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Last week brought countless new challenges and strong performances for our #hyloathetes. We take a look back at the last seven days’ events and competitions featuring our athletes, teams and clubs.
TG Saar – away win to round off the spring season
On Saturday evening (25 April 2026), TG Saar faced StTV Singen in the Münchriedhalle for a Deutsche Turnliga (DTL) match that they definitively won 25:53. The Saarland team set the tone of the event early on and clearly won the first three apparatus. The floor (0:12), pommel horse (2:13) and rings (4:7) gave them a comfortable lead by half-time.
The team remained similarly stable after the break, extending their lead on the vault (4:7) and parallel bars (3:11). Singen’s only small win was the horizontal bar, but this apparatus victory for the home team could do nothing to change the overall result.
The top scorer was new addition Pascal Brendel, who shaped proceedings with 20 points. Nazar Chepurnyi contributed another eight. This third win in a row puts TG Saar in third place in the table at the end of the spring season and sends them off into the summer break in an excellent position. The Bundesliga will continue in November.
proWIN Volleys – spot in the division secured with 3:0 home win
Saturday evening (25 April 2026) brought the last match of the 2. Bundesliga Süd season for the proWIN Volleys TV Holz. In the Multifunktionssporthalle at SPORTCAMPUS Saarbrücken, the Saarland team secured their spot to stay in the division with a clear 3:0 win over VC Wiesbaden II, drawing a line under what has been a strong end to the season.
Things got off to a well-matched start. The first set between the two teams was a tight duel that the Volleys ultimately won 26:24 at the crucial moment. This success gave the team a definite level of security. Holz increasingly took control in the second set with more stable serving and attacks, winning 25:20. The away team’s resistance was definitively broken in the third set: 25:14 finally secured the Volleys their home win after 81 minutes of play.
This success is the cherry on the cake of what has been an intense end to the season. Following wins in Freisen and Munich, the Volleys were compelling once again in their season finale. Despite some staffing shortages in recent weeks, the team put in a cohesive performance and drew on the support of around 500 spectators to transform the SPORTCAMPUS into a setting brimming with atmosphere.
Having secured their spot in the division entirely under their own steam, the proWIN Volleys are now heading into the summer break and can start planning for the upcoming 2. Bundesliga Süd season. Congratulations to the Volleys!
Tarek Hamadeh‑Spaniol – class win at ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen
At the weekend (24-25 April 2026), Tarek Hamadeh‑Spaniol and his co-driver Henry Wichura lined up at the ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen, the second race in the Deutsche Rallye‑Meisterschaft season. After being forced to withdraw from the season opener with technical problems, the pair arrived with the aim of finding their rhythm in the Citroën C2R2 MAX – and did so in strong form.
The car performed reliably for much of the race. Only a brief engine misfire – caused by a loose connector on the throttle valve – temporarily slowed the team down, but it was quickly remedied. The synergy between driver, co-driver and vehicle remained stable and consistent across all 13 special stages. Tarek and Henry won every single stage in the NC3 class and established a position at the top early on.
They ultimately secured a definitive class win with a lead of more than seven minutes – a major step forward after their Erzgebirge setback. For Tarek, it was particularly important to reach the finish line and secure valuable points for the DRM Nationals. The confidence placed in the re-engineered vehicle paid off and gave the team the reassurance they needed to finish the race in a controlled manner.
This successful weekend will now be followed by an extended break. The next Deutsche Rallye‑Meisterschaft race is not until the first weekend in August, when the rally around Mosel marks the third event of the season.
Team75 Motorsport – turbulent weekend at Red Bull Ring
The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany stopped off at the Red Bull Ring for the second race of the season at the weekend (24-26 April 2026). For Team75 Motorsport, this event in Spielberg was two intense days of racing marked by tight qualifiers, difficult duels and a combination of setbacks and vital points.
The team suffered some early issues in Saturday’s race: Gian Luca Tüccaroglu was involved in a major crash on the third bend and had to withdraw with radiator damage. Sam Jongejan worked his way up to the top ten after a good start, but dropped several places after a collision when the race restarted and ultimately finished in 14th. He narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the rookie rankings with fifth place. Michael Essmann once again provided consistency, spending a long time at the top of the pro‑am class and ultimately finishing in second.
The race on Sunday also remained tight. Gian Luca started from 14th place on the grid after a penalty, stayed out of the early commotion and drove a solid race throughout. A later correction to the results boosted him up to 13 place, giving him his first points of the season. Sam Jongejan initially made up some places but misjudged a braking manoeuvre, spun into a rival and was awarded three penalty laps. Despite being dropped all the way down to the back, he fought his way back up to 22nd place and came fifth in the rookie rankings. Michael Essmann confirmed his strong form and came second in the pro‑am rankings, his fourth podium finish in four races.
For Team75, the weekend was a combination of progress, some bad luck and important insights. Things continue in two weeks with the next championship event in Spa‑Francorchamps, Belgium.
BIKE AID – perfect start to Tour du Bénin
On Monday (27 April 2026), BIKE AID began the Tour du Bénin, a six-day stage race in the UCI 2.2 category. The opening stage in Cotonou was a short 4.8-kilometre prologue – and the team got off to a fantastic start that immediately prompted excitement.
Oscar Schempp managed the fastest time in the prologue to secure his first UCI win. The 21‑year‑old dominated the stretch with an average speed of over 60 kph on his new bicycle, winning several jerseys in the process. Directly behind him was teammate Kristians Belo, whose second place was another strong result and gained him the points jersey.
The team’s spirits are unsurprisingly high. This initial double success demonstrates how well the team have got started in this African stage race. The team’s #rideforafrica jersey also highlighted their mission of supporting young African talent via a development programme.
The next few days bring some longer, more challenging stage races across Benin. BIKE AID are heading into the next race with strong momentum and will be seeking to build on this strong start.
SV Elversberg – 3:3 in Darmstadt after intense battle
On Saturday evening (25 April 2026), SV Elversberg drew 3:3 with SV Darmstadt 98 at Merck‑Stadion am Böllenfalltor. After falling 2:0 behind, SVE turned things around before the first half was over and spent much of the match a man up – but still ultimately only secured a single point.
Elversberg responded strongly to the early setback and goals by Zimmerschied, Rohr and Petkov put the score at 3:2 by half-time. However, SVE lost some of their clarity after the change of ends, whilst Darmstadt fought their way back into the match despite being a man down and equalised to 3:3. Both teams had opportunities during the final stages but lacked the ultimate precision needed. ‘20 minutes in I would have been very happy with 3:3, but unsurprisingly I was not at the end after an entire half a man up’, Vincent Wagner noted.
20 minutes in I would have been very happy with 3:3, but unsurprisingly I was not at the end after an entire half a man up
Manager Vincent Wagner
A detailed match report can be found in our HYLO® News article.
Things continue for SVE on Sunday (3 May 2026, 1:30 p.m.) at home at URSAPHARM-Arena an der Kaiserlinde, with their next top match against SC Paderborn 07.
Saarlouis Hornets – strong performance in Darmstadt, later disallowed
At lunchtime on Saturday (25 April 2026), the Saarlouis Hornets faced the Darmstadt Whippets for a 2. Bundesliga Südwest double-header. The Hornets provided two convincing performances on the field and won both games – a 20:4 via the mercy rule and then 3:1 in the second after a patient comeback.
The attacking lineup made their mark early on in the first game, including with a home run by Alex Kharabian and numerous extra‑base hits. Peter Mick chalked up three strong innings at the mound then Paul Simon brought things safely home. The team remained similarly solid in the second game: despite falling behind early on, Saarlouis turned things around in the fifth inning to secure an away win.
However, this was then all overturned on the Monday – both games were disallowed due to a technical error with the player lists. The team appeared disappointed but emphasised that their sporting performance and confidence from both matches still stood.
Saturday (2 May 2026) brings their next home game against Schriesheim Raubritter.
HG Saarlouis – defeat in top match, championship still up for grabs
On Saturday evening (25 April 2026), HG Saarlouis faced TV Gelnhausen in a top 3. Liga Südwest duel in the Großsporthalle, where they were beaten 32:41. This means that their hosts remain undefeated at home, whilst the championship will come down to the last day of play.
The opening stages were evenly matched, but HGS increasingly lost control after 10:10. Gelnhausen consistently exploited every moment of uncertainty, took advantage of numerous penalties and established a 19:14 lead by half-time. ‘Our defence lost us the match. Our head-to-heads and defensive support were lacking the aggressiveness and voracity you need against an opponent like this’, was coach Jörg Lützelberger’s analysis.
Our defence lost us the match. Our head-to-heads and defensive support were lacking the aggressiveness and voracity you need against an opponent like this
Coach Jörg Lützelberger
Saarlouis also failed to establish the stability they were looking for after the change of ends. Gelnhausen cleverly defended their lead whilst HGS allowed too many opportunities to pass them by in 6‑on‑6 and 7‑on‑6 moments, despite some good moves. By the time Saarlouis were able to start catching up again, the gap had grown to nine goals. They lacked power, precision and luck in the final stages, bringing the match to a definitive close.
As well as the defeat, the foot injury suffered by Marko Jelicic was also cause for concern. How severe this injury is will become clear in the coming days.
HGS will now need to shake the evening’s events off quickly. The championship will be definitively decided this Saturday with a home game against TV Homburg, before the promotion battles begin.
Füchse Berlin – home win in first match after Cup triumph
Just a few days after winning the DHB Cup, Füchse Berlin have also showcased their skill in the league. On Thursday evening (23 April 2026), the German champions won their home game against VfL Gummersbach 28:26 to consolidate their third place in the DAIKIN Handball‑Bundesliga.
In front of 9,000 fans in a sold-out Max‑Schmeling‑Halle, captain Max Darj showed off the Cup trophy once again before the starting whistle sounded – and two players then went on to make their mark on the court: Dejan Milosavljev shone with 19 saves, whilst Mathias Gidsel scored eleven goals to be the key attacking player of the evening. Both players ensured that Füchse clinched vital moments in the final stages of what was a close match.
Berlin got off to a strong start but Gummersbach continually gave chase. The match remained open after the break, until Füchse managed to keep their heads at crunch time. Late campaigns by Matthes Langhoff and Lukas Herburger helped them to retain their lead through to the final whistle. Coach Nicolej Krickau later described this as a ‘fantastic second half for both teams’ and praised his team’s collective fighting spirit.
This 28:26 win sends Füchse off into international week with the wind in their sails: Thursday (30 April, 6:45 p.m.) brings the EHF Champions League quarter‑final first leg against One Veszprém HC.
Tim Hellwig begins WTCS season with 13th place
Tim Hellwig finished 13th at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Samarkand on Saturday (25 April 2026), marking an excellent start to the new season. After a solid swim and cycle, he lost a little time during the run, due in part to the warm conditions in Uzbekistan.
Hellwig was open about the result: he was disappointed at first because he knew that there was a lot more in the tank, but he also emphasised that if he had been asked three months ago, he would have happily signed up for this kind of start to the season after last year. He also announced that he would be specifically working to fix a few heat issues so that he would not just be running from aid station to aid station in future races, as he vividly described in his Instagram post.
Hellwig is now turning his attentions to the next WTCS race in Yokohama in three weeks’ time, where he is hoping to build on this performance.
PDC Europe – 50,000 euros raised at Poker Charity Tournament 2026
The PDC Europe Poker Charity Tournament 2026, held at Motorworld Munich and the Drivers & Business Club Germany on Saturday (25 April 2026), brought together darts pros, poker experts, celebrities and fans. This combination of sporting ambition and a relaxed atmosphere ensured a new record: a total of 50,000 euros were raised for social projects.
The money will be donated to three institutions working to promote inclusion, culture and social assistance: 20,000 euros to Förderverein Inklusion, 20,000 euros to Mohr‑Villa Freimann and 10,000 euros to Marienkäfer e.V.
There were numerous famous names sat around the poker table, including Gian van Veen, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Ricardo Pietreczko, Simon Whitlock and Raymond van Barneveld. Prominent figures from the worlds of sport and media, such as Thomas Helmer, Jan Stecker, Rüdiger Neitzel and Lars Riedel, were also taking part. The evening was overseen by legendary caller Russ Bray and event host Basti Schwele.
Professional poker players such as Jan Heitmann and George Danzer were on hand to support proceedings, providing specialist insights and helping to raise the competitive level of the tournament.
This evening highlighted how great the impact can be when sport, entertainment and social engagement are combined.
Read more about the event at PDC Europe.
World Boccia Cup Montreal – season opener for Raguwaran and Nicolai
On Saturday (25 April 2026), Anita Raguwaran and Boris Nicolai travelled to Montreal for their first international event of the 2026 boccia year. After arriving, Monday marked a day of training followed by the opening ceremony, official events and equipment checks. This will serve as the first acid test of the new season for both athletes.
After a strong 2025 season with a European championship silver, singles bronze, and Raguwaran’s first World Cup gold, the pair will both be seeking to consolidate their position in the world rankings and compete for medals once again in the new season. Montreal kick-starts an intense schedule including Astana, São Paulo and the world championship in Seoul.
Tuesday marks the beginning of the singles competition with group stages and knockout rounds, followed at the weekend by the pairs event. For Raguwaran and Nicolai, the next few days will be primarily about getting back up to competition speed and applying what they have learned in training under real conditions.
We are looking forward to upcoming events and appearances from our #hyloathletes and wish all of our HYLO® partners much luck and success.