Anterselva: the venue of the IBU World Championships Biathlon 2021 Pokljuka promotional event

Winter sports have a very long tradition in Slovenia. The beautiful nature of this Alpine country offers exceptional natural conditions for sports training and competitions. Slovenians excel at organising various competitions, including international ones. Our organisational skills are also globally recognised. This is not a coincidence, since, in addition to the country’s natural assets, Slovenians also have a stubborn and hard-working nature, are devoted volunteers and ardent supporters. All this, combined and accompanied by good weather, makes Slovenians become simply invincible.

We are proud that this March, Planica will be hosting the Ski Flying World Championship while next February, Pokljuka will once again become the venue of the IBU World Championships Biathlon after twenty years.

Pokljuka truly is a fairy-tale land. This high karst plateau of the Triglav National Park, rising above the magical Bled, is covered in vast spruce forests. Being situated at an altitude of between 1,200 and 1,500 metres, it is the perfect paradise for outdoor activity lovers. Since 1992, it has been the venue of many important international biathlon competitions. That same year, the Pokljuka Biathlon Stadium hosted its first world cup competition, while in 2001 it hosted its first world championship.

Pokljuka and its world championship are currently being promoted in Anterselva

The world championship, being the biggest winter sport event Slovenia has held so far, means that the organisers are facing a number of challenges. Biathlon competitors from all over the world will spend 11 days in Pokljuka. In order to organise an unforgettable event that will attract as many supporters as possible, the organisers began working hard on the promotion of the championship back in December 2018, when Pokljuka hosted the first competitions of the new season.

"The new image and external promotion of the event were launched in September 2019," says Nina Jakhel, specialised staff member of the Pokljuka Organising Committee.

"At that time, we also opened the official contact point of the championship in Bled and signed the declaration on hosting the 2021 World Championship. In November, we presented the special promotional vehicle, the Biathlon Tour Mobil, which takes the Slovenian championship and Pokljuka to the venues of this year's world cup competitions.

It has visited 6 so far – Hochfilzen, Annecy-Le Grand Boarnand, Oberhof, Ruhpolding, Pokljuka and Antholz," says Nina Jakhel.

Pokljuka House

Pokljuka 2021 is currently being promoted at this year's world championship in the Italian Anterselva in South Tyrol. The organisers estimated that the visitors of Anterselva are also the target audience of the event in Pokljuka. It has become a tradition that the next host of the world championship presents itself at the current championship, explains Nina Jakhel.

In Anterselva, we are promoting ourselves Pokljuka House, one of the 10 houses standing in the central venue of the evening events at Medal Plaza. In cooperation with Slovenian partners, the house offers Slovenian food and drinks, such as Radgona sparkling wine, Laško beer and meat products from Celjske mesnine.

At the opening and the first reception, we hosted the popular folk music group Veseli Begunjčani, which brought the rhythms of Slovenia to South Tyrol.

The Biathlon Tour Mobil and Pokljuka House have significant added value for the promotion of the Pokljuka 2021 competition, particularly because of the constant presence of the organisers. "The organisers are always near the biggest supporters and potential visitors of the house. The visitors are welcome to ask us about any information they might need. We are already selling tickets and promoting Pokljuka and its surroundings as a destination," says Nina Jakhel, pleased with the very positive response.

House Pokljuka will be open until 23 February, when the organisers of this year's championship will officially hand over the flag of the International Biathlon Union to the organisers from Pokljuka.

Bled – the social scene of the Pokljuka 2021 World Championship

Around 130,000 visitors are expected at the Pokljuka 2021 World Championship. You are therefore warmly invited to join the biathlon fans and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the excellent competition. The event will not be short of entertainment. In the afternoons and evenings, Bled will become the central venue of the opening and award ceremonies.