Munich in biathlon fever: world stars fight at the Loop One Festival!

Munich in biathlon fever: world stars fight at the Loop One Festival!

On Sunday, October 16, 2025, the Olympic Park in Munich will be transformed into an exciting arena for biathlon. Not only national stars like... Philipp Nawrath, but also international greats like Sturla Holm Laegreid and Eric Perrot compete against each other in the new competition format. In contrast to usual competitions, this time the athletes are not only looking for gold, but also for speed and excitement. The main races start at 11 a.m. with a total of 120 participants competing in four heats on a 1.8 kilometer long circuit.

The finals are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. for men and 4:15 p.m. for women. Live broadcasts take place on Sportschau.de as well as on TV via ARD. The Super Sprint takes place without awarding World Cup points, which may provide additional excitement.

All-round view of the event

In addition, a temporary shooting range with 15 lanes has been set up on part of the lake in the Olympic Park. Here, small-caliber rifles are fired at a distance of 50 meters while the athletes race around the tracks on roller skis. This form of event is not only intended to entertain the spectators, but above all to inspire young talent for the sport of biathlon, a task that the IBU sports director Daniel Böhm considered important. He emphasizes that climate change represents a challenge for winter sports and sees this format as an opportunity to keep the sport alive even in times when there is little snow.

The event is part of the “Loop One Festival” which will take place on the weekend of October 18th and 19th. Here anyone interested can experience the biathlon feeling up close. Free access to the Olympic Park and along the running route makes participation particularly attractive for young and old.

Who is competing?

While the pursuit world champion Franziska Preuss cannot compete due to a hand injury, there are numerous other high-class German athletes who are ready to show what they can do. In addition to Nawrath, there will also be Justus Strelow,Selina Grotianas well as Roman Reestake part in the competition.

As part of the festival there will also be para-biathlon duels and youth biathlon; additional standing room has been created for the associated relaxed competitions due to the high demand for tickets. Various food trucks and live performances will ensure your physical well-being and will contribute to the festival atmosphere.

A look into the future of biathlon

It is clear that the event is not just a sports festival, but also sends a clear message to the next generation. The sport of biathlon faces challenges when it comes to recruiting young athletes. It is all the more important that the discipline has a place even in conditions that are not ideal, like this Biathlon team Allgäu emphasized. Training begins here at a young age in order to train the next generation.

The combination of endurance and precision that characterizes biathlon will continue to be accessible and tangible for young talents. Because one thing is clear: Biathlon in the Olympic Park is a meeting place and a true enrichment for sport in Munich!