The two long-established weightlifting strongholds in Austria, record champions SK Vöest Linz and Vösendorf, have a serious competitor in the Bundesliga this year in the shape of the competition community (WKG) Innviertel. The team, made up of the clubs Lochen and Ranshofen, at least wants to annoy the big ones, and that with three up-and-coming women in the squad. Next Saturday (6 p.m.) in the Peter-Schnabl-Halle in Lochen am See there will be a first exchange of blows on the barbell at the start against Vösendorf.
So much for the weaker sex: With Sarah Fischer, who placed tenth at the Olympics and won four European Championships, the people from the Innviertel brought Austria’s greatest hope for Stemmer on board. With the only 17-year-old Lena Raidel from Straßwalchen, she has been forming a training team alternately in her home town of Krems and in Lochen on weekends for several weeks.
Due to the performances shown there recently, Lochen chairman Rudi Kobler has requested a special arbitration board from the association, which means that instead of one judge, three judges will evaluate the attempts and the possible records set will therefore also be valid.
From the paper form, Vösendorf is the favorite, says Upper Austria’s association spokesman Konrad Högg. But the goal of the Innviertler is clear: “We want to at least make life a little more difficult for the big clubs,” says Kobler, himself a former Stemmer with international experience.
With Christiane Schröcker, the WKG has another ace up its sleeve, with Florian Reisecker, who also lifts in the German Bundesliga, and Patrick Dürnberger are other experienced pillars in the squad. Defending champion SK Vöest Linz is still without a competition in the first round of the Bundesliga.
Source: Nachrichten
