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Munich, Bavaria, Germany – One year after its successful premiere, the ‘Loop One’ Biathlon Festival returns to Munich, an Olympic bid city, for its second edition. The event, taking place on October 17th and 18th, marks the official start of the WM winter season for biathletes. Despite potentially mixed weather forecasts, the festival promises excitement with a star-studded lineup and the significant international debut of Sandra Flunger as the new German national biathlon coach.
Sandra Flunger Takes Helm as German Biathlon Coach
Sandra Flunger, the successor to Kristian Mehringer, who moved to a different position within the German Ski Association (DSV) after a disappointing Olympic season, aims to establish a new culture within the German team. Her core philosophy for the upcoming season, which culminates in the World Championships in Otepää, Estonia, is “less fear of mistakes, more speed in shooting.”
“We haven’t specifically prepared for the event, but we want to soak up the special atmosphere in Munich,” Flunger stated. The focus will be on how German biathletes Janina Hettich-Walz, Vanessa Voigt, Julia Tannheimer, and Johanna Puff implement this strategy in front of a packed grandstand at the Olympic Lake.
German Men’s Team Ready for Action
The German men’s team includes last year’s third-place finisher Justus Strelow, Philipp Horn, Philipp Nawrath, and Lucas Fratzscher. The urban setting of the season opener has proven to be a significant indicator for the upcoming season, as evidenced by last year’s results.
Star-Studded Lineup in Munich
Last year’s Munich Super Sprint winners, Lisa Vittozzi (Italy), who later became an Olympic champion in Antholz, and Eric Perrot (France), who secured three Olympic medals and the overall World Cup title, will both be competing again. They will be joined by other biathlon luminaries such as Sturla Holm Lægreid and Johan-Olav Botn from Norway, and Elvira Öberg from Sweden.
Fans, especially younger ones, will have the opportunity to engage in laser shooting with biathlon legends like German Olympic champion Denise Herrmann-Wick and Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Bö at three different locations within the Olympic Park. Autographs and selfies will also be available with Franziska Preuß, Simon Schempp, Michael Rösch, and Benedikt Doll.
Urban Biathlon Event Aims to Attract Young Fans
Bernd Eisenbichler, the new German Biathlon Sports Director, emphasized the festival’s role in engaging a broader audience. “The ‘Loop One’ Festival demonstrated at its premiere how well biathlon works in an urban environment. For us, it’s a great opportunity to present our sport in the heart of Munich and to inspire new people, beyond long-time biathlon fans,” he said.
The event specifically targets Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010, the “digital natives.” Key to this appeal are the concepts of community and entertainment, which, alongside the top-tier sporting action, will be central to the Munich festival.
Munich’s Olympic Ambitions and Future of ‘Loop One’
The ‘Loop One’ Festival is one of the first major events in Munich since the city was nationally designated as a German bidder for the Olympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. The Olympic Park, the festival’s venue, is envisioned to host a significant portion of the Olympic competitions in a decade’s time.
Every major international event is being leveraged to promote Munich’s Olympic aspirations. It has already been confirmed that the biathlon winter season will also kick off in Munich in 2027. Following that, a relocation of ‘Loop One’ to another international metropolis is being considered, with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) making a decision after analyzing the upcoming event.
Source: https://www.zdfheute.de/sport/biathlon-one-loop-festival-muenchen-highlights-news-100.html
