Mudslide Hits 2026 Olympic Biathlon Venue in Antholz, Italy

A powerful mudslide swept through the South Tyrol Arena in Antholz, Italy, on Friday evening, July 31, forcing the temporary closure of one of the world’s premier biathlon venues and disrupting preseason training for Italy’s national biathlon team. The debris flow struck the stadium at approximately 6:00 p.m. local time after intense thunderstorms caused the Riepenbach, a mountain stream descending from Hochgall (3,436 meters / 11,273 feet), to overflow. The torrent carried an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 cubic meters (39,000 to 52,000 cubic yards) of rocks, scree, mud, logs, and earth into the biathlon complex. Fortunately, nobody was injured.

The mudslide tore through the section of the stadium that serves as a parking area during summer and supports a temporary spectator grandstand during the winter competition season. Debris also reached the roller-ski track used for summer training and spilled onto Antholz Road, forcing authorities to close the roadway while cleanup crews began work. “Until further notice, no training activities are possible in the South Tyrol Arena,” the Antholz Biathlon Center announced on social media.

Italy’s women’s national biathlon team, including Lisa Vittozzi, Rebecca Passler, Hannah Auchentaller, and Martina Trabucchi, had trained at the venue earlier that day but had already returned to their accommodations before the mudslide struck. “The athletes only found out about it in the accommodation,” Italy biathlon sporting director Klaus Höllrigl told SportNews.bz. The women’s team had been scheduled to remain in Antholz through August 6, but officials are now evaluating whether training will continue elsewhere while restoration work is completed. Italy’s men’s national team, led by Tommaso Giacomel, is currently training in Obertilliach and has not been affected.

While dramatic images from the scene suggested widespread destruction, officials say the core competition infrastructure escaped major damage. “Everything is currently blocked,” Antholz Biathlon Committee Secretary General Erika Pallhuber said. “Water and mud have entered some rooms, and part of the roller track has been buried. Otherwise, the competition venues — especially the shooting range — have fortunately been spared.”

Cleanup operations began Friday evening and continued throughout Saturday, August 1. Crews from the local volunteer fire brigade, road maintenance services, forestry officials, and the Wildbach and Avalanche Control Authority are working to remove the massive volume of debris, a process expected to take several days.

The South Tyrol Arena is regarded as one of the world’s premier biathlon venues and hosted the biathlon competitions during the 2026 Winter Olympics earlier this year. It is also scheduled to host future International Biathlon Union World Cup events in the upcoming 2026-27 season.

The Antholz mudslide is the latest in a series of severe weather events affecting the Alps this summer, as repeated thunderstorms and intense rainfall continue to trigger flooding, landslides, and debris flows across mountain regions. Sölden, Austria, was struck by a large mudslide earlier this week, causing a mobile civil protection alert to residents to evacuate to high ground.

• Related: Landslide and Flash Flooding Trigger Civil Protection Alarm in Sölden, Austria