Union Turnverein Stainz Judo claimed the Styrian student team championship after a series of decisive matches in Kirchbach, meinbezirk.at reported.
Team competitions present a distinct obstacle for clubs due to the requirement of filling eight separate weight classes. For the girls’ tournament, divisions ranged from 25 kilograms to over 57 kilograms, while the boys competed in categories spanning from 27 kilograms to the heavyweight division above 60 kilograms, according to the report.
Because few programs possess the depth to field a complete roster across every division, the regional federation permits clubs to supplement their squads with athletes from neighboring organizations. Stainz built its core lineup in Kirchbach but integrated fighters from Gleisdorf and Köflach, competing under the unified banner of “Judo United” for athletes born between 2013 and 2017.
The tournament drew 96 young competitors to the mats at the Sporthalle Kirchbach. For the Stainz girls’ team—featuring Isabella Dengg, Laura Diestler, Irene Galli, Lena Mörth, Jana Pignitter, and Leonie Simunovic—the joint effort yielded an undefeated run to the regional crown.
“Sie haben sich in hervorragender Form präsentiert,” said head coach Christa Schimpel, according to meinbezirk.at.
Schimpel told the outlet that the girls secured the championship by defeating the combined team from Turnau, Pöls, and Mürzzuschlag 5-3, before matching that scoreline against the Vulkanland girls.
“Auch die gegenseitige Unterstützung und der Zusammenhalt haben überzeugt,” Schimpel told meinbezirk.at regarding the collective effort.
The Stainz boys’ squad—comprising Michael Hainzl, Maximilian Liebmann, Jakob Mörth, Paul Mörth, and Gabriel Simunovic—finished fifth in their respective bracket.
While the team dropped matches to the Vulkanland boys and tournament champions Judo Grappling Graz, their other fixtures proved far tighter. Schimpel said that the squad lost narrow 4-5 and 3-5 decisions against Team Hochsteiermark and the ASKÖ Graz/Judo Bulls respectively.
“Letztlich wurde es der 5. Platz,” Schimpel told meinbezirk.at, adding that the final standings did not fully capture the team’s capabilities on the mat.
Despite missing out on the podium, the boys demonstrated resilience and sportsmanship across their bouts. Officials said that the primary value of the regional championship lies in gaining competitive experience and fostering cooperation across club boundaries for future events.
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