Almost 20,000 biathlon fans reach deafening levels as they sing and cheer their heroes

ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — They wear Norwegian Viking helmets, French chicken suits and German fuzzy black, red and yellow cow hats, paint their faces in national colors, drape flags around their shoulders and don patriotic costumes as they sing YMCA or chant their hero's name.

The almost 20,000 biathlon fans who pack the stands and line the ski tracks of Anterselva biathlon arena are among the most boisterous of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and their enthusiasm will likely hit a crescendo Friday for the men's 15-kilometer mass start race — the last chance for the men to medal in this Olympic cycle.

“Sha la la la la la la - Er-ic Per-rot,” chanted a group of French fans wearing blue, white and red chicken hats and carrying a cut-out face of Perrot - who has already won two gold and a silver medal in these Winter Games.

Up the trail, Oystein Saeterdal of Bergen, Norway, wore a Norwegian flag suit and sunglasses while standing with a group of Swedish fans wearing yellow and blue jackets and hats. Their countries may be rivals on the ski track and shooting range, but they support each other and cheer for all who compete, he said.

“It's the biathlon family,” he said. “It's another atmosphere. I go to football matches in England and it's not like this. We're all friends. That's why it's so special.”

During the races, when the lead biathlete skis into the shooting range area, the crowd erupts in a deafening cheer. They go silent before the first shot is fired, scream a collective “yay” for each hit and sigh a disappointed “ohhh” if there’s a miss. The Italian and German biathletes get the loudest responses, but the festive crowd will offer support to any skier who passes the sold-out stands or struggles on a climb.

Biathlon is one of they most watched winter sports in Europe and the Olympic biathlon races are being held at an established, frequently used and visited venue — the Südtirol Arena in Anterselva, Italy. It's an annual stop on the biathlon World Cup circuit and regular host of the World Championships.

It knows how to welcome and accommodate thousands of fans - regardless of the weather.

The range is located at an altitude of 5,200 feet (1,600 meters) at the top of the Anterselva valley, in the shadow of jagged, snow-covered peaks near the Austrian border. The biathlon venue has the highest spectator capacity of the entire Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games and is expected to host close to 200,000 fans through the event.

Allan and Mallory Ayers traveled all the way from Bentonville, Arkansas, to attend Olympic events and said the view at the Anterselva venue was the best they've seen.

German fan Alois Aschenbrenner said he and his group of cow-hat-wearing fans drove eight hours in a blizzard on Thursday, and then took two shuttle buses and walked another 15 minutes to attend Friday's mass start race.

“It was worth it,” he said. “We give a cheer to everybody.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Fans take photos with snowmen with the names of France's Eric Perrot, from left, Emilien Jacquelin, Fabien Claude and Quentin Fillon Maillet ahead of the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Fans of France wait for the start of the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A fan of France waits for the start of the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Fans of Germany wait for the start of the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Fans of France wait for the start of the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Biathlon fans cheer ahead of the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Fans of Lou Jeanmonnot, of France, hold a medal after the women's 4x6-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — American freeskier Hunter Hess got to the end of his successful run in Olympic halfpipe qualifying, then leaned into the camera. He bent his left thumb and forefinger into the shape of an “L," lifted it to his forehead and pointed at it with the other hand.

“Apparently,” he explained, “I'm a loser.”

The 27-year-old who received that label from U.S. President Donald Trump at the start of the Olympics — leading to threats to his family and setting off the first major political imbroglio of the Games — finally got in the starting gate Friday. Fired up after nailing his first run, he flashed the “L” sign, then explained he has used the entire episode as motivation.

“I worked so hard to be here. I sacrificed my entire life to make this happen,” Hess said. “I’m not going to let controversy like that get in my way. I love the United States of America. I cannot say that enough. My original statement, I felt like I said that, but apparently people didn’t take it that way. I’m so happy to be here, so happy to represent Team USA.”

Hess was one of four Americans to qualify for the 12-man final, all of whom have a chance to give the U.S. team its first gold medal over nearly two weeks of skiing and snowboarding at the Livigno Snow Park.

During a news conference at the start of the Games, skiers were asked how they felt representing the country during the Trump administration's heightened immigration enforcement actions back home.

Hess' response: "If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

That caught Trump's attention.

“Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

After a few days, that died down. The freeskiers, placed on the back end of the Olympic schedule, retreated to Laax, Switzerland, for a week of training. Hess conceded it wasn't the easiest time.

“I had a week that was pretty challenging,” he said. “Luckily, my family was there to support me and help me get through it. There was a lot of noise and I've never been subject to that kind of criticism. Skiing has saved my life time and time again and it seems to have done so again."

He said, "There's been a lot of hate out there. All those people are super entitled to their opinion, and I respect it."

Ultimately, though, he said he had no second thoughts about what he said in that fateful Feb. 6 news conference. The message, he insisted, was really a message of support.

“I stand with what I said. I love the United States of America. I cannot reiterate that enough. It means the absolute world to me to be able to represent Team USA here. I worked so, so hard to get here. I stick with what I said.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

United States' Hunter Hess reacts during the men's freestyle skiing halfpipe qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

United States' Hunter Hess reacts during the men's freestyle skiing halfpipe qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

United States' Hunter Hess reacts during the men's freestyle skiing halfpipe qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)