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Austria are EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS 2010

Before the home WCH, Austria retain their European Championship title
Ermatingen, 29.08.2010 - With what ultimately turns out be a clear 4-1 win against the hosts Switzerland, Austria retain their European Championship title from 2008 one year before the World Championship on home soil.

>> Austrian Fistball Association's special EC page (German)

Despite the 3-2 defeat of Switzerland in the preliminary round on Friday, Austria were by no means the clear favourites going into the final of the European Championship 2010 in Ermatingen. The Swiss team, led by star spiker Cyrill Schreiber, was cheered on by nearly 2,500 home fans. These fans made their presence felt in the first set of the final, too, and helped the hosts to come from behind to win it 11-9. But then the Austrians, led by Dietmar Weiss, really turned on the style and won the second and third sets by a clear margin. The back line of Karl Rick, captain Christian Leitner and Siegfried Simon were a veritable bulwark at this stage of the match. But in the fourth set, the Austrians fell behind. After the Swiss had taken a clear 7-3 lead, Austria coach Winfried Kronsteiner responded by sending on Dominik Hofer for his debut in place of Dietmar Weiss.
Hofer, showing no signs of nerves, scored one point after another against the Swiss team's world-class defence and succeeded in turning the set around in Austria's favour. In the fifth set it was once again Dominik Hofer who repeatedly put the Swiss under pressure. As a result the hosts began to make more and more unforced errors, which only served to increase the pressure on them. Despite this they managed to rally one last time and saved three match balls. Forced to take risks, the Swiss spiker Cyrill Schreiber hit an attacking shot way out, and that proved to be decisive. So, one year before the World Championship on home soil, Austria have landed an immensely important victory that above all confirms the policy adopted by the coaching duo of Kronsteiner and Metz. The organising team of the 2011 Fistball World Championship has also scored a notable success. Several days before the European Championship, Energie AG agreed to act as an official sponsor of the World Championship in Austria. This was a further incentive for the Austrian team as they prepared for their triumphant European Championship campaign 2010.

Final standings: 17th European Championship for Men in Ermatingen, Switzerland

1. Austria
2. Switzerland
3. Germany
4. Italy
5. Serbia
6. Czech Republic
7. Catalonia 

 


Austria are EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS 2010

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