+++ Olympic biathlon season kicks off this weekend at Munich’s Olympic Park +++ Race starts and athlete presentation at BMW Welt +++ New BMW iX3 as lead vehicle in action +++ Mobility Partner BMW hands over vehicles to the German National Biathlon Team +++ LOOP ONE: Innovative sports festival featuring biathlon elite, on trend music acts, and exciting interactive activities +++
Munich. The 2025/26 biathlon season, culminating in the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, will kick off this weekend (October 18 and 19) with a premiere event in the heart of Munich. At the LOOP ONE Festival in the Olympic Park, the biathlon elite will compete on roller skis. This innovative format, which includes women’s, men’s, youth, and para races around the Olympic Lake, will be accompanied by music acts and a diverse programme of activities for the whole family. Partner BMW is supporting the festival, which takes place near its headquarters, and has prepared attractive events for visitors in the Olympic Park and at BMW Welt. The highlight will be on Sunday with the athlete presentations (3pm for men, 4pm for women), followed by the race starts at BMW Welt (free entry). On the first section of the racecourse, the new BMW iX3 will lead the world-class field.
“BMW didn’t hesitate for a second to take an active role in the LOOP ONE Festival. We’ve been a long-standing partner of biathlon, sportiness is in the DNA of our brand, the event takes place right on our doorstep, and it’s an innovative and attractive format,“ said Christian Ach, Head of BMW Germany. “It’s about time that such a popular sport as biathlon comes to the heart of our hometown. We’re looking forward to an exciting weekend and special moments at BMW Welt, to which we warmly invite all fans.”
On Saturday at 2pm, the German Biathlon National Team will present itself on the main stage between the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Hall. BMW, as the mobility partner of the German Ski Association (DSV) Biathlon, will hand over the vehicle fleet for the Olympic season. Athletes Selina Grotian, Janina Hettich-Walz, Franziska Preuß, Vanessa Voigt, Johannes Kühn, Philipp Nawrath, Danilo Riethmüller, and Justus Strelow will not only start the winter season on the high note of the LOOP ONE Festival but also with the latest generation of sheer driving pleasure. Following the vehicle handover, the biathlon stars will be available for autographs.
Just a few metres from the main stage at the West Entrance, visitors will be greeted by a unique photo opportunity: the new BMW iX3, the first vehicle of the Neue Klasse, is spectacularly showcased inside a giant, fully functional snow globe. Visitors should also check out the BMW and MINI theme worlds on the peninsula near the Olympic Tower, featuring attractive vehicles and activities such as the BMW Touch & Charge Wall and the BMW Pit Stop Challenge. Young biathlon fans can enjoy child-friendly driving fun on the BMW Kids Course.
The sporting programme begins on Saturday at 11:30 am with the Para Biathlon, featuring Paralympic champions Anja Wicker (GER) and Mark Arendz (CAN). This will be followed by the Youth Biathlon at 4 pm. The LOOP ONE Festival can be visited free of charge at BMW Welt, throughout the festival grounds, and along the racecourse, with tickets only required for the shooting range and grandstand areas. Those unable to attend in Munich won’t miss out as Sunday’s races, including the athlete presentations and starts at BMW Welt, will be broadcast live on ARD. In addition to the German stars, reigning overall World Cup champion Sturla Holm Laegreid (NOR) and world champions Lou Jeanmonnot (FRA) and Lisa Vittozzi (ITA) will also be in action.