Next-Gen athletes take the firing line in Tallinn

A year after making history, Tallinn once again takes center stage as the true heartland of European youth shooting sports.

The 2026 European Championship U18 25m/50m officially kicks off today, bringing together the absolute best of the next generation.

Having previously hosted the 2023 European Youth League Championship and the 2025 European Championship 10m U16/U18, the Estonian host city has solidified an extraordinary legacy of fostering rising talent. To mark this grand return, the event’s legendary lynx mascot is back with a vibrant, updated colorway. In the same spirit, the official medals feature custom designs rooted in iconic elements of local heritage, ensuring every podium finisher takes home a tangible piece of the host nation.

The European Shooting Confederation continues its drive to modernize the sport, giving young athletes their own dedicated stage. For the ESC, supporting the youth is the top priority. We proved this by successfully integrating shooting sports into the European Youth Olympic Festival in North Macedonia in 2025, with the next edition coming up in Lignano-Porpetto, Italy next year. Failing to invest in youth formats means failing to produce future champions – without them, there is no real progress in sport.

This clear commitment to innovation hasn't gone unnoticed. Seeing our vision in action, major industry leaders joined forces with us specifically to back rising stars. This shared ambition brings target innovation from SportQuantum, legendary world-class scoring systems from Megalink, and advanced precision analysis technology from SCATT.

So, Tallinn... shall we rewrite youth sports history once more?

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