From August 12th to 19th, we welcomed 47 talented athletes from 13 different National Federations to Otepää for an unforgettable week of training and preparation for the upcoming last Summer World Championships! IBU IOC Camps is a long-lasting project supported by the Olympic Solidarity grant.

Under the guidance of IBU Head Coach Matthias Ahrens (GER), along with supporting coaches Martina Seidl (GER), Kristiina Kresmer (EST), and Lukas Jakeliūnas (LTU), our athletes had the perfect setting with great weather to hone their skills and get ready for the season ahead.

We were honored to have athlete role model Regina Ermits deliver an inspiring presentation that motivated everyone to push their limits!

The camp also included valuable educational sessions: Lucie Rothauer (BIU) led an essential discussion on anti-doping, Kristjan Oja, IBU IOC Cup Race Director, emphasized biathlon safety, and Matthias Ahrens provided an insightful lecture on coaching soft skills exclusively for our coaches.

One of the camp highlights was the thrilling mixed relay test race, where Team Serbia-Denmark narrowly claimed victory in a final sprint against Greece!

And of course, we balanced hard work with some fun! Athletes enjoyed an afternoon of adventure at a local park, swinging from trees and zooming down zip wires.

We wrapped up the camp with a memorable dinner at a lovely pizzeria by a stunning lake, creating memories to last a lifetime.

IBU Development Camp Coordinator Ilario Maddalin said:

The development projects will continue with the Youth International Camp in Nove Mesto na Morave- CZH from the 20th to 26th of OCT 2024, and the IBU-IOC Winter Development Camp in Martell- ITA, from the 23rd of NOV to the 1st of DEC 2024.

Photo Credits: IBU