The World Cup winner and several of the biggest stars in biathlon are skipping the IBU season opener this weekend.

Norway will field a total of 11 biathletes, including nearly the entire Olympic team, for the season opener in Munich this weekend. 

However, several of the strongest competitors, including Olympic and World Cup champion Lou Jeanmonnot and Olympic star Quentin Fillon-Maillet, are not prioritizing the IBU’s prestigious event.

Hopeless timing

The Loop One festival was introduced by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) ahead of last season as a grand “kickoff” to the World Cup. 

The aim of the festival is to bring the sport closer to the audience and build engagement and interest in biathlon leading up to the World Cup opener. 

However, many of the biggest stars feel that the event’s timing is hopelessly misplaced in relation to their season preparation. 

In addition to Jeanmonnot and Fillon-Maillet, Camille Bened, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and Oscar Lombardot have also chosen not to participate. 

From the Czech Republic, three of the top stars are skipping the season opener: Tereza Vobornikova has just completed a training camp at altitude, while Marketa Davidova and Tereza Vinklarkova prefer to focus on training in Spain. 

Sweden’s Olympic champions Sebastian Samuelsson and Jesper Nelin are also withdrawing this week due to illness. Hanna Öberg and Linn Gestblom are both pregnant and will not compete. 

Also Read – Olympic star reveals: Pregnant

Feeling pressured by IBU

Several national teams, including the French team, have expressed feeling pressured to adjust their plans, citing that the timing of the event clashes with important parts of their season preparation.

“We were pressured by the IBU to send a top team to Loop One, so we have adjusted our plans a bit. Some of our athletes are going to Munich, while others are sticking to the original plan in Arçon,” said France’s national team coach Stephane Bothiaux to NordicMag. 

“Too unpredictable and makes no sense”

The French coach also pointed out that the competitions held during Loop One are not relevant to what lies ahead in the World Cup. 

“It is a well-organized festival, but from a sporting perspective, it is too unpredictable and makes no sense. There are 60 competitors fighting for 15 final spots. So you can travel to Munich for two days, plus two travel days, and risk competing just twice for five minutes. This frustrates the athletes more than the timing,” said Bothiaux. 

This is Loop One

Loop One is a brand new concept developed by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) to bring biathlon closer to the public. The festival is intended to be both a celebration and a formal kickoff to the Olympic season 2025/2026, set in the heart of the German metropolis: Olympiapark Munich. 

Who: Elite athletes from all major nations
What: Supersprint roller skiing
Where: Olympiapark, Munich
When: October 17-18, 2026

PROGRAM

Saturday, October 17

11:00 CEST: Supersprint qualification, women
12:20 CEST: Supersprint qualification, men
15:45 CEST: Supersprint final, women
16:25 CEST: Supersprint final, men 

Start lists, results, and details

Sunday, October 18

10:15 CEST: Supersprint qualification rounds 1-4, women
12:50 CEST: Supersprint qualification rounds 1-4, men
15:45 CEST: Supersprint finals, women 
16:25 CEST: Supersprint finals, men

Start lists, results, and details

Are you interested in biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.

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