Parking BEFORE 08.30 am!
01.12.2023 - Biathlon World Cup in Antholz kicks off in six weeks
This year's Biathlon World Cup started last week in Östersund, Sweden, with a victory for Lisa Vittozzi in the individual race and a podium for the Italian mixed relay team (with Dorothea Wierer).
Everyone in the Antholz Valley is already eagerly awaiting the World Cup event in the third week of January 2024. It kicks off in exactly six weeks, with over 300 athletes from 32 nations and thousands of fans set to deliver top-class performances in the South Tyrolean biathlon Mecca from 18 to 21 January.
Ticket sales have started
After the 2020 World Championships, the competitions in Antholz had to take place twice without spectators due to the pandemic. The fans returned last year, and this year the organisers are finally hoping for a sold-out stadium again. Construction work in the South Tyrol Arena is already in full swing and advance ticket sales have also started. Tickets are still available in almost all categories (they can be purchased online at www.biathlon-antholz.it). In addition to the many sporting highlights, the fans in Antholz will of course also be offered a varied music and entertainment programme, with bands both in the stadium and in the party tent. Antholz wants to provide a stage for young, local artists, with "Die jungen Puschtra" performing in the tent on the opening day and Jason Nussbaumer in the stadium the following day. The Biathlon Gaudi, the afterparty in Antholz Mittertal, will also be back this year.
Short Individual celebrates World Cup premiere
This year's World Cup programme in Antholz will see a European premiere on the first two days with the Short Individual in the World Cup. This competition has only been held once before, in Canmore in 2019. It is a shortened individual competition, the running distances are reduced to 15 km for the men and 12.5 km for the women and instead of a penalty minute, only a penalty time of 45 seconds is charged for a shooting error. On Saturday 20 January, two mixed team competitions will take place, first the single mixed relay (one woman and one man) and then the team mixed relay (two women and two men). Finally, the World Cup week ends on Sunday with the spectacular mass start races.
Of course, all eyes will be on local hero Dorothea Wierer, who has been on the winners' list for the last two years. She won the mass start in Antholz in 2022 and the sprint last year. The comeback of Lukas Hofer and the performances of the young women from Antholz, Rebecca Passler and Hannah Auchentaller, are also eagerly awaited.
Athletes look to World Championships in Nove Mesto, Antholz to Olympic Games 2026
However, the World Cup in Antholz has a special significance for all athletes this year, as it will be the final test before the highlight of the season, the World Championships in Nove Mesto. Accordingly, many of the top stars will try to give themselves the final polish in the South Tyrol arena.
However, it is not only the ski hunters who will be striving for top performance in Antholz, but also the World Cup organisers. Their races are also intended to promote the 2026 Winter Olympics. As is well known, all biathlon Olympic medals will be awarded in the South Tyrolean arena in two years' time. What could serve as a better calling card for Antholz than a four-day World Cup sports festival?
The programme for the 2024 Biathlon World Cup in Antholz:
Thursday, 18 January 2024
14:20h: 15 km Short Individual men
Friday, 19 January 2024
14.20h: 12.5 km Short Individual women
Saturday, 20 January 2024
12.55h: Single Mixed Relay
14.45h: Mixed Relay
Sunday, 21 January 2024
12.30h: 15 km Mass Start men
14.45h: 12.5 km Mass Start women
The 10 stages of the BMW IBU World Cup 2023/24:
25.11. - 03.12.2023 Östersund (SWE)
08.12. - 10.12.2023 Hochfilzen (AUT)
14.12. - 17.12.2023 Lenzerheide (SVI)
04.01. - 07.01.2024 Oberhof (GER)
10.01. - 14.01.2024 Ruhpolding (GER)
18.01. - 21.01.2024 Antholz (ITA)
07.02. - 18.02.2024 Nove Mesto (CZE) - World Championships
29.02. - 03.03.2024 Oslo (NOR)
08.03. - 10.03.2024 Soldier Hollow (USA)
14.03. - 17.03.2024 Canmore (CAN)
After the 2020 World Championships, the competitions in Antholz had to take place twice without spectators due to the pandemic. The fans returned last year, and this year the organisers are finally hoping for a sold-out stadium again. Construction work in the South Tyrol Arena is already in full swing and advance ticket sales have also started. Tickets are still available in almost all categories (they can be purchased online at www.biathlon-antholz.it). In addition to the many sporting highlights, the fans in Antholz will of course also be offered a varied music and entertainment programme, with bands both in the stadium and in the party tent. Antholz wants to provide a stage for young, local artists, with "Die jungen Puschtra" performing in the tent on the opening day and Jason Nussbaumer in the stadium the following day. The Biathlon Gaudi, the afterparty in Antholz Mittertal, will also be back this year.
Short Individual celebrates World Cup premiere
This year's World Cup programme in Antholz will see a European premiere on the first two days with the Short Individual in the World Cup. This competition has only been held once before, in Canmore in 2019. It is a shortened individual competition, the running distances are reduced to 15 km for the men and 12.5 km for the women and instead of a penalty minute, only a penalty time of 45 seconds is charged for a shooting error. On Saturday 20 January, two mixed team competitions will take place, first the single mixed relay (one woman and one man) and then the team mixed relay (two women and two men). Finally, the World Cup week ends on Sunday with the spectacular mass start races.
Of course, all eyes will be on local hero Dorothea Wierer, who has been on the winners' list for the last two years. She won the mass start in Antholz in 2022 and the sprint last year. The comeback of Lukas Hofer and the performances of the young women from Antholz, Rebecca Passler and Hannah Auchentaller, are also eagerly awaited.
Athletes look to World Championships in Nove Mesto, Antholz to Olympic Games 2026
However, the World Cup in Antholz has a special significance for all athletes this year, as it will be the final test before the highlight of the season, the World Championships in Nove Mesto. Accordingly, many of the top stars will try to give themselves the final polish in the South Tyrol arena.
However, it is not only the ski hunters who will be striving for top performance in Antholz, but also the World Cup organisers. Their races are also intended to promote the 2026 Winter Olympics. As is well known, all biathlon Olympic medals will be awarded in the South Tyrolean arena in two years' time. What could serve as a better calling card for Antholz than a four-day World Cup sports festival?
The programme for the 2024 Biathlon World Cup in Antholz:
Thursday, 18 January 2024
14:20h: 15 km Short Individual men
Friday, 19 January 2024
14.20h: 12.5 km Short Individual women
Saturday, 20 January 2024
12.55h: Single Mixed Relay
14.45h: Mixed Relay
Sunday, 21 January 2024
12.30h: 15 km Mass Start men
14.45h: 12.5 km Mass Start women
The 10 stages of the BMW IBU World Cup 2023/24:
25.11. - 03.12.2023 Östersund (SWE)
08.12. - 10.12.2023 Hochfilzen (AUT)
14.12. - 17.12.2023 Lenzerheide (SVI)
04.01. - 07.01.2024 Oberhof (GER)
10.01. - 14.01.2024 Ruhpolding (GER)
18.01. - 21.01.2024 Antholz (ITA)
07.02. - 18.02.2024 Nove Mesto (CZE) - World Championships
29.02. - 03.03.2024 Oslo (NOR)
08.03. - 10.03.2024 Soldier Hollow (USA)
14.03. - 17.03.2024 Canmore (CAN)
