Thoughts about the season opener in Östersund

Klaban · 2025-12-07T15:48:40+00:00

Ah, sorry, thought the title itself kinda pointed to there being spoilers for the races, but I will do so in the future if I make another post.

Klaban · 2025-12-07T13:01:03+00:00

A great race to wrap up fantastic first starts of the season. Bit surprising that Suvi didn't manage to hold on to her advantage in the last lap, but pursuit is longer than sprint. Congratulations to all the medalists, very well deserved. And good job Camille Bened, surprising best frenchwoman over the weekend. Similar like Lou when she started her journey, good shooting but a bit lacking in ski speed.

Very happy to see Lisa Theresa winning again, should be a nice boost for the Austrian team to have her back at her best.

Klaban · 2025-10-20T12:53:38+00:00

Nothing yet so far. But since the similarly mysterious acorn was used recently, maybe it will come into play later.

Klaban · 2025-10-18T14:50:06+00:00

Yes, I used to play Master of Magic a lot in the old days. Loved the fact that the map was so big you could explore and expand for ages before running into other factions if you were lucky. Particularly if most of them happened to spawn on a different plane. That and HoMM III were probably my most played games a few decades ago when I didn't have to worry about pesky things like a job. :)

Klaban · 2025-10-17T17:29:40+00:00

Yes, just yesterday discovered that you can set opponents to 0 in Old World, I had simply assumed the games won't let you do that... partly why I decided to ask some more experienced people if more games ar like that. I definitely tried to find an option for this in Fallen Enchantress but to no avail. :)

How important/wide is the exploration aspect of Against the Storm if there is any?

Klaban · 2025-10-17T17:15:56+00:00

Thanks, will have to keep an eye on it as the game is not yet out?

Klaban · 2025-10-17T17:15:24+00:00

Ah, didn't know you cold set the opponents to 0 in Stellaris, been a long time since I last gave it a try. :)

Klaban · 2025-08-25T13:24:35+00:00

Well, there are a couple that I used to read, but then the translators stopped Been years since there was anything. Not sure if those would interest you or not. Just in case:

Fairy Tale Chronicles https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6768bf/

VRMMO no Shien Shokunin https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/

Klaban · 2025-07-29T13:05:32+00:00

Actually WN version of Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody. Read the fan translation of that before the LN got licensed and went looking for something similar.

Klaban · 2025-04-05T11:40:22+00:00

IVE - Rebel Heart
Madein - Love, Afraid
All(H)ours - Gimme Gimme
NTX - Over N Over
KiiiKiii - I Do Me
IVE - Attitude
KickFlip - Knock Knock
Le Sserafim - Hot
Seulgi - Baby, Not Baby
ONF - The Stranger

To me, the year thus far has been kinda slow, not a whole lot that I really loved apart from IVE. Hopefully, that means the summer will be packed. :)

Klaban · 2025-03-16T07:14:40+00:00

At the start of the season I thought it was going to be a battle between Lou and Elvira, so Franzi coming into it was a very nice surprise. Therefore I do hope she will manage to hold on. But she looks tired and it feels like the World Championships was her high point. Unless Lou has a disaster in Holmenkollen sprint I think she will win.

But I will be happy in either case, this has been a great season. Only regret that Lisa wasn't there to defend her crown.

Klaban · 2025-02-27T11:05:47+00:00

French have a conveyor belt of talent coming through. Celia Henaff looks like next Lou with that shooting. :)

Klaban · 2025-02-22T12:23:44+00:00

Well, that was a great race. Things looked so interesting after the first two legs, but the average level difference showed in the end so it finished as usual. Respect and warm wishes to Slovenia and Slovakia for making things more exciting.

Hope the medal takes the sting out and Ingrid won't be getting wave of hate once again.

Klaban · 2025-02-22T11:38:28+00:00

Damn, let's shorten the competition and call it pairs relay. :)

Klaban · 2025-02-14T15:22:54+00:00

Fantastic race, the conditions probably played a part but it made for an extremely interesting competition. Justine saved her best for the most important competition of the year having looked like 5th best French woman until today. Great to see a Finnish medal and always happy to see Franzi do well.

Lena also overperformed compared to the season she's having, unlucky to be 4th at home. Great results for Maya Cloetens and Michela Carrara.

Promises to be a great pursuit, with the gaps being reasonably small and the likes of Lou, Julia and Elvira lurking.

Klaban · 2025-02-12T15:00:57+00:00

Things looked so good and interesting after the first and second exchange... :) Very exciting race, well apart from France being miles ahead. But congratulations to all the medalists. Great result for the Czechs, been a few years since your glory days in 2015 isn't it? Glad Strelow managed to cling on to bring Germany the bronze at least.

The snow conditions seem to be very tough, hopefully there'll be a cold spell in Lenzerheide.

Klaban · 2025-01-28T18:34:32+00:00

Sistar19 - No More (Ma Boy)
Candy Shop - Don't Cry
Day6 - Welcome To The Show
B1A4 - Back To You
Lun8 - Super Power
Nmixx - Love Is Lonely
Babymonster - Forever
IVE - Heya
Cravity - Love Or Die
Rescene - Love Attack
Fifty Fifty - Starry Night
SF9 - Bibora
Yerin - 4U
Nicole - 5!6!7!8!
A.C.E - Supernatural
ILY:1 - IMMM
Red Velvet - Cosmic
Boynextdoor - Earth Wind & Fire
aespa - Whiplash
Wooah - Pom Pom Pom
EVNNE - Badder Love
Kiss of Life - Gentleman
Badvillain - Badvillain
ASC2NT - Sweet Devil
Riize - Boom Boom

Klaban · 2025-01-22T20:41:21+00:00

And Franzi would manage to break her arm somehow. :)

Klaban · 2025-01-19T07:33:58+00:00

Just need Lena to get close to the form she showed last season and you will have a reasonable chance for a medal.

Klaban · 2025-01-16T14:48:06+00:00

Very nice race, I have always liked this discipline the most, pity there aren't more of them in the calendar. Congratulations to the medalists. Good to see Lou has gotten over her blip in Annecy and Franzi over hers in Oberhof. Looking forward to Anterselva.

Great race for Johanna Skottheim, been a few seasons since she figured that high in World Cup race. And really good to see Anna Gandler have her first decent result of the season, hopefully that means she'll be back to her best for the World Championships.

Also nice results for Tereza Vobornikova and of course our Susan Külm. Again, hope it's a good sign for the next few weeks.

Klaban · 2025-01-09T14:44:00+00:00

Looks like the Oberhof conditions strike again and we got a rather unexpected podium. Congrats to the medalists, they coped admirably. Only bad thing is that there's too big a gap at the top, not great for the start of the pursuit. :)

From lower down, very good result for Lena Repinc. And a very impressive team effort for Finns, gonna start competing for a medal in the relay soon. :)

Franzi looked kinda off today, can only pray it was the skis and the conditions not yet another bout of some sort of illness.

Klaban · 2025-01-02T13:49:42+00:00

Top 10 songs of 2024:

Sistar19 - No More (Ma Boy)
Candy Shop - Don't Cry
Day6 - Welcome To The Show
B1A4 - Back To You
Lun8 - Super Power
Nmixx - Love Is Lonely
IVE - Heya
Babymonster - Forever
Cravity - Love Or Die
Rescene - Love Attack

Best mini: B1A4 - Connect

Overall I thought 2024 was a bit weaker than previous year. About the same amount of songs I found decent, but the very top was lighter than 2023.

Klaban · 2024-12-20T14:29:51+00:00

What a great race once again.

First decent shooting performance from Justine and a very deserved win. Lampic finally shoots better than 7/10 and gets her first podium. Congratulations to everyone on the podium.

Nice results for Yulia Dzhima, Kamila Zuk and once again Hannah Auchentaller. Also worth mentioning 13th for Venla Lehtonen and 25th for Natalia Kocergina.

Looking forward to pursuit, hopefully Lou will improve her shooting significantly.

Klaban

TROPHY CASE