The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has officially canceled the 2025 edition of the Summer Biathlon World Championships, marking a shift in the governing body’s approach to the off-season competition calendar.

Since 1996, the Summer Biathlon World Championships have been held annually; however, starting this year, the event will take place every other year. The decision was made earlier this year during the IBU Executive Board Meeting No. 170, held on 15 February 2024 in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic.

According to the official meeting minutes, the Executive Board decided that:

“The Summer Biathlon World Championships will be allocated bi-annually in the future. The next allocation following the 2024 edition in Otepää/EST will be for 2026.”

IBU also announced that financial support for summer biathlon would remain available through its existing Development Support program to ensure a high number of IBU Regional Events during the summer season.

Read the official minutes of the IBU Executive Board Meeting 170 (PDF)

Loop One Festival to become a flagship event

Instead of the traditional summer championship, the IBU is focusing on alternative competition formats. Among them is the brand-new Loop One Festival, a roller ski and biathlon showcase scheduled to debut in Munich in mid-October 2025. The event is intended as a high-profile season kickoff.

“The main reason [for the change] is low participation, along with a shift in priorities towards Loop One as the flagship roller ski event in 2025,” IBU said in a statement to NordicMag, according to Fondo Italia. “The future concept of the Summer World Championships is still being developed in coordination with the Technical Committee, the Development Commission, and the Summer Biathlon Working Group of the Executive Committee.”

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