Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII continues on Friday, February 12, 2027, with the Bedřichov Heat Sprint, a 1.5km sprint event in the Czech Republic.
The Bedřichov Heat Sprint was already a success last season, finishing fourth in the Event of the Season award voted by the athletes. The double-poling battle unfolds under the lights of the Bedřichov Ski Stadium, framed by fire effects and the dark winter forests of the Jizera Mountains.
The format begins with individual starts (qualification) on the course, narrowing down to the semifinals, where seven athletes compete each. The top three in each heat advance to the final, joined by the fastest fourth-place finisher of both semifinals, which becomes the signature “lucky loser” spot that promises drama. In the final, seven sprint specialists go head-to-head for points in both the Sprint and Champion competitions.
“A Bedřichov Heat Sprint race is a rare highlight in the Ski Classics calendar, and that’s exactly what makes this event special. Racing under evening lights, right in front of an energized crowd, creates a truly electric atmosphere. Even though it’s only in its second year on the tour, it has already become a must‑attend race for the biggest stars of the series. It’s a spectacular show – the perfect way to launch an epic weekend ahead of Sunday’s Jizerka 50K,” says Michal Bystrianský, Chief of Competition.
“The Heat Sprint asks something completely different from our athletes. It’s not about pacing over a long course; it’s about winning a 1.5-kilometer battle again and again in one evening. Every heat of seven starts fresh, and only the top three go straight through. It’s all over in a couple of minutes, but every hundredth of a second counts. Doing that among the exciting atmosphere and cheers in Bedřichov is a completely different kind of pressure than anything else on our calendar,” says Lukas Bauer, Ski Classics Race Director.
Also Read: Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII
Bedřichov Heat Sprint — Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII – Event 8
- Date: Friday, February 12, 2027
- Location: Bedřichov, Czech Republic
- Distance: 1.5km classic technique (laps on a 500m course), qualification with 2 laps, heats with 3 laps
- Highest point: 750 meters above sea level
- Elevation gain: 31 meters
- Format: Heat Sprint
- Starting procedure: Individual start at qualification followed by mass start heats (semifinal and final), 7 athletes per heat
- Start times: Men 16:00 CET / Women 16:30 CET
- Points: Pro Event 300p – See exact point distribution
- Sprint: Sprint points awarded at the finish line
- Last edition winners: Julie Kvale Støstad (3:30.27), Alvar Myhlback (3:04.96)
- Participation: only elite and qualified athletes
- Registration: More information here
- Link to SC Play: Watch here
Map and Profile
More information about the Bedřichov Heat Sprint can be found HERE
Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII (2026/2027)
• Event 1: December 11, 2026 – Bad Gastein Prologue – Austria – 1km
• Event 2: December 13, 2026 – Sportgastein Criterium – Austria – 30km
• Event 3: December 19, 2026 – Bad Gastein ITT – Austria – 7km
• Event 4: December 20, 2026 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Austria – 36km
Bad Gastein Tour (Events 1–4 of Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII)
• Event 5: January 16, 2027 – Engadin La Diagonela – Switzerland – 55km
• Event 6: January 17, 2027 – Zuoz–St. Moritz Sprint – Switzerland – 30km
• Event 7: January 31, 2027 – Marcialonga – Italy – 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2027 – Bedřichov Heat Sprint – Czech Republic – 1.5km
• Event 9: February 14, 2027 – Jizerská50 – Czech Republic – 50km
• Event 10: February 27, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Women – Sweden – 30km
• Event 11: February 28, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Men – Sweden – 30km
• Event 12: March 7, 2027 – Vasaloppet – Sweden – 90km
• Event 13: March 20, 2027 – Birkebeinerrennet – Norway – 53km
• Event 14: April 3, 2027 – Reistadløpet – Norway – 35km
• Event 15: April 4, 2027 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Norway – 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics World Championship, visit skiclassics.com.
Author: Leandro Lutz
Top Photo: Reichert/NordicFocus
