Biathlon

Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. The uniqueness of this sport lies in the emotions it conveys as the shooting sessions could completely overturn the final rankings of the races. All international competitions are organised by the International Biathlon Union (IBU). The biathlon stadium of Anterselva hosts several World Cup races every year and is also the venue for the biathlon competitions of the Olympic Winter Games in 2026. The origins of this sport date back to 5,000 years ago when it was fairly common to hunt animals on skis, as testified by different drawings and inscriptions found in caves. Already in 1767 some soldiers challenged themselves in competitions consisting in cross-country skiing and rifle shooting at the Swedish-Norwegian border.

The first real biathlon races were held only at the end of the 19th century and were reserved only to soldiers. Only after World War 2 this sport was named biathlon and became accessible to everyone.

Anterselva is the centre of biathlon par excellence. The village features a biathlon stadium which regularly hosts international biathlon competitions. This amazing sport is known for being extremely captivating as everything can change in the blink of an eye.