French athletes compete in Munich

During the biathlon event, ten French athletes participated in the second edition of the Loop One Festival, organized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) in the Olympic Park in Munich, Germany. Voldiya Galmace-Paulin and Gaëtan Paturel did not reach any finals in the two super sprints of the program, but the other French athletes had a more enjoyable weekend.

Océane Michelon secures victory

On Saturday, Océane Michelon won the competition, achieving a score of 19/20, surpassing her competitors and securing a prestigious victory at the foot of the Olympiaberg. Eric Perrot finished third in both races despite the fatigue from a three-week altitude training block.

Amandine Mengin and others perform well

Amandine Mengin, who was not qualified for the Saturday final, along with Julia Simon from Beaufort and Amandine Mengin from the Vosges, were largely reassured on Sunday. Effective in the qualification round, they made a strong impression in the final. Although the triple Olympic champion lost her duel against the Italian Lisa Vittozzi for the victory, she managed to secure a second place.

Bressaude creates a sensation

The Bressaude, on the other hand, created a sensation by securing third place on the podium ahead of the Norwegian Marthe Kraakstad Johansen and the Finnish Suvi Minkkinen after an incredible final lap. "I feel really good since the beginning of the weekend, even though we just came out of a big preparation stage. I didn't want to let this one go," she said in the mixed zone.

French team selection and competition format

The Loop One Festival 2026 in Munich will offer two days of competition. A mix of stars and rookies: Stéphane Bouthiaux reveals to Nordic Magazine the list of ten French athletes selected for the Loop One Festival 2026. The event will feature two super sprints with different formats, and the full program will be announced in the coming months.

International participation in the festival

Germany announced its selection for the Loop One Festival, with Philipp Horn and Janina Hettich-Walz as leaders, without Selina Grotian. Slovakia selected three athletes, Latvia chose Estere Volfa, Renars Birkentals and Andrejs Rastorgujevs, and Lithuania selected Nikita Cigak and Natalja Kocergina. Ukraine will send four athletes, and Italy's team includes Lisa Vittozzi but excludes Tommaso Giacomel.

Other nations and final details

Loop One Festival: Jacques Jefferies and Shawna Pendry aligned for Great Britain. Estonia's team includes Regina Ermits and Rene Zahkna, while Belgium sends Thierry Langer and Lotte Lie. The Czech Republic's team excludes Tereza Vobornikova and Marketa Davidova, and Norway aligns all its stars. Sweden's Elvira Oeberg and Martin Ponsiluoma are leaders, and Austria's team includes Anna Gandler.

Competition structure and results

The Saturday super sprints of the Loop One Festival 2026 will feature individual qualifications, a final with 15 competitors, shooting, and penalty laps. Elvira Oeberg won the women's qualification ahead of Océane Michelon, the only French athlete in the final. Martin Ponsiluoma secured the men's qualification for the super sprint, with Eric Perrot and the brothers Claude in the final. The event will conclude with a positive outcome for the French team, with several athletes securing podium finishes.