50,000 Spectators Celebrated Season-Opener at Loop One Festival
Share:
by Sara Donatello
The inaugural Loop One Festival in Munich drew more than 50,000 spectators for two days of thrilling biathlon competition and celebration. Representing Team USA, Campbell Wright, Maxime Germain, and Paul Schommer made the trip across the pond to take part in this groundbreaking event.
The atmosphere in Munich’s Olympiapark was electric as athletes raced around a one-of-a-kind roller-ski loop. Adding to the spectacle, the shooting range was built directly over the water… yes, it’s the truth! The International Biathlon Union (IBU) pulled out all the stops to deliver a truly unforgettable experience for athletes and fans alike.
SUPER SPRINT QUALIFIERS
The day of elite senior racing kicked off on October 19 with the qualifying heats. The men’s Heat 1, saw Maxime Germain and Paul Schommer toe the line in the first race of the day. Germain missed just one shot in standing to place fourth, finishing only 4.1 seconds behind World Cup Overall Winner Sturla Holm Laegreid and 13.5 seconds behind Finland’s Tero Seppala, who claimed first place. Sweden’s Viktor Brandt finished second. Schommer, with two misses, placed seventh, just outside the cut for the finals. Germain’s strong performance secured his spot in the men’s final.
In Heat 4, Campbell Wright raced to a third place finish despite two misses in standing. He crossed the line just 0.8 seconds behind Belgium’s Florent Claude and 6.6 seconds behind Norway’s rising star Isak Frey, earning his own place in the final.
SUPER SPRINT FINALS
In the four-stage super sprint final, Germain and Wright battled against the world’s best. Germain shot 17 for 20, finishing 10th, +45.2 seconds behind the winner, Eric Perrot of France. Wright went 16 for 20 to take 13th, finishing +1:13 back with a smile on his face as he crossed the finish line.
Perrot topped the men’s podium ahead of Isak Frey of Norway and Justus Strelow of Germany, who thrilled the home crowd with his third-place finish.
On the women’s side, Italian biathlon superstar Lisa Vittozzi returned to international racing with a bang, claiming the victory. Swedish teammates Johanna Skottheim and Anna Magnusson took second and third place, respectively.
