Madona to Host the Opening Stage of the FIS Rollerski World Cup and Junior World Championships

From July 17 to 20, the town of Madona and the scenic “Smeceres sils” track in Latvia will host the season-opening stage of the FIS Rollerski World Cup. This event will also serve as the FIS Rollerski Junior World Championships, attracting more than 150 athletes from 17 countries.

The competition will feature four disciplines:

·       Interval Start (Classic)

·       Team Sprint (Free)

·       200-metre Super Sprint (Free)

·       Mass Start (Free) on the streets of Madona 

This year, Madona opens the international rollerskiing season, followed by stages in Sweden and Italy.

The racing kicks off on Thursday, July 17, at 10:00 (local time) in “Smeceres sils” with the interval start in classic technique. On Friday, July 18, the team sprint (free technique) begins at 10:00. On Saturday, July 19, athletes will compete in the 200-metre Super Sprint in the city centre starting at 16:00. The event concludes on Sunday, July 20, with the Mass Start, beginning at 9:15 on Madona’s streets.

“Thanks to the professionalism of the local organisers, this stage has become one of the highlights of the World Cup calendar.”

Athletes from Armenia, Belgium, Chile, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Germany, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden and Chinese Taipei have confirmed their participation. The Latvian national team will be finalised following the second qualification race on July 29.

“I’m proud that the season starts here in Madona. Year after year, this event has served as a great platform for our athletes—offering them the chance to compete at home and gain international experience,” says race organiser and “Smeceres sils” track manager Gunārs Ikaunieks. “It’s a testament to our long-term efforts and organisational standards. Events like this strengthen our ability to host even larger competitions in the future. I encourage everyone to come to Madona, get inspired, and cheer for for athletes in this important pre-Olympic season.”