As part of the IBU Development Project, young biathletes from eight nations—Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, and Canada—came together for an unforgettable international camp experience at the renowned Liatoppen Biathlon Festival, the world's largest biathlon event with over 1,100 participants in the age groups up to 16.

The camp combined world-class competition with learning and cultural exchange. Highlights included a dryfire session led by biathlon legend Dag Bjørndalen, and a motivational talk by the Norwegian organization MOT (Show Courage), encouraging personal growth and confidence. Coaches also took part in an educational session introducing the Norwegian model for athlete development and club organization.

Athletes enjoyed the vibrant opening ceremony, celebrated achievements at the prizegiving ceremony, and had the chance to meet top athletes Vebjørn Sørum and Isak Leknes Frey, who shared their stories and inspired the next generation.

The camp created lasting memories, new friendships across borders, and strengthened the passion for biathlon among all who attended.

The project is led is Norwegian Biathlon Federation and supported from IBU Development Programme Support as Customised Development Projects.

Photo: Kaja Dusilova