Loop One Festival: Vittozzi and Ponsiluoma win biathlon supersprints in Munich

The Loop One Festival biathlon season opener at Munich’s Olympiapark concluded with high-stakes supersprint competitions. In the men’s race, Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma secured victory following a photo finish against Norway’s Johan-Olav Botn. German athletes narrowly missed the podium, with Philipp Nawrath finishing fourth.

In the women’s competition, Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi claimed victory in the second supersprint, overcoming Julia Simon of France. Vittozzi relied on her superior skiing performance to secure the win despite three shooting errors. France’s Océane Michelon also saw success, winning the first supersprint. The event, which serves as an official start to the 2026/27 biathlon season, drew thousands of spectators to the Munich venue.