Biathlon course gets fertilizer boost

Last Updated: Saturday, February 13, 2010 | 10:45 AM ET

The Associated Press

Biathlete Tina Bachman of Germany talks to her coach through a radio next to her after shooting during a training session at the biathlon track in Whistler on Friday. (Jens Meyer/Associated Press)

Fertilizer will be spread across the biathlon course for the women's 7.5-kilometre sprint Saturday because warm weather has made the snow at Whistler Olympic Park wet, heavy and hard to ski on.

Using snowmobiles, crews will spread the fertilizer, called urea, over the course. The fertilizer's effect wears off after about five hours.

Course chief Bernard Voyer said the fertilizer will be spread before the men's training begins at 12 p.m. ET. The women's race is four hours later, at 4 p.m. ET.

Fertilizer has been used in extreme cases for several years at international competitions.

Medal Count

Top 10 Medal Winners

Country				Total
UNITED STATES	9	15	13	37
GERMANY	10	13	7	30
CANADA	14	7	5	26
NORWAY	9	8	6	23
AUSTRIA	4	6	6	16
RUSSIA	3	5	7	15
SOUTH KOREA	6	6	2	14
CHINA	5	2	4	11
SWEDEN	5	2	4	11
FRANCE	2	3	6	11

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Key Dates - Biathlon

Women's 7.5 Kilometre Sprint
SVK DEU FRA

Men's 10 Kilometre Sprint
FRA NOR HRV

Women's 10 Kilometre Pursuit
DEU SVK FRA

Men's 12.5 Kilometre Pursuit
SWE AUT FRA

Women's 15 Kilometre Individual
NOR KAZ BLR

Men's 20 Kilometre Individual
NOR NOR
BLR

Men's 15 Kilometre Mass Start
RUS FRA SVK

Women's 12.5 Kilometre Mass Start
DEU RUS DEU

Women's 4x6 Kilometre Relay
RUS FRA DEU

Men's 4x7.5 Kilometre Relay
NOR AUT RUS

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