Pentathlon Debuts Laser Pistols; Extreme Winds Hold Up Canoe Champs

Modern Pentathlon Marvels at Moscow

The leaders of modern pentathlon tell Around the Rings the Olimpiyskiy is an absolutely ideal venue for the world championships just underway in Moscow.

"This fulfills our idea of a pentathlon stadium," UIPM president Klaus Schormann said about the site for Olympic badminton and boxing during the 1980 Summer Games.

"Spectators can watch all the disciplines from one seat," he added before clarifying that swimming is actually taking place next door.

Still, four of the five events under one roof is a rarity for the sport – but not for much longer, Schormann hopes. "This is one of many ‘Pentathlon Stadiums’ to used in the future," he said.

The concentration of competition isn’t the only special aspect of these championships.

"This is the first event where precision laser shooting is being used with great success," UIPM secretary general Joel Bouzou told ATR.

"Laser precision shooting will be used at the London 2012 Olympics, and we know it will be a huge hit."

The top three finishers in Moscow will put their laser pistols to use again next year by qualifying for the Games.

Events run through next Thursday.

Rowing Congress Bound for Copenhagen

Chalk up another bid win for the folks at Sport Event Denmark.

The International Rowing Federation decided Monday during its annual ordinary congress to stage its next quadrennial extraordinarycongress in Copenhagen come 2013.

"This congress is the most important congress within the rowing world and all the alterations to the statues and rules of racing will take place here," Sport Event Denmark CEO Lars Lundov said in a statement.

"Sport Event Denmark ensures the transfer of knowledge from one congress to another, and therefore we can assure FISA an extraordinary congress out of the extraordinary."

The bid was placed in partnership with the Danish Rowing Federation as well as WonderfulCopenhagen and follows recently successful campaigns for the 2015 world championships in both archery and trampoline gymnastics.

Extreme Winds Delay Canoe Champs

Canoe slalom’s world championships are on hold until conditions clear up in Bratislava, Slovakia.

"All races have been cancelled today due to the extreme windy conditions at the venue," says a Thursday email alert from the International Canoe Federation.

"The decision has been taken to resume races on Friday at 8:30 a.m. when the weather forecast reveals clearer weather conditions."

Competition kicked off Wednesday at Water Sports Centre Cunovo with more than 400 athletes from 50 countries vying for both world titles as well as Olympic berths in 10 disciplines, six for men and four for women.

Slalom races are scheduled through Sunday. No word yet on whether the day’s delay will extend the championships past the weekend.

Massive Qatar World Cup Bill Possible

Qataris best hold onto their pocketbooks –the 2022 World Cup could cost nearly a quarter trillion dollars.

Media reports indicate German financial analyst Nicola Ritter told an investors summit that construction costs for stadia and other venues would total more than $170 billion. Another $50 billion would go to infrastructure upgrades.

A substantial chunk of the tab will go to air-conditioning the venues. That alone will cost nearly $50 billion, Ritter claims.

Another costly project is the building of Lusail –a brand new city already under construction –to host the opening and final matches of the World Cup. That too will cost nearly $50 billion.

Money, however, may not be an object for the 2022 hosts. Qatar sits on some of the most oil per capita in the world.

Written by Matthew Grayson.