A few weeks before the start of the new biathlon season, the best ski hunters come together in Munich. At an event organized by the International Biathlon Federation IBU, the stars are supposed to boost the advertising drum for their sport. However, some familiar faces are missing.
When the eight-person biathlon team from Sweden travels to Munich next weekend, top athletes Hanna and Elvira Öberg as well as Sebastian Samuelsson will not be there. The Swedish association announced this in advance.
Ella Halvarsson, Anna Magnusson, Johanna Nordqvist and Johanna Skottheim are nominated instead for the women. Martin Ponsiluoma, Jesper Nelin, Oscar Andersson and Viktor Brandt are competing in the men’s category.
The competition format at the LOOP-ONE Festival is designed for speed and excitement. Six weeks before the start of the Olympic winter, 60 men and 60 women will compete in four heats each in the main races on Sunday (from 11:00 a.m.). However, no World Cup points are awarded in the so-called Super Sprint. For the races, a temporary shooting range with 15 lanes will be built on part of the lake in the Olympic Park. The shooting takes place with normal small-caliber rifles and, without snow, of course on roller skis.
Sweden coach Lukas: “It will be something completely new”
Ella Halvarsson, vice world champion in the singles, is already looking forward to the competition. “It will be incredibly fun to compete in an environment that we have never experienced before. I like the idea of making biathlon accessible to the public, and super sprint suits my riding style,” the Swede is quoted in the association’s statement: “It will be fast, intense and really fun.”
Munich-born Johannes Lukas, head coach of the Swedish biathletes since 2019, is also excited about the newly introduced event, which is intended to bring the sport closer to the broader public and, above all, to the young audience. “It will be something completely new and unique,” says Lukas, who not only emphasizes the “people’s festival” atmosphere in Munich.
Participation should also bring something to the athletes’ sporting interests: “The competition will be fast and intense, which distinguishes the competitions from what we are used to, but is also good training for the winter.”
Numerous top biathletes at the start in Munich
The other nations are also sending familiar faces to Munich. Among others, overall World Cup winner Sturla Holm Laegreid is there, but Franziska Preuß had to cancel at short notice.
Top nation France is represented by Julia Simon, Jeanne Richard, Lou Jeanmonnot, Océane Michaelon, Emilien Jacquelin, Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Fabien Claude. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, who will temporarily not train with the French national team in October for family reasons, will not be there. Lisa Vittozzi, Dorothea Wierer and Tommaso Giacomel, among others, are coming to the Olympic Park from Italy.
Anna Weidel replaces Franziska Preuß, and the line-up is completed by Janina Hettich-Walz, Marlene Fichtner, Selina Grotian, Lucas Fratzscher, Philipp Nawrath, Roman Rees and Justus Strelow. On Saturday, a meet & greet with selected athletes will be organized for the fans, the organizers said in advance.