50,000 fans in Munich as biathlon moves into the city — Austrian star thrilled

Austrian biathlon star Anna Gandler was thrilled by a showcase biathlon event held at Munich’s Olympic Park that attracted approximately 50,000 spectators. The exhibition race took place during the Loop One Festival, part of a broader International Biathlon Union effort to bring the sport from the mountains into urban centers to engage new fans.

Gandler described the experience as “a cool event with brutally many spectators,” highlighting the atmosphere and the concept of staging biathlon without snow in a city venue. The Munich test is one of several initiatives aimed at expanding biathlon’s reach beyond traditional winter settings and introducing the sport to larger metropolitan audiences.