Race director Borut Nunar said last winter's World Cup stage went ahead in terrible conditions; organizers are hoping for better weather in February.

Four months before the competition, everything expected was reviewed once more and gone through in cooperation with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) leadership. While everything else can be checked, the presence of snow cannot — yet it is the key question for organizers.

"Here I have to say the last World Cup, which was the last test before the World Championship, was not exactly a winter wonderland, but at the end I have to say a big thanks to the whole of Otepää and Estonia; they created a wonderful World Cup event with a terrible weather situation actually, and in February it should be normally easier, but you never know, and this is always our biggest concern, if the conditions are not the best for the athletes, because if you have happy athletes you have a happy World Championship," Nunar told ERR Sport.

At the same time, other winter sports events are to take place in Otepää this coming season. The biathlon World Championships will be the third major event. Before that, the Nordic combined World Cup takes place at the ski center, followed by the junior World Championships in skiing.

Snow has to be enough for all of them, and plans are in place for artificial snow just in case. Artificial snow requires low temperatures to create, which is why the cold snap matters.

"There is some snow reserve, about half of it is there," said Hillar Zahkna, chairman of the competition committee. "With the first cold spells we have to start making snow immediately, both for the track and for the store. Then also for the store at Kääriku. Then we hope for the best — if the weather is stable, we put the snow down."

The IBU Biathlon World Championships take place February 9-21, 2027 at the Tehvandi Sports Center in Otepää.

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