Successful premiere of the 1st Pond­Hockey tour­na­ment at Weis­sensee

Right from the start on Friday, the participants were beaming in competition with the sun as they opened the weekend with the first exciting qualifying matches on natural ice. Saturday afternoon, alongside the teams' further qualifying matches, was also all about sporting highlights.

The traditional and always eagerly anticipated on-ice city derby, Villach vs Klagenfurt, got things under way. Team Villach included, among others, Mayor Günther Albel, VSV sporting director Herbert Hohenberger, former VSV players Martin Hohenberger, Thomas Pfeffer, Lukas Herzog and Roland Schurian, as well as VSV Ladyhawks player Sabrina DiCasmirro, reigning Villach Carnival Prince Andreas Ferlan and several others.

The Klagenfurt team comprised Mayor Christian Scheider, former football international Matthias Dollinger, Sportpark Klagenfurt director Daniel Greiner, former professional cyclist Paco Wrolich, former KAC players Dieter Kalt and Johannes Reichel, and several others. The Villach side ran out clear 8:4 winners. Mayor Günther Albel proudly accepted the trophy, a miniature replica of the Pyramidenkogel, which is clearly shining blue today.

The celebrity game, featuring numerous well-known personalities including former international Martin Hinteregger, meteorologist and ORF weather expert Marcus Wadsak, former figure skater Claudia Kristofics-Binder, former professional cyclist Paco Wrolich, Austrian national ice hockey team head coach Roger Bader, as well as Weissensee Mayor Karoline Turnschek, ÖEHV President Klaus Hartmann, Kärntner-Eishockey-Magazin presenter Hannes Orasche, top chef Hannes Müller, Europlast managing director Georg Schnaubelt and organisers Christian Kresse and Gerhard Brüggler, provided further variety and excellent entertainment. Great sporting ambition and a palpable joy of playing went hand in hand.

The Kärntnermilch U10 youth tournament generated just as much enthusiasm. Cheered on loudly by fans and families, the youngest participants showed tremendous commitment, fair play and, above all, pure joy in ice hockey.

Sunday then featured the major finals.

Despite all the sporting ambition, the focus in every group was on enjoying ice hockey in its most original form.

Organisers Gerhard Brüggler and Christian Kresse are highly satisfied with the premiere and are already looking forward to the continuation of the International PondHockey Tournament from 15 to 17 January 2027.