IBU entrusts Estonia's Otepaa with hosting biathlon World Cup stage also in 2026

TALLINN - The International Biathlon Union (IBU) announced last week that in addition to hosting a World Cup stage in biathlon in March 2022, the Estonian ski resort Otepaa has been chosen to host also a World Cup stage in the 2025/2026 season, Postimees reported. 

According to the schedule of competitions for 2022-2026 published by the IBU, a World Cup stage will take place in Otepaa on March 9-15, 2026. Just like the World Cup stage in Otepaa in 2022, also that stage will take place shortly after the Olympics, which will take place in Italy from Feb. 6-22 of that year.

The first ever biathlon World Cup stage in Estonia will take place slightly over a year from now, from March 7-13 next year. The competition in Otepaa will be the second World Cup stage after the Beijing Olympics, which will take place in February 2022.

In addition, the IBU has announced that the winter capital of Estonia will also host the Junior World Biathlon Championships of the 2023/2024 season -- from Feb. 19 to March 1, 2024.