Mevius, Ankermann, and THW Kiel Named SH-Sportler des Jahres 2025

The athletic landscape of the region has its definitive champions for the past year, as Mevius, Ankermann, and THW Kiel have been officially recognized as the SH-Sportler des Jahres 2025. The announcement celebrates a diverse range of excellence, bringing together individual brilliance and collective team success.

Among those recognized in the broader context of the region’s sporting achievements are the German badminton vice-champions, Blau-Weiß Wittorf, and a distinguished sailing duo, highlighting a year of significant competitive reach across multiple disciplines.

Blau-Weiß Wittorf: Vice-Champions Facing a Bundesliga Grind

Although the accolades for the SH-Sportler des Jahres 2025 spotlight the peak of regional success, the journey for Blau-Weiß Wittorf has been a study in resilience. Despite holding the title of German badminton vice-champion, the Neumünster-based squad has faced a challenging campaign in the highest tier of German competition.

The team, managed by Ralf Treptau, has navigated a season defined by high-stakes matchups and grueling encounters. For a global audience unfamiliar with the structure, the 1. Badminton-Bundesliga represents the pinnacle of the sport in Germany, where every single point in a match can shift the standings of the entire league.

Recent results have been sobering for the “Schwalestädter.” In a high-profile clash against the reigning German team champions, SV Fun-Ball Dortelweil, Wittorf suffered a comprehensive 0:7 defeat. The match, held at the European School Rhein-Main, was a rematch of the 2025 finals. Despite the lopsided scoreline, the team showed flashes of competitiveness.

Bjarne Geiss and Jonathan Dresp pushed the Danish duo of Christian Faust Kjaer and William Kryger Boe through three tight sets in the first men’s doubles, eventually falling 11:13, 10:12, and 9:11. Dresp later noted that they had opportunities to win every set but were unable to capitalize on those pivotal moments.

Other highlights from that encounter included a set victory by the women’s doubles pair of Franziska Volkmann and Camilla Martens against Beiwen Zhang and Yvonne Li. Sören Toft Hansen secured a set in his singles match against former Wittorf player Matthias Kicklitz, and the mixed duo of Franziska and Patrick Volkmann also claimed a set in their four-set loss to Simon Krax and Yvonne Li.

The ‘Hercules Task’ and Current Standings

The struggle for consistency continued into early 2026. On March 9, 2026, reports indicated that Wittorf had fallen back in the race for the “Final Four.” Team manager Ralf Treptau had described the matchup against 1. BC Wipperfeld as a “Hercules task,” a description that proved apt as Wittorf fell 2:5.

The weekend proved even more difficult on Sunday, when the team suffered what was described as the “maximum penalty”—a clear 0:7 loss to 1. BC Saarbrücken-Bischmisheim. These results have left Blau-Weiß Wittorf in sixth place in the 1. Badminton-Bundesliga standings, holding 13 points.

To provide some perspective for those following the league table, the gap to the top remains significant, but the path to the Final Four is not yet closed. TV Refrath currently holds fourth place with 16 points, creating a three-point deficit that Wittorf must overcome to secure a top-four finish.

Roster Depth and Key Personnel

The strength of the Wittorf squad relies on a mix of international talent and dedicated local athletes. The primary roster for Team 1 includes:

• Management: Ralf Treptau (Team Manager)
• Key Players: Jonathan Dresp, Bjarne Geiss, Sören Toft Hansen, Mette Werge, Mathias Thyrri, Anna Siess Ryberg, and Andi Fadel Muhammad.

The commitment of the athletes is evident in their scheduling. for example, Franziska and Patrick Volkmann competed in the Yonex Dutch Open in the Netherlands, reaching the semifinals, just one day before a critical Bundesliga matchday.

Looking Ahead: The Final Showdowns

With the SH-Sportler des Jahres 2025 honors serving as a reminder of the region’s sporting prestige, Blau-Weiß Wittorf now turns its full attention to its final home appearances. These matches are viewed as a “showdown” that could determine their ultimate placement in the league.

The schedule for the final push is as follows:

• Saturday, March 21: vs. 1. BV Mülheim (currently 7th with 2 points).
• Sunday, March 22: vs. SC Union 08 Lüdinghausen (currently 5th with 14 points).

If Wittorf can secure strong results over this weekend, it remains realistic for them to close the gap on TV Refrath and potentially move into a qualifying position for the Final Four, provided Refrath struggles in their remaining matches against Saarbrücken-Bischmisheim and Wipperfeld.

Fans can follow the team’s progress and official updates via the Blau-Weiß Wittorf official site or through the DBV (Deutscher Badminton Verband) news portal.

The next confirmed checkpoint for the team will be the match against 1. BV Mülheim on March 21. Share your thoughts on Wittorf’s Final Four chances in the comments below.