World Championships , including Gold Medals by Dominik Windisch and Dorothea Wierer at the Biathlon World Championships 2019 . Wierer also won the 2018-19 Women 's Overall World Cup .
Vladimir Petrovich Drachev ( Russian : Владимир Петрович Драчёв , born 7 March 1966 ) is a former Soviet , Russian and Belarusian biathlete . He formerly had Russian citizenship and started for Russia until 2002 . Drachev has four world championship titles in his career ( two individually and two for teams ) . He also has two olympic relay medals for Russia ( silver in 1994 , and bronze in 1998 ) . During his career he took a total of 11 World Championship medals and 15 World Cup race wins . He was also known as one of the fastest shots in the sport whilst competing .
Aleksey Kobelev ( born 27 July 1971 ) is a Russian biathlete . He competed in the men 's sprint event at the 1998 Winter Olympics .
Jens Steinigen ( born 2 September 1966 ) is a former East German and German biathlete . He started his career in 1984 , and became junior world champion . Due to the sporting problems in the DDR he failed to qualify for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary . He won with the German relay team together with Ricco Groß , Mark Kirchner and Fritz Fischer at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville the gold medal . The following year he did again win a medal with the German relay team this time a bronze medal at the World Championships . After his career as biathlete Steinigen became a courtlawyer .
Peter Sendel ( born 6 March 1972 ) is a former German biathlete . At the 1998 Olympics in Nagano , Sendel was a part of the German team that won the gold medal . Later he earned a relay silver medal from the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City . Sendel retired as a biathlete in 2004 .
The 30th Biathlon World Championships were held in 1995 for the third time in Antholz-Anterselva , Italy .
Frode Andresen ( born 9 September 1973 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete and cross-country skier .
Dag Bjørndalen ( born April 2 , 1970 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . He is the older brother of Ole Einar Bjørndalen . His biggest triumph as a biathlete is the silver medal he won in the relay in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano ( together with his brother Ole Einar , Halvard Hanevold and Egil Gjelland ) . He was also part of the team that won the team event in the 1995 World Championships .
Halvard Hanevold ( 3 December 1969 - 3 September 2019 ) was a Norwegian biathlete .
The Czech Republic ( /ˈtʃɛk -/ ( listen ) ; Czech : Česká republika [ ˈtʃɛskaː ˈrɛpublɪka ] ( listen ) ) , also known by its short-form name , Czechia ( /ˈtʃɛkiə/ ( listen ) ; Czech : Česko [ ˈtʃɛsko ] ( listen ) ) , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Poland to the northeast , Slovakia to the southeast , Austria to the south , and Germany to the west . The Czech Republic is a landlocked country with a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,866 square kilometers ( 30,450 sq mi ) with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate . It is a unitary parliamentary republic , with 10.7 million inhabitants . Its capital and largest city is Prague , with 1.3 million residents ; other major cities are Brno , Ostrava , Olomouc and Pilsen . The Czech Republic includes the historical territories of Bohemia , Moravia , and Czech Silesia . The Czech state was formed in the late ninth century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire . In 1002 , the duchy was formally recognized as an Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire along with the Kingdom of Germany , the Kingdom of Burgundy , the Kingdom of Italy ; and became the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198 , reaching its greatest territorial extent in the 14th century . Prague was the imperial seat in periods between the 14th and 17th century . The Protestant Bohemian Reformation of the 15th century led to the Hussite Wars , the first of many conflicts with the Catholic Church . Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526 , the whole Crown of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy . The Protestant Bohemian Revolt ( 1618-20 ) against the Catholic Habsburgs led to the Thirty Years ' War . After the Battle of the White Mountain , the Habsburgs consolidated their rule , eradicated Protestantism , reimposed Catholicism , and adopted a policy of gradual Germanization .
Petr Garabík ( born 1 January 1970 ) is a Czech biathlete . He competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics , the 1998 Winter Olympics and the 2002 Winter Olympics .
Roman Dostál ( pronounced [ ˈroman ˈdostaːl ] ( listen ) ; born 13 July 1970 ) is a former Czech biathlete . He became a Biathlon World Champion on the 20 km in 2005 . The victory itself was very surprising because he has never managed to come among the top three in any World Cup competition . Dostál retired after the 2009-10 season .
Franck Perrot ( born 7 February 1972 ) is a French biathlete . He competed in the men 's 20 km individual event at the 1994 Winter Olympics .
The 31st Biathlon World Championships were held in 1996 for the third time in Ruhpolding , Germany .
Belarus ( /bɛləˈruːs/ ; Belarusian : Беларусь , IPA : [ bʲɛlaˈrusʲ ] ) , officially the Republic of Belarus ( Belarusian : Рэспубліка Беларусь , Russian : Республика Беларусь ) , formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia ( Russian : Белоруссия ) , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia to the northeast , Ukraine to the south , Poland to the west , and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest . Its capital and most populous city is Minsk . Over 40% of its 207,600 square kilometres ( 80,200 sq mi ) is forested . Its major economic sectors are service industries and manufacturing . Until the 20th century , different states at various times controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus , including the Principality of Polotsk ( 11th to 14th centuries ) , the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , and the Russian Empire . In the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution , Belarus declared independence as the Belarusian People 's Republic , which was conquered by Soviet Russia . The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922 and was renamed as the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Byelorussian SSR ) . Belarus lost almost half of its territory to Poland after the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921 . Much of the borders of Belarus took their modern shape in 1939 , when some lands of the Second Polish Republic were reintegrated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland , and were finalized after World War II . During WWII , military operations devastated Belarus , which lost about a quarter of its population and half of its economic resources . The republic was redeveloped in the post-war years . In 1945 the Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the United Nations , along with the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian SSR .
Oleg Vladimirovich Ryzhenkov ( Belarusian : Алег Уладзіміравіч Рыжанкоў ; born 15 December 1967 ) is a former Belarusian biathlete .
Vadim Leonidovich Sashurin ( Belarusian : Вадзім Леанідавіч Сашурын ; born 19 February 1970 ) is a former Soviet and Belarusian biathlete and current coach . In the lead-up to the 2002-03 season , Sashurin was caught using the banned steroid nandrolone . He was initially banned for 15 months , but the ban was extended to 24 months after Sashurin failed to take part in an anti-doping campaign , as mandated by the IBU . Since retirement as an athlete , Sashurin has become a physio or fitness coach .
Pavel Iliych Muslimov ( Russian : Павел Ильич Муслимов ) ( born June 15 , 1967 in Ufa ) is a former Russian biathlete .
Viktor Viktorovich Maigourov ( Russian : Виктор Викторвич Майгуров ) ; born 7 February 1969 ) is a former biathlete from Russia .
Sergei Leonidovich Rozhkov ( Russian : Серге́й Леони́дович Рожко́в ; born 1 April 1972 ) is a former Russian biathlete .
René Cattarinussi ( born 12 April 1972 ) is a former Italian biathlete . At the 1996 World Championships in Ruhpolding he took a bronze medal in the sprint event , whilst he the following year at the 1997 World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie won a silver medal in the sprint event and bronze in the relay . He also has a bronze and a silver medal from the sprint distance in the 2000 World Championships in Oslo and from the 2001 World Championships in Pokljuka . Cattarinussi retired as a biathlete after the 2002-03 season .
Patrick Favre ( born 30 July 1972 ) is a former Italian biathlete . At the Biathlon World Championships 1997 in Osrblie he won a bronze medal with the Italian relay team . Two years later at the Biathlon World Championships 1999 in Kontiolahti he won a silver medal in the sprint event . In the 1994-95 season he came second in the overall World Cup behind Jon Åge Tyldum . After the 2000-01 season , he retired as biathlete , though he had a short-lived comeback during the 2003-04 season . Following his retirement , he became a coach , spending seven years with the Italian national biathlon team before joining the French national men 's biathlon team in June 2018 on a four-year contract .
The 32nd Biathlon World Championships were held in 1997 in Brezno-Osrblie , Slovakia . The pursuit races were contested for the first time in the world championships .
Carsten Heymann ( born 7 January 1972 ) is a German biathlete . He competed in the men 's sprint event at the 1998 Winter Olympics .
Poland ( Polish : Polska [ ˈpɔlska ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Poland ( Polish : Rzeczpospolita Polska [ c ] [ ʐɛt͡ʂpɔˈspɔlita ˈpɔlska ] ( listen ) ) , is a country located in Central Europe . It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions , covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres ( 120,733 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With a population of nearly 38.5 million people , Poland is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union . Poland 's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw . Other major cities include Kraków , Łódź , Wrocław , Poznań , Gdańsk , and Szczecin . Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea , Lithuania , and Russia 's Kaliningrad Oblast to the north , Belarus and Ukraine to the east , Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south , and Germany to the west . The history of human activity on Polish soil spans almost 500,000 years . Throughout the Iron Age the area became extensively diverse , with various cultures and tribes settling on the vast Central European Plain . However , it was the Western Polans who dominated the region and gave Poland its name . The establishment of Polish statehood can be traced to AD 966 , when Mieszko I , ruler of the realm coextensive with the territory of present-day Poland , converted to Christianity . The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025 , and in 1569 it cemented its longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin . This union formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , one of the largest ( over 1,000,000 square kilometres - 400,000 square miles ) and most populous countries of 16th and 17th century Europe , with a uniquely liberal political system which adopted Europe 's first written national constitution , the Constitution of 3 May 1791 .
Wiesław Ziemianin ( born 7 September 1970 ) is a Polish biathlete . He competed at the 1994 , 1998 , 2002 and the 2006 Winter Olympics .
Jan Ziemianin ( born 19 May 1962 ) is a Polish biathlete . He competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics , the 1994 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics .
Wojciech Kozub ( born 20 July 1976 ) is a Polish biathlete . He competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics and the 2002 Winter Olympics .
Tomasz Sikora ( born 21 December 1973 ) is a former Polish biathlete .
The 33rd Biathlon World Championships held in March 1998 in Pokljuka , Slovenia , and for the second time in Hochfilzen , Austria were only for the pursuit races ( Pokljuka ) and the team events ( Hochfilzen ) because these were not part of the Olympic programme in Nagano .
Egil Gjelland ( born 12 November 1973 ) is a former Norwegian biathlete . He is olympic champion in the biathlon relay from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City . Egil Gjelland grew up in Voss , the home of many world class biathletes , and started doing biathlon at the age of 15 . He first entered the national team in 1996 . Gjelland 's strength is in shooting . His greatest triumphs have come on Norway 's relay team , where he was a regular feature for several years , thanks to his ability to keep his cool and deliver faultless shooting . In the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City , he won the gold medal on the relay , together with Ole Einar Bjørndalen , Halvard Hanevold and Frode Andresen . In the Biathlon World Championship 2005 in Hochfilzen , Gjelland again helped win the relay , Norway 's first relay-gold in the world championships for 38 years . He won one race in the Biathlon World Cup , the pursuit in Östersund on 17 December 2004 . Egil Gjelland is a carpenter by trade . He married fellow biathlete Ann-Elen Skjelbreid in 2002 . They have one daughter , Kristi ( b .
Ole Einar Bjørndalen ( born 27 January 1974 ) is a retired Norwegian professional biathlete and coach , often referred to by the nickname , the King of Biathlon . With 13 Winter Olympic Games medals , he is second on the list of multiple medalists behind Marit Bjørgen who has won 15 medals . He is also the most successful biathlete of all time at the Biathlon World Championships , having won 45 medals , more than double that of any other biathlete except Martin Fourcade . With 95 World Cup wins , Bjørndalen is ranked first all-time for career victories on the Biathlon World Cup tour , more than twice that of anyone else but Fourcade . He has won the Overall World Cup title six times , in 1997-98 , in 2002-03 , in 2004-05 , in 2005-06 , in 2007-08 and in 2008-09 . In 1992 , he won his first career medal at the junior world championships . A year later in 1993 , after winning three junior world championship titles , a medal haul only previously achieved by Sergei Tchepikov , Bjørndalen made his Biathlon World Cup debut . His breakthrough came in 1994 when he featured on his first World Cup podium in a sprint race held in Bad Gastein , Austria . Bjørndalen first competed in the Olympic Games at the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics , held in his home country of Norway . He obtained his first major victory on 11 January 1996 in an individual competition held in Antholz-Anterselva , Italy . On 20 February 2014 , Bjørndalen was elected to an eight-year term at the International Olympic Committee 's athlete commission . He resigned from this role in 2016 as he elected to continue his career .
Ricco Groß ( also spelled Gross , born 22 August 1970 ) is a former German biathlete whose exploits made him one of the most successful biathletes of all time at the Winter Olympics and the World Championships .