After a year’s break, the champion of the 1st Judo Bundesliga is back from Vienna. In a balanced final, the M&R Galaxy Tigers prevailed against the UJZ Mühlviertel at the Final Four in Gmunden only because of the better underrating (70:64). After fourteen final fights, the score was 7:7. Since the Viennese had won all fights by Ippon, but the Upper Austrians only five of them, the Tigers return to the Austrian judo throne.
For the team of club boss Thomas Haasmann it was the eighth championship title in the last nine years. As is well known, last year the LZ Multikraft Wels had to admit defeat to the Olympic medalist Shamil Borchashvili.
Already in the first round, a close race for the team championship title was evident in the repeated duel between Vienna and Upper Austria. The lead changed several times. A Mühlviertler opening win was followed by three victories for Galaxy. The Upper Austrians then equalized to 3:3 before Movli Borchashvilli brought the Viennese back into the lead. Things remained exciting after the break: Mühlviertel took the lead again with 5:4 after two victories in the light weight classes, Galaxy turned again to 5:6 before the duel ended in a 7.7 draw after fourteen fights and the tie-break had to decide.
“Mühlviertel has an outstanding coach on the sidelines in Martin Schlögl, who actually did everything right with his line-up in the final. After the first round we knew that we still needed three Ippon wins to be able to bring the championship title back to Vienna. Luckily we managed to do that, even though we competed with a lot of young fighters under the age of 21 this year. But these young savages are the reason why I keep going year after year. I love this team,” said Galaxy club boss Thomas Haasmann, whose ranks included the European champions Denis Vieru (MDA/-73) and Michael Korrell (NED/-100), and above all the only 19-year-old Bernd Fasching (-81) excelled with four fight victories in as many duels.
Organizer Manfred Reisinger also had reason to be happy: “This close final was the icing on the cake of an Austrian judo festival, where we were able to see the spectators returning and finally experience a unique atmosphere in front of a packed hall.”
Results, Final Four, Gmunden, Final for 1st place: M&R Galaxy Tigers Vienna – UJZ Mühlviertel 7:7 (70:64),- points: -66: David Peritsch, -73: Denis Vieru (MDA) 2, -81: Bernd Fasching 2, -100: Michael Korrel (NED), +100: Movli Borchashvilli; -60: Nikolas Rechberger 2, -66: Tobias Weixelbaumer, -90: Marcus Nyman (SWE) 2, -100 & +100: Noel Van T‘End (NED) 2
1st semi-final: M&R Galaxy Tigers Vienna – Sanjindo Bischofshofen 11:3 (104:27),- points: -60: Tornike Tsjakadoea (NED), -60: Lorenz Wildner, -66: David Peritsch 2, -73: Denis Vieru (MDA) 2, -81: Bernd Fasching 2, -100: Michael Korrel, +100: Movli Borchashvilli 2; -90: Thomas Scharfetter 2, -100: Mihael Zgank (TUR)
2. Semifinals: UJZ Mühlviertel – JC Wimpassing Sparkasse 7:7 (70:67).- Points: -60: Nikolas Rechberger 2, -66: Tobias Weixelbaumer, -73: Mario Wiesinger, -90: Marcus Nyman (SWE) 2 , -100: Noel Van T’End (NED); -66: Petr Zhukov (ROU), -73: Stefan Morgenbesser, -81: Michael Zeltner 2, -90: Aaron Fara, +100: Beka Gviniashvili (GEO) 2
