Regional Basic Course 2025 in Delnice, Croatia

Advancing Biathlon Coaching in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

The IBU Academy successfully concluded its Regional Basic Course, held from 25 to 29 August 2025 in Delnice, Croatia. Bringing together 10 coaches, nine from Croatia and one from Bosnia and Herzegovina, this intensive course delivered high-level coaching educational and practical tools, specifically tailored to meet the needs of club coaches in the region. With a strong focus on empowering local coaching talent, the course laid the foundation for the future development of young biathletes.

Under the expert guidance of IBU lecturers Ilario Maddalin (ITA), Luca Bormolini (ITA) and Dr. Gerold Sattlecker (AUT), the course covered key areas of modern biathlon coaching, focusing on shooting, skiing technique, leadership and communication, as well as endurance and strength training.

The course employed a hybrid learning model, with participants engaging in tasks through the Learning Suite. This approach combined online education with practical, hands-on training sessions, ensuring a thorough understanding of biathlon coaching.

Empowering Coaches Through Collaboration

Beyond the classroom, team-building activities and networking opportunities allowed participants to exchange experiences, address challenges, and share best practices, fostering further collaboration and cooperation among coaches.

“The Regional Basic Course in Croatia was another outstanding week of learning, growth, and connection-building, laying a strong foundation for the future of biathlon, particularly in youth development. Following the pilot Course in Kazakhstan in July 2024 and the edition in Japan earlier in July 2025, the Course in Croatia once again proved to be an extremely valuable program for strengthening coaching expertise, closing the knowledge gap and supporting biathlon development across different regions,” said Gerold Sattlecker, Head of IBU Academy.

The IBU Academy extends its sincere appreciation to the Croatian Biathlon Federation for their hospitality and outstanding organization. A heartfelt thanks goes also to all participants, whose dedication, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit made the course a real success.

Looking Ahead: Ending Summer with a Regional Basic Course in Poland

As part of its ongoing commitment to grassroots coaching development, the IBU Academy will continue the Regional Basic Course series with the third edition this summer in:

• Poland (1–6 September 2025): This course will welcome coaches from Poland, Slovakia, and Lithuania