From 1 to 7 December, Goms, Switzerland, welcomed 60 young biathletes from 16 nations for the IBU–IOC Winter Training Camp; a week designed to build confidence, develop skills, and prepare athletes for the start of the IBU Junior Cup season.

This camp is made possible thanks to the continued support of Olympic Solidarity. Their contribution allows athletes from emerging and developing biathlon nations to access world-class coaching, high-quality venues, and international training environments that help strengthen the global biathlon community.

Set on beautifully groomed tracks and supported by the dedicated local organising committee, the camp offered athletes exactly what they needed: ideal winter conditions, a motivated community, and direct access to the venue that will soon host their first international competitions. A warm thank you goes to the Goms Organising Committee for their collaboration and support.

Training was led by four experienced IBU instructors: Luca Bormolini (ITA), Armin Kasslatter (ITA), Thomas Bormolini (ITA) and Flavia Barmettler (SUI). Their expertise, energy, and hands-on feedback created a professional training environment that helped athletes sharpen both their skiing and shooting skills while gaining confidence on the Goms tracks.

“We can clearly see the progress coming from developing nations year by year, and the connection between teams is getting stronger every year. Watching NF coaches share ideas and learn from one another shows how much this project is growing the biathlon family. It makes us truly proud to be part of this camp” said IBU Instructors.

To support athletes in their race preparation, the camp also included a short individual competition, giving participants a valuable opportunity to test their skills under pressure, gain confidence, and familiarise themselves with the venue ahead of the upcoming Junior Cup week.

Throughout the week, participants joined several inspiring educational sessions:

• Olympic medalist Marie-Laure Brunet delivered a powerful workshop on mental health, sharing her personal story and offering practical tools to help athletes take care of their well-being in high-performance sport. Her message left a strong impression across the entire group.

• Thomasz Bernat guided athletes through biathlon rules and competition procedures, giving them clarity and confidence ahead of the racing season.

• Dagmara Gerasimuk presented the IBU’s athlete development pathways, from the Dual Career Programme for biathletes DC4B to the Athlete Ambassador initiatives, showing athletes how the IBU supports them both on and off the snow.