Is this the future of biathlon?

Summer biathlon is becoming increasingly popular. The world federation IBU speaks of a new dimension at the World Championships in Ruhpolding and sees great potential for the future.

The summer world championships in biathlon will start on Friday. For the venue Ruhpolding it is a premiere: For the first time, the best biathletes compete outside the winter at a World Championship in the Chiemgau Arena.

The event could become a milestone for the sport, which otherwise regularly provides high viewing figures at cold times of the year. Biathlon remains biathlon at any time of the year, bet live SN now, and not only on biathlon!

After two Corona years with ghost World Cups, the summer World Championships will be the first major biathlon event in which unlimited spectators are once again allowed in the stadium. Accordingly, the anticipation is great among all those involved – including the German Ski Association.

Felix Bitterling, Sports Director Biathlon of the DSV, already announced in May that the German team around Olympic champion Denise Herrmann will start “with full team strength”. After all, a home World Cup is “always something very special”.

Biathlon: Summer World Championships in Ruhpolding with a record number of competitors

In previous years, things had looked quite different in the summer: The first guard of the DSV had – like other nations as well – gladly neglected the title fights at higher temperatures.

But now a contrary trend can be observed. At this year’s World Championships in Ruhpolding, more nations are registered than ever before.

A total of around 400 athletes from 30 countries are expected to be present in the Chiemgau Arena. The spectators can look forward to many big names. For Sweden, for example, the runner-up in last year’s overall World Cup, Elvira Öberg, and Sebastian Samuelsson, third in the men’s World Cup, are entered.

Absent are only a few greats of the sport. Only the prominent athletes from Norway and the French elite will not start. In addition, Benedikt Doll has canceled at short notice to take care of his first child, who was born recently.

Summer World Championships with a “new dimension”.

Now the resort is expecting up to 20,000 fans in four days. For Ruhpolding, the major event should also be worthwhile from an economic perspective after the two years without spectators.

Accordingly, the event will probably not remain a one-off event in terms of its size – and will become increasingly important for the sport in the future.