From 12 to 17 January 2026, Madona will host an international biathlon highlight at the Smeceres sils sports and recreation base. For the first time in Latvia, an IBU Junior Cup stage will take place, bringing together around 250 athletes from 25 countries. Later in January, Madona will also welcome the Baltic Cup in Biathlon, with more than 150 participants from five countries, making Madona the biathlon epicentre of Latvia throughout the month.
Competition programme
The IBU Junior Cup in Madona features several disciplines, interspersed with official training days:
• 14 January – Sprint (10 km men / 7.5 km women)
• 16 January – Sprint (10 km men / 7.5 km women)
• 17 January – Mass Start (top 60 athletes)
Meanwhile, from 23 to 25 January, the Baltic Cup—often the first international experience for many young biathletes—will include sprint and mass start races.
A key step on the road to elite sport
The IBU Junior Cup in Madona is a significant milestone for young athletes on their path to European and World Championships, as well as future starts in the senior elite.
Among the Latvian juniors preparing to compete at home are Estere Volfa, Elza Bleidele, and Rihards Lozbers—a promising new generation of Latvian biathletes.
“Racing at home in Latvia during the season will be a great experience. Back in 2023, when the European Championships were held here, it was truly valuable and wonderful to feel the spectators’ support along the course. Looking ahead to the coming season, even more so because the goal is to qualify for the most important events of the cycle—the Olympic Games, which take place shortly after the Junior Cup in Madona. I truly hope it works out and that the season ahead will allow us to achieve high-quality results,” says Estere Volfa, reflecting ahead of the season.
Madona on the international biathlon map
With these competitions, Madona reaffirms its position on the international biathlon map, further strengthening Latvia as a regionally important winter sports centre. In January 2023, Madona successfully hosted the European Junior Biathlon Championships, an organisational success that paved the way for bidding for further international events.
“Madona is the winter sports capital of Latvia. The municipality has consistently supported the development of biathlon in the region—this both forges sporting success and drives the necessary infrastructure development. To attract public and private investment into the development of the ‘Smeceres sils’ base—used daily by professional athletes and recreational enthusiasts alike—regular events are essential. We are now part of the IBU international events calendar and are already preparing for the IBU Junior Cup to be held in Madona in both 2026 and 2027,” emphasises Gundars Upenieks, Sports Director of the event.
Season context
According to the International Biathlon Union calendar, the junior season opens 11–14 December in Switzerland, continues 18–21 December in Italy, and then moves to Madona in January. From 21 to 25 January, the European Junior Championships will take place in Imatra, Finland. The season concludes with the Youth and Junior World Championships from 28 February to 8 March in Arber, Germany.