Sport Austria Finals: anniversaries, series winners and rain battles

Not even a hailstorm on Saturday afternoon could affect the enthusiasm at the Sport Austria Finals powered by Intersport & Holding Graz in the Styrian capital. There was a round gold jubilee among the fencers, a lot of thrill with the gymnasts in the Raiffeisen-Sportpark, the Congress experiences a talent test that grows into a chess sensation and in the Ultimate Frisbee the semi-final tickets are awarded in epic rain battles.

FENCING

 Title anniversary in the ASVÖ hall! Josef Mahringer won the epee competition confidently and is celebrating a milestone anniversary. The Upper Austrian was only moderately challenged up to the semifinals, but was then fully challenged by Samuel Berktold. "I knew it was going to be difficult, but the longer the duel lasted, the better I moved."

In the final, Mahringer was in a class of his own again, winning 15: 7 against Julian Fuchs. “That was the perfect end to the season! With the role of favorites you always have a bit of pressure, but I was in a good mood and very stable ”, it was Mahringer's fourth national championship title in the individual.

Despite missing the Olympic qualification, the Waldinger's season conclusion is satisfied. “I achieved or even exceeded all of my goals for the season. The Olympic qualification was unrealistic, but I gave it my all. In the world rankings I was able to keep my position well. ”Mahringer is now on a short summer break. A week off before the army athlete starts again. Namely to Hungary, where he has been living and training since October 2019.

In the coming weeks with Siklosi Gergely, number 1 in the world and one of the favorites at the Olympic Games in Tokyo: “It's an honor to be asked if I'm training with him for the Olympics. That certainly helps me a lot in my development. ”After that, Mahringer starts preparing for the upcoming fencing season. The highlight is the European Championships in October: "I feel confirmed on my way and look forward to everything that comes."

DO GYMNASTICS

Pure thrills at the National Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Raiffeisen-Sportpark Graz: In the men's all-around competition, local hero Alexander Benda and Severin Kranzlmüller did five pieces of gymnastics at eye level and at top level, and were still in the lead after four of the six pieces.

With a great horizontal bar at the very end, local hero Benda finally won his third all-around title after 2017 and 2020. Kranzlmüller missed the second after 2013. As in the previous year, Ricardo Rudy secured the bronze medal. Benda: “It has never been so nerve-wracking, I had to fight for a long time. I am very satisfied with my new personal record. "

Vinzenz Höck, who won the World Cup for the second time a week ago in Sofia, shone again with 14.900 points on his specialty rings - that was the clear highest score of the day.

In the women’s category, Marlies Männersdorfer from Vorarlberg prevailed for the fourth time after 2017, 2018 and 2020 thanks to a flawless four-way battle. Last year's winner Jasmin Mader awarded the victory at her 13th national championship in a row by falling from the balance beam. With Alissa Mörz in third place, a woman from Burgenland reached Austria’s gymnastics podium for the first time.

The women's team decision brought exactly the same podium as in 2019 and 2020: Vorarlberg before Tyrol and Vienna. In the men's category, the two-time successful Styrians had to just let the Upper Austrians take precedence in front of their home crowd. Vorarlberg climbed back onto the podium and bronze medal after several years of dry spell.

CHESS

 The rapid chess state championship in the Graz Congress on Saturday could hardly have been more exciting. Favorite Markus Ragger started the second day of the tournament badly with a draw against Florian Schwabeneder and a defeat against Felix Blohberger. Austria's number 1 fought his way up to the final round with three wins up to half a point against the 18-year-old Viennese Blohberger. Third candidate for the tournament victory was the Upper Austrian Florian Schwabeneder, who like Ragger had 6,5 points in the intermediate table.

In the last round Ragger's rivals draw their games, Schwabeneder in the duel between Upper Austria and Florian Sandhöfner, Blohberger in his game against the first Styrian grandmaster Andreas Diermair.

Ragger by choice from Graz uses his chance to catch up with Blohberger with a win against Philipp Enöckl with 7,5 points. In the end, Ragger and Blohberger each had 7,5 points from nine games. The title decision was only made in the second ranking. And there Blohberger, who was the European U2018 champion in rapid chess in 16 and has already won a total of six medals in the fast disciplines, is half a point ahead. Ragger had to be content with silver, Schwabeneder (Upper Austria) took bronze.

“It is my second title in rapid chess after 2019, last year I was second behind Dragnev according to the fine scoring. It seems that rapid chess suits me, ”says Blohberger after the game. Anna-Christina Ragger won the women's state championship ahead of Annika Fröwis and Styrian Barbara Teuschler. The decision in blitz chess will be made on Sunday from 10 a.m.

FOOT VOLLEY

Favorite wins are often the hardest. Not so for Jakob and Klemens Hofmann-Wellenhof. The Graz brothers have been unbeaten for four years, the national competition in the duels every time on the sand. This is also the case at the Sport Austria Finals. Unbeaten and without losing a set in the final - there the number 1 of the footvolley ranking against the number 2, Benedikt Hofmann-Wellenhof and Josef Luster clearly prevailed with 18: 7, 18:11.

"Victories will never be normal and this success at the Sport Austria Finals is very special because we train a lot and have prepared ourselves specifically for this season highlight," says Klemens Hofmann-Wellenhof, who is not only about the cup but also about it was happy that the young sport of footvolley was able to use the mega-stage for itself. With four competitions: women, men, mixed and youth. “For our sport, which is not yet well known, it was a great opportunity to be able to present itself at the finals and be in the limelight. We'll definitely be back next year! "

In the women's category, Antonia Missethan / Julia Rauch won against Cornelia Neuhold / Nina Steinbauer. The latter celebrated mixed gold with partner Daniel Neuhold.

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

The best did not come to the end in the Graz-Weinzödl sports center, but the best pictures. Because the second day of competition of the Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Championships ended with rain battles. With a lot of water from above, but without thunder and lightning. “We were able to end the day and finish the pool phase with the backdoor games,” said a delighted organizer Andreas Kuhn.

And even more so on Sunday, when defending champions Catchup Graz meet the wonder team from Vienna and Mosquitos Klosterneuburg meet the Viennese Zombees in the two semi-finals. For the first time, a title decision will be streamed completely live, and all games will be played on the day of the final www.sportpassaustria.at transfer.

“This is a holiday for our sport! The 84 final tickets were gone quickly, but this way all fans and those who want to become one have the opportunity to follow our matches live, ”said Kuhn, who even received news from Australia in this regard. From a Catchup Graz club member who moved to “Down Under” three years ago. "He'll get up at 1am for our games!"

JUMPING WATER

Home triple for Cara Albiez at the state championships in diving in the Grazer Auster in Eggenberg. The GAK Diving athlete won gold from the 1 m and 3 m board and the title from the tower. With 189,75 points, the 15-year-old relegated her teammate Annika Meusburger (154,35 points) and Lena Gramlinger from ASV Vienna (150,45 points) to the places.

“The decision to take Cara to the European Championship a few weeks ago was a very good one. She is our great hope for young women, took a lot with her and definitely has the potential to unlock the difficulties in the next few years ”, believes OSV trainer Aristide Brun.

The gold double was made by Dariusz Lotfi from Graz after gold from the 3 m board from the tower. The local hero from GAK Diving prevailed with 325,60 points ahead of the two ASV Wien athletes Anton Knoll (301,75 points) and Samuel Platt (249,65 points).

DISC GOLF

Spectacular disc golf decision in the heart of Graz - including a heavy downpour. 18-year-old Vincent Coyle from Graz was crowned U17 junior champion on 18 lanes in the city park. In the Masters Division (over 40s) Wolfgang Aichinger from Upper Austria and Birgit Lingenhel from Tyrol won the titles.

“This is my first title,” cheered Vincent Coyle, who completed a 54 lap in the morning and a 56 lap in the afternoon. “I only started disc golf in March 2020, i.e. in the first lockdown, because I was no longer allowed to train with my Ultimate Frisbee team.” So the student at the Graz Academic High School set out on his own and started on the disc golf courses to practice at the Josefhof at the Graz city limits, at the Schöckl and in Judendorf-Straßengel.

“And to practice putting, I ordered a disc golf basket on the Internet to take home. The fact that I was able to win my first tournament right away is amazing, it was real fun to play in the city park. Playing on the last two lanes in the pouring rain was a challenge, luckily I had friends with me who supported me. "

All information, news and results from the Sport Austria Finals powered by Intersport & Holding Graz can be found online at www.sportaustriafinals.at - The live streams of the title decisions are collected on www.sportpassaustria.at!