Seven years after Madona last staged the Roller Ski World Championships, the Latvian city welcomes the event back from September 3-6, 2026.

Roughly 200 athletes representing 25 nations have entered so far, and since registration doesn’t close until August 26, organizers expect the field to grow before the first race.

The current entry list includes athletes from Armenia, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Ukraine, and the United States.

Since hosting the Championships in 2019, Madona has built a track record as a regular stop on the FIS Roller Ski World Cup calendar, and this year’s event will again split the action between the Smeceres sils venue and Madona’s city streets over four days of racing – race program is available HERE:

• September 3: 10km Individual Classic at Smeceres sils
• September 4: Team Sprint Free
• September 5: 200m Sprint in Madona city center
• September 6: Mass Start Free through the streets of Madona

Also Read: Program for the Roller Ski World Championships 2026

Vīgants returns to scene of first World Championship medal

For Latvia’s Raimo Vīgants, the return to Madona carries personal weight. It was here in 2019 that he claimed bronze in the mass start, the first senior world championship medal of his career.

“The World Championships are coming back home, and this will be a very special event for me,” Vīgants said in a press release and added:

“In 2019, when there were not yet many expectations on me, I won bronze in the mass start. This time I will race with much more experience, which will definitely help. The mass start will be one of the most important races for me, but I am preparing equally seriously for all four events.”

He’s also watching a new wave of Latvian talent coming up behind him.

“Valts Skujiņš, Patrīcija Eiduka, Bruno Bilāns and other young athletes are already showing that Latvian roller skiing has a bright future. I am confident that we will see strong performances from Latvian athletes at the World Championships in Madona as well,” he said.

Vīgants will remain on the Roller Ski World Cup circuit after Madona before turning his attention to winter training ahead of the 2027 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden.

Venue reflects years of international hosting experience

The World Championships’ return didn’t come out of nowhere, according to Gunārs Ikaunieks, race organizer and head of the Smeceres sils sports and recreation center. He credits it to years of steadily building Madona’s reputation on the international Nordic sports circuit.

“Hosting the World Championships proves that Madona is capable of organizing world-class sporting events. This trust was not built overnight; it is the result of many years of regularly hosting international competitions in roller skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, orienteering and other sports,” Ikaunieks said.

In addition to major roller skiing events, the Smeceres sils venue has recently hosted IBU Junior Cup biathlon competitions and Scandinavian Cup cross-country skiing races, among other international fixtures.

Ikaunieks frames the payoff in practical terms for Latvia’s own athletes, not just the city’s profile.

“Regularly hosting international competitions is extremely important for our athletes. It gives them the opportunity to compete at home, gain international experience and inspiration, and motivates the next generation. At the same time, these events help drive the further development of our infrastructure. Several projects are already being implemented or planned that could allow Madona to host even larger international competitions in the future,” Ikaunieks added.

The Roller Ski Guide 2026

In addition to the thrilling competitions, we invite you to delve into our comprehensive Roller Ski Guide 2026.

For some, it’s time to update their roller ski collection, and for others, it’s time to buy their very first pair of roller skis. Use our Roller Ski Guide, now updated with more roller skis.

Read More: The roller ski guide 2026

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