Exciting Para Biathlon and Youth competitions opened the first Loop One Festival today at Olympiapark in Munich.

Para Mixed Relays

The afternoon competitions opened with the Para Single Mixed Relay Sitting won by Aline Dos Santos Rocha of Brazil and Yerbol Khamitov of Kazakhstan in 21:12.9. Second went to Great Britain’s Scott Meenagh and Germany’s Andrea Eskau. The German duo of Johanna Recktenwald and Nico Messenger took the Para Single Mixed Relay VI in 23:51.5.

Para Mass Start

The Para competitions closed with the Men’s Mass Start Standing. Germany’s Marco Maier claimed the victory in 13:51.1, with two penalties, both in standing. Second went to Austria’s clean shooting Stefan Egger-Riedmueller, 22 seconds back. 2024 and 2025 Para World Cup Total Score titlist Mark Arendz of Canada after two prone penalties finished third, 38.4 seconds back.

Thrilling All-German Youth Mass Starts

After the Para competitions, two all-German Youth Mass Starts rounded out the first competition day. A thrilling battle ensued in the Youth Men with Paul Achatz leaving the last standing stage 10.5 seconds behind Anton Hasenknopf. Achatz sprinted the final meters, taking the win in 23:42.4, just .2 seconds ahead of Hasenknopf. Achatz had six penalties to Hasenknopf’s five. Laurenz Schopper, also with five penalties, finished third, 19.7 seconds back.

The Youth Women’s Mass Start was an equally thrilling duel between Johanna Ostermeier and Hanna Beck, with Beck just .5 seconds back after the final standing stage. Ostermeier, with six penalties pulled away in the last loop for a 27:06.4 win, 5.5 seconds up on second place Beck with five penalties. Ina Lickert with six penalties finished third, 16.9 seconds back.

Entry was free during all of Saturday at Loop One Festival and visitors have been able to visit Biathlon4All Stations, Meet and Greet Biathlon legends and enjoy music acts in the afternoon, with Kamrad headlining in the early evening hours.

The Loop One Festival continues tomorrow when the BMW IBU World Cup stars take the stage for Super Sprint heats starting at 1100 CET with finals underway at 15:39 for the men and women at 16:20.

Photos: IBU/Yevenko