Sport Austria Finals: You can't do more sport

The premiere of the Sport Austria Finals powered by Intersport & Holding Graz starts on Thursday. The opening ceremony on Wednesday evening at Graz's main square (from 18:30 p.m.) will be followed by four days of competition packed with sporty action in 250 competitions at 16 sports venues with more than 3.500 athletes. Spectacular decisions, impressive numbers and the sportiest live streaming in Austria.

There are more than 200 hours of live sport on the new digital platform Sport Pass Austria (www.sportpassaustria.at) from the finals. The starting signal is the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, after which up to 15 parallel live streams from various sports venues await local sports fans every day. There are also the highlights as on-demand videos, a daily magazine and a studio program with top-class guests.

“The Sport Austria Finals are the first highlight after the restart of the sport - and not only the perfect starting signal for Sport Pass Austria but also for a sporty summer with soccer EURO and the Olympic Games. There are more than 30 camera teams in and around Graz in action to offer the largest possible stage for all the spectacular sports that are otherwise not so much in focus ”, says Bernhard Hafenscher, co-founder of Sport Pass Austria.

The “little Olympic Games” also take on an almost Olympic dimension in the area of ​​moving images - and thus set new standards in Austria. “The time is ripe for this next step in the digitization of sport, which absolutely deserves this attention,” Hafenscher continued.

Colorful program in the "Thunderdome"

And that is certain for the sporty leading actors: After the thrilling Olympic qualification and the opening ceremony of the finals, Austria’s next-generation basketball players will take over the “Thunderdome” and rock the city center with 3 × 3 action.

On Saturday, the cheerleaders, who ensure a nominal record at the finals premiere, will take over: 1.012 female and 13 female athletes will perform for the championship title.

On Sunday afternoon, the mega-arena in front of the town hall will be handed over to the best breaking athletes, who will show spectacular moves to cool beats. "I'm looking forward to being able to show what I'm capable of at the Sport Austria Finals," says B-Girl Sina, who is traveling to Graz with title ambitions. Her secret of success: "You need the body of an athlete and the expression of an artist."

 

EM team in the oyster

It will be loud from Thursday with acrobatics, sports aerobics and the national gymnastics championships in the Raiffeisen-Sportpark. Olympic starter Elisa Hämmerle and the newly crowned double World Cup winner Vinzenz Höck will fight for the championship title there on the weekend.

“Spectacle is guaranteed! When the athletes fly all over the hall, it is always worth a visit, ”assures the 25-year-old vice European champion on the rings.

Speaking of flying people. When jumping into the water in the outdoor pool of the Grazer Auster, the currently strongest contingent of the Austrian Swimming Association is at the start. With Nico Schaller, Dariush Lotfi, Alex Hart, Anton Knoll and Cara Albiez, the entire EM team from Budapest will be represented in Graz. In addition to synchronized swimming action on Sunday, there is also high tension in the water polo Cup Final 4.

Olympic starters included

Excitement is also guaranteed in the duel between young mountain bike stars Laura Stigger and Mona Mitterwallner. The Olympic starter Stigger wants to fend off the attack of her Tyrolean compatriot in Olympic cross-country on the XCO route in Stattegg and defend the state championship. “The championship jersey is always something special,” says Stigger, who will also start in the Eliminator on Friday in Stattegg.

Tokyo starter and runner-up Max Foidl is part of the men’s race, while the next-generation hopeful Mario Bair will bring his first international victory in the UCI C1 MTB race in Kočevje, Slovenia, with him. The defending champion is the 41-year-old mountain bike legend Karl Markt. The Tyrolean was sixth in Slovenia, one place behind 19-year-old Gregor Raggl, who won the bronze medal at the championship last year. So excitement is guaranteed!

The ÖLV championship for clubs will be held on Sunday in the ASKÖ Sportcenter Graz-Eggenberg. The eight best athletics clubs in Austria will fight for the title in women and men, including Austria's all-round hope Sarah Lagger, who will start in three disciplines (ball, javelin and jump; note). In addition, the best young hopes get a big stage.

 

24 associations, 250 decisions

Flying fists and fast legs can be admired while kickboxing in the UNION sports hall or while playing karate with the Olympic candidates Alisa Buchinger, Bettina Plank and the European Championship third party Stefan Pokorny in the ASKÖ Sportcenter.

Young sports such as breaking or rope skipping, padel, footvolley, disc golf or ultimate frisbee are also performed. In addition, the championship decisions in fencing, golf, laser run (modern pentathlon), orienteering, floorball, sitting ball, softball, dance, inline speed skating and racketlon are on the program.

Pay please!

  •  500 accreditations
  • 137 km of power cables
  • 35 camera teams
  • 200 hours of live streaming
  • 000 FFP2 masks
  • 41 COVID-19 prevention concepts
  • 500 liters of disinfectant
  • 000 drinks
  • 000 bananas
  • 500 granola bars
  • 500 Billa packed lunches for the volunteers
  • 7,5 km of barrier tape
  • 3,3 km grid
  • 2,8 km of banners
  • 15 e-bikes, 10 cargo bikes, 5 Segways
  • 150 liters of Styrian seed oil for the medal winners

All information about the Sport Austria Finals powered by Intersport & Holding Graz can be found online at www.sportaustriafinals.at