At the final meeting of the local organizing committee (OC), chairman Franz Berger delivered an extremely positive summary of the recent Biathlon World Cup, the upcoming events, and the preparations for the 2028 World Championships.

Once again, the Biathlon World Cup was the highlight of the past winter season in Hochfilzen. Over the course of the three-day event, around 25,000 spectators attended. Snowy scenes from "Snowfilzen" were broadcast live around the world, offering fantastic winter promotion together with the extensive media coverage by the many journalists on site. From an organizational standpoint, Hochfilzen once again proved itself top-class. It’s no surprise then that OC head Franz Berger’s conclusion at the final April meeting was overwhelmingly positive:
“We were once again able to provide excellent conditions for athletes, spectators, and media representatives alike. We can be truly proud of our efforts. A special thank you goes to all the volunteers who have supported us for many years, as well as the ÖSV (Austrian Ski Federation), all contributors and partners, and of course the Austrian Armed Forces.”
In addition to more than 45 OC members, over 450 volunteers and personnel in areas such as emergency services, security, and infrastructure were involved.

Looking Ahead
Perhaps the most important news came last fall: at the IBU Congress in Belgrade (SRB) on September 28, 2024, the long-awaited decision was made to award the 2028 Biathlon World Championships to Hochfilzen. From February 7 to 20, 2028, the town will host the event for the fourth time, following previous championships in 1978, 2005, and 2017. Additionally, annual World Cup events in Hochfilzen have been confirmed through the 2029–2030 season. This forward-looking perspective is reflected in the plans of Franz Berger and his team, who will begin construction work this summer.

Planned projects include widening the ski roller track, new tunnels for athletes and spectators, a new air rifle shooting range, reconfiguration of the shooting range approach, overpasses and underpasses, conversion of the grandstand building into a fitness and changing facility, expansion of the seated spectator stands, and renovation of the soldiers’ quarters in cooperation with the Austrian Armed Forces — all to ensure Hochfilzen remains well-prepared for the future.

Mayor Konrad Walk and Tourism Association Director Christof Wilms praised the decades of dedicated work by Franz Berger and his team:
“We sincerely thank all of you. Once again, it was a perfectly executed and successful World Cup. The winter imagery that was broadcast to the world is of great value not only to Hochfilzen but to the entire region. We look forward to future World Cups and, of course, the 2028 World Championships,” said the representatives of the municipality and tourism board in unison.

A Full Winter Calendar
In addition to the World Cup, the FESA Biathlon Alpine Cup in January and the district cross-country skiing cup at the end of February brought further competitions to the biathlon stadium. The facilities of the Nordic center were also in constant use. Numerous national teams, Nordic training centers, schools, and clubs once again took advantage of the excellent training conditions. Local youth training sessions were held twice a week and added to the vibrant biathlon scene.

Dedicated coaches Richard and Maria Schroll, as well as Robert Hauser, once again provided optimal training sessions, which were enthusiastically embraced by the young athletes. Their efforts resulted in impressive achievements by local talents across various age groups and disciplines.

All pictures: OK Hochfilzen / Weigl