Preliminary team's composition for the world championship in Ruhpolding

The preliminary Russian team's composition for the world championship in German Ruhpolding is determined. According to qualification criteria, the list of the sportsmen who met the requirements for the world championship was sent for approval of the RBU's Executive Board. The preliminary team is composed by seven men and eight women. The Executive Board will approve the list before February 25th.

Russian team's composition for the world championship in Rugpolding (Germany)

Men

1. Evgeny Ustyugov

2. Anton Shipulin

3. Andrey Makoveev

4. Evgeny Garanichev

5. Timofey Lapshin

6. Dmitry Malyshko

7. Vladimir Semakov

Women

1. Olga Zaytseva

2. Olga Vilukhina

3. Ekaterina Glazyrina

4. Anna Bogaliy-Titovets

5. Svetlana Sleptsova

6. Yana Romanova

7. Anastasia Zagoruiko

8. Ekaterina Shumilova

The head coach of the national team Valery Polkhovsky commented on the team's composition:

«Every Russian biathlete had a chance to be in the team at the world championship in Ruhpolding. Not only those who trained with the national team, but also those, who trained with the regional team could fight for the place. That is a qualification criteria of this year.

The qualification starts for the world championship took place on February 16–18 in Ufa. This tournament attracted attention of many sportsmen — 124 biathletes ran in the sprint race,

After the Ufa's tournament Anastasia Zagoruiko, Ekaterina Shumilova and Vladimir Semakov got the chance to participate in the world championship. Nikolay Eliseev won the sprint race and we wanted to include him to the team, but unfortunately we could not do it because of the IBU's rules. He has not met the qualification criteria of the International Biathlon Union, as he had no starts at the international level. I have talked to the race-director of the IBU Franz Berger. Unfortunately we cannot change the rules. Eliseev will participate in the next IBU cup in Altenberg.»