This week the IBU Junior Cup takes place in Ridnaun. © Sportissimus

The biathlon talents compete in Ridnaun

After the snowfall at the weekend, the Ridnaun Valley has now finally become a winter wonderland. The IBU Junior Cup comes at just the right time: From Thursday, December 12th to Sunday, December 15th, the first stage of the international junior competition class will take place at the biathlon center in Maiern. Two promising South Tyrolean talents will also be taking part.

10 December 2024

From: pm

From the organizers' point of view, Ridnaun is more than ready for the upcoming competitions: "Everything is prepared, the snow conditions are good and the Ridnaun Valley is covered in white splendor. We also know what to expect, after all, we have already organized several international events in the past decades - from European Championships to IBU Cups and IBU Junior Cups," says the president of the OK team from ASV Ridnaun, Maria Theresia Wurzer.

Wurzer & Co. are therefore all the more pleased that a local hero will be competing this week in the South Tyrolean biathlon stronghold of Ridnaun. Birgit Schölzhorn from Sterzing, who spent her youth at ASV Ridnaun and is now a member of the junior national team, will once again compete in the IBU Junior Cup in her home country. As a reminder: at last year's event, Schölzhorn attracted attention with several top 10 places. Felix Ratschiller from Martell will also be taking part.

The first teams are already in Ridnaun

The opening stage of the IBU Junior Cup does not start until Thursday with the individual competitions, but there has been something going on on the cross-country ski trail and at the shooting range in the Ridnaun Biathlon Centre for a few days. "Many national teams have already arrived and have been training hard here over the past few days. The last teams should arrive on Tuesday, then there will be another free training session before the first official training session takes place on Wednesday," explains Wurzer. As already mentioned, the competitions begin on Thursday with the individual competitions. The women start at 10.30:14.30 a.m., followed by the men at 12,5:15 p.m. In the individual competition, the women complete XNUMX kilometres and the men XNUMX kilometres on the cross-country ski trail, while the shooting range involves four shots, two lying down and two standing.

After another official training session on Friday, the weekend is all about sprinting. There are two such competitions for each gender: on Saturday, the women will compete in the first sprint from 10.30:14.15 a.m., then the men will take part at 7,5:10 p.m. On Sunday, the second sprint will take place with the same times, first the women again and then the men. The women will have to complete XNUMX kilometers on the cross-country trail and two trips to the shooting range - one lying down, one standing - while the men will have to complete XNUMX kilometers and also two shooting sessions.

IBU Junior Cup program in Ridnaun:

Tuesday, December 10th:
free training

Wednesday December 11th:
Official training

Thursday, December 12th:
10.30:XNUMX am: Women's individual competition
14.30:XNUMX pm: Men's individual competition

Friday, December 13rd:
Official training

Saturday December 14th:
10.30 p.m.: Sprint women
14.15 a.m.: Sprint men

Sunday December 15th:
10.30 p.m.: Sprint women
14.15 a.m.: Sprint men