The FIS Roller Ski World Championships return to Madona, Latvia, from 3–6 September 2026, seven years after the city last hosted the Championships. Around 200 athletes from 25 nations have already entered, with registrations still open until 26 August.
The Championships will take place at the Smeceres sils venue and in the streets of Madona, bringing together elite and junior athletes from Armenia, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Ukraine and the United States.
With entries still open, the final number of athletes is expected to grow further before the Championships begin.
Madona last hosted the FIS Roller Ski World Championships in 2019. Since then, the Latvian city has regularly welcomed FIS Roller Ski World Cup events, establishing itself as one of the key venues on the international roller skiing calendar.
Vīgants returns to the venue of his first senior World Championship medal
Home favourite Raimo Vīgants will be among the Latvian athletes to watch. At the 2019 World Championships in Madona, Vīgants claimed bronze in the mass start – his first World Championship medal at senior level.
“The World Championships are coming back home, and this will be a very special event for me,” says Vīgants. “In 2019, when there were not yet many expectations on me, I won bronze in the mass start. This time I will race with much more experience, which will definitely help. The mass start will be one of the most important races for me, but I am preparing equally seriously for all four events.”
Vīgants also points to the growing strength of the next generation of Latvian skiers.
“Valts Skujiņš, Patrīcija Eiduka, Bruno Bilāns and other young athletes are already showing that Latvian roller skiing has a bright future. I am confident that we will see strong performances from Latvian athletes at the World Championships in Madona as well.”
Following the Championships in Madona, Vīgants plans to continue competing on the Roller Ski World Cup circuit before turning his full attention to the winter season and preparations for the 2027 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden.
International events helping develop the next generation
Race organiser and head of the Smeceres sils sports and recreation centre Gunārs Ikaunieks says the return of the World Championships is recognition of many years of work in developing Madona as an international Nordic sports venue.
“Hosting the World Championships proves that Madona is capable of organising world-class sporting events. This trust was not built overnight – it is the result of many years of regularly hosting international competitions in roller skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, orienteering and other sports,” says Ikaunieks.
Smeceres sils has in recent years hosted not only major roller skiing competitions, but also IBU Junior Cup biathlon events, Scandinavian Cup cross-country skiing competitions and other international events.
“Regularly hosting international competitions is extremely important for our athletes. It gives them the opportunity to compete at home, gain international experience and inspiration, and motivates the next generation. At the same time, these events help drive the further development of our infrastructure. Several projects are already being implemented or planned that could allow Madona to host even larger international competitions in the future,” Ikaunieks adds.
Four days of racing in Madona
The Championships will feature four events across four days:
- 3 September – 10 km Individual Classic at Smeceres sils
- 4 September – Team Sprint Free
- 5 September – 200 m Sprint in Madona city centre
- 6 September – Mass Start Free through the streets of Madona
To ensure equal racing conditions, all athletes – except in the 200 m supersprint – will compete on identical roller skis provided by FFskis.
Alongside the racing programme, spectators can look forward to the official World Championships opening ceremony, medal ceremonies and an evening concert following the sprint competition in central Madona.
The FIS Roller Ski World Championships 2026 will take place in Madona, Latvia, from 3–6 September.
