Biathlon: the IBU has signed a three-year contract with Munich for the Loop One Festival
This weekend, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) unveils its new event: the Loop One Festival in Munich (Germany). Set up by the world’s biathlon governing body, the event will take place in the Bavarian Olympic Park in front of thousands of spectators, with electric races contested over a 1.8km loop.
While this first edition, which comes a full month before the start of the 2025/2026 Olympic World Cup, is far from unleashing the passions of the various national teams, it is (almost) a foregone conclusion that there will be two more in 2026 and 2027 at the same venue.
“The Loop One Festival is initially scheduled to take place in Munich for three consecutive years, subject to a review after the first edition in October 2025″, it was stated in the minutes of the IBU Executive Committee meeting in June.
Christian Winkler, the IBU’s head of communications, confirmed this to Ski Chrono a few days ago: “Germany is the biggest market for biathlon and always has been,” he said. We were also looking for a place that was a bit central and easy for the athletes to get to. And Munich has a reputation for organising sporting events with its Olympic Park.
The programme for the Loop One Festival in Munich (Germany)
Saturday 18th October
- 11:00: 4 all biathlon
- 12.15pm: seated para-biathlon relay
- 12.55pm: Para biathlon single mixed relay for the visually impaired
- 13:35: men’s para biathlon standing mass-start
- 16:00: young men’s mass-start
- 16:30: young women’s mass-start
- 17:00: Para-biathlon and youth prize-giving ceremonies
Sunday 19 October
- 10:20-10:50: Men’s shooting trials
- 11.00: Men’s super sprint qualifying heat 1
- 11.20am: Men’s super sprint qualifying heat 2
- 11.40am: Men’s super sprint qualifying heat no. 3
- 12.00: Men’s super sprint qualifying heat no. 4
- 12.20pm-12.50pm: Women’s shooting trials
- 13:00: Ladies’ super sprint qualifying heat 1
- 1.20pm: Women’s super sprint qualifying heat 2
- 1.40pm: Women’s super sprint qualifying heat no. 3
- 2.00 pm: women’s super sprint qualifying heat no. 4
- 3.42pm: men’s super sprint final
- 4.23pm: Women’s super sprint final
- 5pm: prize-giving ceremony
- The full programme of the Loop One Festival in Munich, the show organised by the IBU to open the 2025/2026 season.
- TV rights: Munich’s Loop One Festival broadcast on France Télévisions’ digital channels
- The IBU launches the Loop One Festival, the opening event of the 2025/2026 season in Munich
- “Stéphane Bouthiaux regrets the late announcement of the Loop One Festival, the IBU’s urban showcase at the start of the season.
- The IBU’s urban show at the start of the season has changed the Summer Tour schedule: the first stage will take place in Arçon in September, the second in La Féclaz in October.
- France has nine quotas for the Loop One Festival, an urban show organised by the IBU on 19 October in Munich.
- The crème de la crème: the names of the nine French riders selected for the Loop One Festival, the season-opening show organised by the IBU in Munich.
- The Summer Tour of La Féclaz rather than the Loop One Festival in Munich for Justine Braisaz-Bouchet
- Germany with Franziska Preuss, Justus Strelow, Selina Grotian and Janina Hettich-Walz for the Loop One Festival, Vanessa Voigt absent
- Great Britain with Shawna Pendry and Matthew Chronicle at the Loop One Festival in Munich
- “They’re going there to give it their all”: Karl Tabouret and Benjamin Daviet at the start of the Loop One Festival in Munich on 18 October
- Loop One Festival: Belgium with Maya Cloetens, Florent Claude, Lotte Lie and Thierry Langer
- Finland, led by Suvi Minkkinen, six for the Loop One Festival
- Loop One Festival: Italy in Munich with Lisa Vittozzi, Tommaso Giacomel and Dorothea Wierer
- Loop One Festival: the Czech Republic without Marketa Davidova, but with Tereza Vobornikova, Michal Krcmar and Vitezslav Hornig
- Australia represented at Munich’s Loop One Festival
- Munich: Slovenia with Anamarija Lampic, but without Jakov Fak for the Loop One Festival
- Loop One Festival: Sweden selects Ella Halvarsson and Martin Ponsiluoma, the Oeberg sisters and Sebastian Samuelson stay at home
- Loop One Festival: three Americans to take part in Munich show, no Canadians
